After reinstalling Windows, cannot restore GRUB

[KiDroboto]

Well I'll give a brief rundown of how my morning's been: LONG

Now that, that's out of the way let's get down to business. My XP installation caught a cold via an advert on an anime site I frequent (Bleach fan). So I formatted the partition and reinstalled windows XP home edition 32-bit.

I made the mistake of filling the drive to capacity (which is a no-no apparently if you want to be able to use gparted). I just so happen to have had 2 other small ubuntu installations from previous experiments, so I deleted them and that enabled gparted to work again.

The problem I am having however is when I try to re-enable GRUB using the steps listed here (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsDualBoot).

Finding the stage1 designation following those steps led me to know that my hd's marking was (hd1,5). I got all the way through the steps and received an error on the last line after running the command: setup (hd1)

The error ran as follows:

Running "install /boot/grub/stage1 (hd1) (hd1) 1+17 p (hd1,5)/boot/grub/stage2 /boot/grub/menu.lst"... failed

Any thoughts?

[jerrrys]

well lets see if we can make that morning even longer :D

http://www.googlubuntu.com/results/?cx=006238239194895611142%3Au-ocqbntw_o&cof=FORID%3A9&ie=UTF-8&q=restore+grub&as_qdr=all&sa=Google+Search&lang=en#945

[presence1960]

Let's get a better look at your setup & boot process. Boot the Ubuntu Live CD/USB. Choose "try ubuntu without any changes", when the desktop loads come back here and do the following:

1. Download the boot info script. There is a link in my signature.
2. Once downloaded move the boot info script to the desktop.
3. Open a terminal and run the command
sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

This will create a RESULTS.txt file on the desktop. Paste the entire contents of that file back here. Once pasted highlight all text and click the # sign on the toolbar to place code tags around the text.

See here (http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/) for more info on the boot info script.

Above link is to meierfra's Sourceforge web page.

[KiDroboto]

Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> Grub 0.97 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the same drive
in partition #256 for /boot/grub/stage2.
=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /boot.ini /ntldr /NTDETECT.COM

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows XP
Boot files/dirs: /boot.ini /ntldr /NTDETECT.COM

sdb2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sdb5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext3
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 9.04
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/menu.lst /etc/fstab

sdb6: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders, total 156301488 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa93ec49c

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 63 156,296,384 156,296,322 7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 640.1 GB, 640135028736 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 77825 cylinders, total 1250263728 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xbf7e8b76

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdb1 * 63 1,113,047,459 1,113,047,397 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2 1,113,047,460 1,250,258,624 137,211,165 5 Extended
Extended partition linking to another extended partition
/dev/sdb5 1,113,047,586 1,239,543,269 126,495,684 83 Linux
/dev/sdb6 1,249,905,258 1,250,258,624 353,367 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 866451456451395F ntfs Media
/dev/sdb1 7AE863F5E863ADD7 ntfs *******
/dev/sdb5 80b1776f-46a2-41e3-a5c7-4951b3e8733c ext3
/dev/sdb6 37e7d437-e35a-413b-b261-9bee9380244f swap

============================ "mount | grep ^/dev output: ===========================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

rootfs / rootfs (rw)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)
/dev/sdb5 /media/disk ext3 (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=hal)
/dev/sdb5 /mnt/root ext3 (rw)
/dev /mnt/root/dev none (rw,bind)


================================ sda1/boot.ini: ================================

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect

================================ sdb1/boot.ini: ================================

[boot loader]
timeout=1
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons

=========================== sdb5/boot/grub/menu.lst: ===========================

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=80b1776f-46a2-41e3-a5c7-4951b3e8733c ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=80b1776f-46a2-41e3-a5c7-4951b3e8733c

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## specify if running in Xen domU or have grub detect automatically
## update-grub will ignore non-xen kernels when running in domU and vice versa
## e.g. indomU=detect
## indomU=true
## indomU=false
# indomU=detect

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-18-generic
uuid 80b1776f-46a2-41e3-a5c7-4951b3e8733c
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-18-generic root=UUID=80b1776f-46a2-41e3-a5c7-4951b3e8733c ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-18-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-18-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 80b1776f-46a2-41e3-a5c7-4951b3e8733c
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-18-generic root=UUID=80b1776f-46a2-41e3-a5c7-4951b3e8733c ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-18-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
uuid 80b1776f-46a2-41e3-a5c7-4951b3e8733c
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=80b1776f-46a2-41e3-a5c7-4951b3e8733c ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 80b1776f-46a2-41e3-a5c7-4951b3e8733c
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=80b1776f-46a2-41e3-a5c7-4951b3e8733c ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+
uuid 80b1776f-46a2-41e3-a5c7-4951b3e8733c
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sdb1
title Windows NT/2000/XP (loader)
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sdb5.
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (on /dev/sdb5)
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=461f1175-2378-48d8-a27a-6a835d045000 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sdb5.
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/sdb5)
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=461f1175-2378-48d8-a27a-6a835d045000 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sdb5.
title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+ (on /dev/sdb5)
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
savedefault
boot


=============================== sdb5/etc/fstab: ===============================

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'vol_id --uuid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# / was on /dev/sdb7 during installation
UUID=80b1776f-46a2-41e3-a5c7-4951b3e8733c / ext3 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sdb8 during installation
UUID=c4c36eb2-b0d0-47da-8c04-812897147875 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd1 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

=================== sdb5: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


621.6GB: boot/grub/menu.lst
629.8GB: boot/grub/stage2
621.7GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
621.8GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-18-generic
621.7GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic
621.7GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-18-generic
621.8GB: initrd.img
621.7GB: initrd.img.old
621.7GB: vmlinuz
621.7GB: vmlinuz.old


Here's the results! Thanks for the quick responses and I apologize for the late ones from myself, went out to clear my head a bit and relax a little.

