Reinstalling Ubuntu - Grub Issues?

[Fraktal]

So my install of Ubuntu 10.10 recently went corrupt, but I was using Windows 7. The problem with reinstalling it is this: I use grub bootloader to boot into either OS, but it's on my portable hardrive. Windows 7 is on my main drive (my last install of windows went corrupt as well, so I had to format it). So my idea is to wipe the portable hardrive, but I don't know whether it'll cause problems with booting?

[tommcd]

When you reinstall Windows, the Windows boot loader takes control of the MBR. You can reinstall grub2 fro the Ubuntu live CD. See this:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20GRUB%202
Since you have Ubuntu on an external hard drive, it might be preferable to reinstall grub2 to the MBR of the external hard drive. Then set that drive to be the first boot device in the computer's BIOS. Set the internal hard drive that has Windows to be the second boot device.
This way, if the external hard drive is not connected, you will be able boot Windows normally. When the external drive is connected, you will then get the grub2 menu which should aloow you to boot either Windows or Ubuntu.
Since when you reinstalled Windows, it likely installed the Windows boot loader to the MBR of the internal drive. So reformatting the external drive should not cause problems when booting Windows.
Write back if you need more help.

And welcome to the Ubuntu forums!

[Fraktal]

Well I tried turning off the external harddrive and booting into windows, but instead it led me to a grub message stating that it could not find the device. I did make boot from harddrive first. Also, thanks!

[garvinrick4]

Put in Ubuntu install cd and choose try ubuntu and open a terminal and download this
script to your DESKTOP and then run code in a terminal will put a text file on Desktop
that says Results.txt open it and copy and paste to this thread. Highlight whole thing
once pasted to your message box and Hit # sign in upper right corner of Message box.
and submit. Will give a lot of users capabilities of fixing your boot in a flash. Now download
and run code in terminal:
SourceForge.net: Boot Info Script - Project Web Hosting - Open Source Software (http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/)

sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

[Fraktal]

Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

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

=> Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the same drive in
partition #1 for (,msdos1)/boot/grub.
=> Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks on the same drive in
partition #1 for (,msdos1)/boot/grub.

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sdb2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sdb5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142448 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 63 20,386,484 20,386,422 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 * 20,386,485 625,140,399 604,753,915 7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 163.9 GB, 163928604672 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19929 cylinders, total 320173056 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdb1 2,048 307,093,503 307,091,456 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 307,095,550 320,172,031 13,076,482 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 307,095,552 320,172,031 13,076,480 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 86126BF0126BE421 ntfs Recovery
/dev/sda2 5AE8FAF8E8FAD16D ntfs
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb1 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ext4
/dev/sdb2: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb5 78c0b86b-a1ce-47d1-a67c-145f4caa257d swap
/dev/sdb: PTTYPE="dos"
error: /dev/sdc: No medium found
error: /dev/sdd: No medium found
error: /dev/sde: No medium found
error: /dev/sdf: No medium found

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

aufs / aufs (rw)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)


=========================== sdb1/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
set default="16"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
set saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then
saved_entry=${chosen}
save_env saved_entry
fi
}

function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=1280x1024
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en
insmod gettext
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-28-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-28-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro splash vga=795 quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-28-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-28-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-28-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-28-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro single splash vga=795
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-28-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-27-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-27-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro splash vga=795 quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-27-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-27-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-27-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-27-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro single splash vga=795
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-27-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-26-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-26-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro splash vga=795 quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-26-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-26-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-26-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-26-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro single splash vga=795
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-26-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-25-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-25-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro splash vga=795 quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-25-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-25-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-25-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-25-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro single splash vga=795
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-25-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-24-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro splash vga=795 quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-24-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-24-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro single splash vga=795
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-22-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro splash vga=795 quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-22-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-22-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro single splash vga=795
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro splash vga=795 quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-21-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc ro single splash vga=795
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8872424d-ec05-4b22-a8c3-57aa6edea2bc
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda2)" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 5ae8faf8e8fad16d
chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

=============================== sdb1/etc/fstab: ===============================

/dev/sr0 /media/2007.11.03_2329 udf,iso9660 defaults 0 0
UUID=86126BF0126BE421 /media/Recovery ntfs-3g defaults 0 0
UUID=EAF6DFADF6DF77F1 /media/EAF6DFADF6DF77F1 ntfs-3g defaults 0 0

=================== sdb1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


38.8GB: boot/grub/core.img
49.0GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
38.8GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
40.8GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
40.9GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-24-generic
40.9GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-25-generic
40.9GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-26-generic
40.8GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-27-generic
42.9GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-28-generic
38.7GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic
40.8GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic
40.8GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic
40.8GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-25-generic
40.9GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-26-generic
39.2GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-27-generic
39.2GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-28-generic
42.9GB: initrd.img
40.8GB: initrd.img.old
39.2GB: vmlinuz
39.2GB: vmlinuz.old
=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown BootLoader on sdb2

