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I bought a new VPS running CentOS 5.5, and I'm trying to upgrade my kernel. I've downloaded, compiled and installed it sucessfully, and now I need to set it up in the grub settings. But there's no grub directory in /boot.

Where is, then, the /boot/grub/menu.lst or grub.conf file?

Edit: When I do rpm -ql grub it throws package grub is not installed. How can I know the boot loader and change its settings?

[root@server css]# find /boot -exec rpm -qf {} \;
filesystem-2.4.0-3.el5
file /boot/System.map-2.6.33.5-rt23.old is not owned by any package
file /boot/System.map-2.6.33.5-rt23 is not owned by any package
redhat-logos-4.9.99-11.el5.centos
file /boot/System.map is not owned by any package
file /boot/vmlinuz is not owned by any package
file /boot/grub is not owned by any package
redhat-logos-4.9.99-11.el5.centos
file /boot/initrd-2.6.33.5-rt23.img is not owned by any package
file /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.33.5-rt23 is not owned by any package
file /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.33.5-rt23.old is not owned by any package

[root@server css]# rpm -ql lilo
package lilo is not installed

[root@server css]# head -c 5000 /dev/xvda | strings
head: cannot open `/dev/xvda' for reading: No such file or directory
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3 Answers

up vote 3 down vote accepted

With Virtuozzo, you don't get the ability to choose your own kernel. If you need this functionality, you'll need to choose a Xen-based VPS provider that allows users to provide their own kernel. I know that Linode allows this via pv-grub, and I'm sure there are others that allow this as well.

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I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that BlackMesh allows it (and will even custom-compile and install the kernel for you!) on their Xen VPS's, as well as on their dedicated boxes. – BMDan Jul 7 '10 at 19:24
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up vote 1 down vote

Try:

rpm -ql grub

On a separate note: is there a reason you aren't using the stock kernel? Unless you have a compelling need for new features that haven't been backported, compiling your own kernel is somewhere between foolhardy and suicidal.

As you've now updated your OP: perhaps you're using LILO?

rpm -ql lilo

Okay, how about:

head -c 5000 /dev/xvda | strings

Okay, it might not be named /dev/xvda exactly; take a look at the output of:

df

and grab the first bits (the part before the number(s)) for your root filesystem.

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df returns /dev/vzfs. I tried head -c 5000 /dev/vzfs | strings and still no such file or directory. – Alon Gubkin Jul 7 '10 at 18:49
Ah, that's Virtuozzo, then. I don't work with that, but I've added it to the tags, so hopefully someone can help you. – BMDan Jul 7 '10 at 18:58
Thank you for your help anyway :) I've learnt some things on kernels :) (sorry for english) – Alon Gubkin Jul 8 '10 at 6:18
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up vote 1 down vote

On OpenVZ containers or Virtuozzo containers there is no kernel and there is no way to ever have a kernel.

The virtual machine is basically a chroot jail for the processes, whatever the host is using for a kernel is what your machine is powered by. Jails are great for extreme and very good reliability.

If you need a VPS that has a custom kernel you will need to run some sort of full virtualization like Xen-HVM or Linux KVM, or even VMWare.

Xen Para will offer limited ability to customize your kernel.

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