[presence1960]

I would put GRUB on MBR of sdb then make sdb first disk to boot in the hard disk boot order in BIOS. Then boot into Ubuntu and repair the MBR of sda to a windows MBR.

First reinstall GRUB on MBR of sdb. Boot the ubuntu 9.04 Live CD/USB & choose "try ubuntu without any changes." When the desktop loads open a terminal and do this:

1. Type sudo grub. Should get text of which last line is grub>
2. Type "find /boot/grub/stage1". You'll get a response like "(hd1,4)".
Use whatever your computer spits out for the following lines.
3. Type "root (hd1,4)"
4. Type "setup (hd1)", to install GRUB to MBR
5. Quit grub by typing "quit".
6. Reboot and remove the bootable CD.

Go into BIOS and set sdb (640 GB) disk as first to boot in the hard disk boot order. Save changes to CMOS and continue booting. Choose Ubuntu from the GRUB menu. When the desktop loads open a terminal and run
gksu gedit /boot/grub/menu.lstThat is a lowercase L in .lst

Scroll down to this:


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sdb1
title Windows NT/2000/XP (loader)
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1

Change it to:


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sdb1
title Windows NT/2000/XP (loader)
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

Then remove this underneath the above:


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sdb5.
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (on /dev/sdb5)
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=461f1175-2378-48d8-a27a-6a835d045000 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sdb5.
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/sdb5)
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=461f1175-2378-48d8-a27a-6a835d045000 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sdb5.
title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+ (on /dev/sdb5)
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
savedefault
boot

Click Save on top toolbar and close file.

Now to fix the MBR on sda to a windows MBR. In terminal run
sudo apt-get install liloIgnore the warning. next in terminal run
sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbr


Reboot and you should be good to go.

[KiDroboto]

I would put GRUB on MBR of sdb then make sdb first disk to boot in the hard disk boot order in BIOS. Then boot into Ubuntu and repair the MBR of sda to a windows MBR.

First reinstall GRUB on MBR of sdb. Boot the ubuntu 9.04 Live CD/USB & choose "try ubuntu without any changes." When the desktop loads open a terminal and do this:

1. Type sudo grub. Should get text of which last line is grub>
2. Type "find /boot/grub/stage1". You'll get a response like "(hd1,4)".
Use whatever your computer spits out for the following lines.
3. Type "root (hd1,4)"
4. Type "setup (hd1)", to install GRUB to MBR
5. Quit grub by typing "quit".
6. Reboot and remove the bootable CD.

Go into BIOS and set sdb (640 GB) disk as first to boot in the hard disk boot order. Save changes to CMOS and continue booting. Choose Ubuntu from the GRUB menu. When the desktop loads open a terminal and run
gksu gedit /boot/grub/menu.lstThat is a lowercase L in .lst

Scroll down to this:


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sdb1
title Windows NT/2000/XP (loader)
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1Change it to:


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sdb1
title Windows NT/2000/XP (loader)
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1Then remove this underneath the above:


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sdb5.
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (on /dev/sdb5)
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=461f1175-2378-48d8-a27a-6a835d045000 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sdb5.
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/sdb5)
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=461f1175-2378-48d8-a27a-6a835d045000 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sdb5.
title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+ (on /dev/sdb5)
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
savedefault
bootClick Save on top toolbar and close file.

Now to fix the MBR on sda to a windows MBR. In terminal run
sudo apt-get install liloIgnore the warning. next in terminal run
sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbr
Reboot and you should be good to go.

I get an error at the very end of the grub command line instructions, I'm posting a screenshot of it. I will continue on past this and see if it works still, but previously when I got this error Grub gives an error that it cannot load my partition. I will post again shortly with the results of continuing these instructions. Thank you again for your time, patience and help!

[KiDroboto]

Ok after finishing the grub commands I rebooted and changed the boot sequence. Upon doing so, Grub comes up and freezes at:

GRUB Loading stage1.5

[KiDroboto]

Quick update:

I can log into the partition using the Super Grub Disk, however if I do not use it I get errors in GRUB.

[meierfra.]

Extended partition linking to another extended partition

Your partition table is slightly messed up. But it should be easy to fix. Boot into Ubuntu with Supergrub



sudo fdisk /dev/sdb

Press "w". That rewrites the partition table. Reboot (using Supergrub) so that the changes take effect. Then use presence960 instruction to reinstall Grub.

[KiDroboto]

Somehow or another using supergrub to load again resolved the issue, Grub's back up and working for booting into both Ubuntu and XP. Thanks much for all the advice and help! I'm defintely glad I joined this forum, and I will be taking down notes of all of this as well.

Ubuntu for life! :guitar:

[meierfra.]

Yes, if you use SuperGrub to install Grub to the MBR you are able to boot. But your partition table is still messed up (for example gparted will see your whole hard drive as unallocated) So I recommend to carry out my instruction from my last post.

[KiDroboto]

Yes, if you use SuperGrub to install Grub to the MBR you are able to boot. But your partition table is still messed up (for example gparted will see your whole hard drive as unallocated) So I recommend to carry out my instruction from my last post.

I will still follow those directions, I have to run to the store for a bit but when I get back I will run the fdisk command. Yeah I was a bit surprised that gparted can still see my partitions (I figured my partition table was wonky with all the tinkering I've had to do yesterday and today).

[presence1960]

Glad you got it working, enjoy ubuntu.

P.S. Thanks meierfra!

[KiDroboto]

Thanks again so much! I went through and did the fix in order to fix the partition table and everything's smooth (in addition to a non-cluttered GRUB menu). Off to go finish installing windows apps and then back into Ubuntu \\:D/