00000000 1d 72 0e 55 1d 42 51 10 29 c1 0b fd f0 14 04 df |.r.U.BQ.).......|
00000010 fd 68 03 24 82 17 f9 20 84 07 7e 8c 8a 24 8c 20 |.h.$... ..~..$. |
00000020 b5 11 0c c3 29 80 0d d0 02 74 80 ec 34 bf bf 0e |....)....t..4...|
00000030 80 2f e5 b9 33 3f e1 f0 02 d0 dc 92 60 68 16 f8 |./..3?......`h..|
00000040 04 79 3f 67 27 af 40 05 60 17 06 84 f0 1f a9 51 |.y?g'.@.`......Q|
00000050 60 0c 4b 2c 34 98 84 00 0d 73 31 19 a0 0c 80 30 |`.K,4....s1....0|
00000060 60 28 1b d2 e0 10 b9 06 88 c8 1d 98 00 dc 04 f9 |`(..............|
00000070 01 a3 00 70 8c 64 01 72 72 00 35 21 fd fe c1 71 |...p.d.rr.5!...q|
00000080 0c 30 b7 e7 85 34 80 c2 61 27 a5 a0 04 e0 27 0c |.0...4..a'....'.|
00000090 e0 20 4f 80 18 20 b0 03 f4 6a 22 82 d0 60 60 0d |. O.. ...j"..``.|
000000a0 83 30 60 19 72 21 03 44 34 21 f0 19 2c 02 21 a4 |.0`.r!.D4!..,.!.|
000000b0 81 f2 09 a9 c4 30 13 24 97 80 21 71 10 03 40 0b |.....0.$..!q..@.|
000000c0 d2 01 59 64 00 3a 3a 00 66 4c e0 60 37 27 71 6f |..Yd.::.fL.`7'qo|
000000d0 b3 1d 02 00 18 00 ec bc 03 b2 17 0c 2c ae 03 d4 |............,...|
000000e0 16 5b bb e3 28 8c 38 20 30 84 19 c0 0c c0 76 57 |.[..(.8 0.....vW|
000000f0 28 28 7c 01 80 08 32 00 14 14 1a 4d e4 fe 37 6d |((|...2....M..7m|
00000100 00 c4 98 08 40 14 df 90 20 05 a0 30 18 02 02 52 |....@... ..0...R|
00000110 4a 0e 57 e9 6c 16 f0 08 40 77 c0 c2 00 c1 3c 96 |J.W.l...@w....<.|
00000120 30 0d c0 0c 80 30 0c 00 12 ec 03 b2 8a 01 12 43 |0....0.........C|
00000130 09 79 f0 8b 0b 81 a1 80 50 b0 42 01 34 00 eb 38 |.y......P.B.4..8|
00000140 04 09 d0 15 21 a7 00 ec 94 c5 20 70 42 4a ce 47 |....!..... pBJ.G|
00000150 c6 c8 e8 00 a8 04 04 c2 40 b7 c8 00 17 2e 00 60 |........@......`|
00000160 01 7f e0 18 80 ec b4 a4 46 02 e5 96 94 8c d0 02 |........F.......|
00000170 77 60 d2 6b 13 bb 9b 02 00 14 80 ec 10 bf e8 98 |w`.k............|
00000180 4c 41 1d 54 7f 90 be f7 40 1e db 0f 01 1b 7d 37 |LA.T....@.....}7|
00000190 de df be d9 08 6d cc f9 b7 eb a0 5b 76 fe 1f 3d |.....m.....[v..=|
000001a0 88 bd 9e 19 5c 81 fb 60 77 e8 b2 e8 c6 fc 2c 46 |....\..`w.....,F|
000001b0 00 1e 75 96 c8 15 24 b4 94 df d0 fe fa 01 00 fe |..u...$.........|
000001c0 ff ff 82 fe ff ff 02 00 00 00 00 88 c7 00 00 00 |................|
000001d0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
*
000001f0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 55 aa |..............U.|
00000200


=======Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive==============

sdc sdd sde sdf

[wilee-nilee]

You need the MS bootloader in the mbr of sda so with the external unplugged follow these instructions, and notice the windows 7 forums link for a visual and the recovery disc down load if needed.

1) Boot with your Vista/Windows 7 installation disk. Hit <Enter> at the language selection prompt then hit <R> for Repair to get to the Repair section.
2) Select the command prompt (console) and type in the following command:
BootRec.exe /fixmbr
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/20864-mbr-restore-windows-7-master-boot-record.html

http://neosmart.net/blog/2009/windows-7-system-repair-discs/

Your windows should boot now without the external plugged in. Now plug in the external boot Ubuntu from it and in the terminal run.

sudo update-grub

You can now boot Ubuntu from that hd and windows from the internal or the external.

This is the same info that tommcd gave you if you don't understand let us know.;)

[Quackers]

For the second part of wilee-nilee's instructions you will need to set the boot order in the bios so that the external drive boots before the internal drive.

[garvinrick4]

Fraktal, let the users helping you know if there suggestions to you worked and or the results.
If in fact you are up and running go to thread tools in upper left of your thread and mark as
solved.

[Fraktal]

Success! Thank you guys, especially wilee-nilee for giving such precise instructions.