Error 8

If you ever get "Error 8: Kernel must be loaded before booting" from grub as you try to boot your fresh Linux install, look very carefully at your grub configuration. In my case the line that should have read:

    root (hd0,0)

instead read

    boot (hd0,0)

You can easily boot by going to grub's command line and typing

    kernel /boot/vmlinuz
    boot

or whatever your kernel might be called.