Grub 2 Basics

[drs305]

arnoldpredator,

Welcome to the Ubuntu forums!

I've looked at the RESULTS.txt and can't really see any obvious problems.

You mentioned that you changed the 'timeout' settings in the recordfail section but I don't see this reflected in the grub.cfg file. Did you change it back? For now, the recordfail timeout settings are still set to the default settings.

Remember that if you make any changes to the /etc/default/grub file you must run 'sudo update-grub' for the changes to take affect, and if you make changes directly to /boot/grub/grub.cfg you must NOT run "sudo update-grub" or it will erase those changes.

From what you stated, I think you currently can still boot directly into Ubuntu without a LiveCD, but you don't see any menu.

Normally that means that Grub didn't find Windows, but it is clearly listed in your Grub menu.

The easiest thing to try would be to install and run Boot Repair and see if it finds any errors. It's a very good GUI app written for Grub 2. You can read about how to install and run it from the Boot Repair link in my signature line.

If that doesn't work we can try some manual edits of the grub.cfg file, but try Boot Repair first.

[jlh68]

I did not see that you had a "/boot" partition. I believe you need that for the windows boot loader to be a part of GRUB2.

See my file set up. I am using Ubuntu 10.10 instead of 11.10, the only difference that I see.

[arnoldpredator]

Hi

First of all thanks for the answers, they are highly appreciated!

arnoldpredator,
Welcome to the Ubuntu forums!
I've looked at the RESULTS.txt and can't really see any obvious problems.
You mentioned that you changed the 'timeout' settings in the recordfail section but I don't see this reflected in the grub.cfg file. Did you change it back? For now, the recordfail timeout settings are still set to the default settings.
Remember that if you make any changes to the /etc/default/grub file you must run 'sudo update-grub' for the changes to take affect, and if you make changes directly to /boot/grub/grub.cfg you must NOT run "sudo update-grub" or it will erase those changes.
From what you stated, I think you currently can still boot directly into Ubuntu without a LiveCD, but you don't see any menu.
Normally that means that Grub didn't find Windows, but it is clearly listed in your Grub menu.
The easiest thing to try would be to install and run Boot Repair and see if it finds any errors. It's a very good GUI app written for Grub 2. You can read about how to install and run it from the Boot Repair link in my signature line.
If that doesn't work we can try some manual edits of the grub.cfg file, but try Boot Repair first.

-I saw your conversation with amjjaward and tried to modify /boot/grub/grub.cfg with gedit and then simply "save" and NOT running update-grub. THen I made the txt, and then modified another time that file putting 15 in place of -1. I don't know if this was the proper order or if I made a mistake.

-Perhaps I read a tutorial in youtube and maybe I made update-grub, but I don't remeber it very well.

-I installed bootrepair but nothing has changed at the start, it entered directly to ubuntu. I installed it with this commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install boot-repair-ubuntu

I see that it could generate a file very similar to that txt that I made for the forum, ¿Should I upload that file?.

-Ok, I wait for your next answer.

I did not see that you had a "/boot" partition. I believe you need that for the windows boot loader to be a part of GRUB2.

See my file set up. I am using Ubuntu 10.10 instead of 11.10, the only difference that I see.

I think that I don't have a specific boot partition inside of linux, I don't know if the partition of 100 mg that w7 generates automatically is what you are talking about.

In linux I have /, /home , /tmp, /swap and in windows7 a big partition of 52gb and another partition with only 100 mg as I said.

¿Where should I create that boot partition?. I have space in a 163gb nfts partition there I could made more partitions.

I suppose that the best solution is changing some parameters in a configuration file to avoid making new partitions, but if that solution doesn't work I could try to make new partitions.

I made a capture of the disks utility , perhaps this can help.

Thanks to everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[drs305]

After you installed Boot Repair did you try running the 'Recommended repair' option?

And yes, since I can't seem to find the problem, please post the link to, or the contents of, the new RESULTS.txt contents.

[arnoldpredator]

Hi

Well this is crazy.

I used boot repair with the default options and nothing changed, I created the boot info file to post it here... and then I saw "advanced options" button, and I thaught that perhaps it was a good idea to click on the "repair mbr" option, for it was not marked.

I marked that option, then I run bootrepair... and then I shut down ubuntu.

¡Now it starts only in windows 7! :facepalm:

So I can't upload the boot info file nor can use boot repair, I suppose that now I should use a boot repairing software in windows 7 and try to dual boot both operating systems.

¿Any suggestion?¿What could I do?.

edit:

I burned a cd with boot repair iso file, then I started from cd, used "recomended option" and now It only starts from ubuntu, as before touching the "repair mbr" option.

Now I upload the info file that shows how the system is now, after using the cd. Now it starts directly in ubuntu.

I saw that in the advanced options menu of boot repair there are some interesting options, but I am not sure about what is the best configuration.

In main options:

"place boot flag on..." , I remember that it was sda1 with windows 7 the option that I had

In grub location:

"Os by default " I can't remember what device I had activated

"Place grub in all disks"


¿Can this files solve the problem?¿What configuration is the best?.

[drs305]

arnoldpredator,

You can probably get Ubuntu back with the LiveCD. Boot the LiveCD, mount your real / and /home partitions, then reinstall Grub so the MBR of the boot drive points to your Ubuntu installation.

sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
sudo mount /dev/sda8 /mnt/home
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda
sudo umount /dev/sda6 /dev/sda8

Don't use the partition number in the final third command.

Reboot and you should get the Ubuntu/Grub menu. If you don't see Windows in the menu, after booting without the CD run:

sudo update-grub

[arnoldpredator]

¿What does this mean?:

"Don't use the partition number in the final command."

----------

In sudo umount /dev/sda6 /dev/sda8

¿Should I not use 6 and 8?

[drs305]

¿What does this mean?:

"Don't use the partition number in the final command."

----------

In sudo umount /dev/sda6 /dev/sda8

¿Should I not use 6 and 8?

Sorry for the confusion. I added an extra command after I posted. Yes, use sda6 and sda8 in the last command. Just use "sda" in the grub-install command.

[arnoldpredator]

arnoldpredator,

You can probably get Ubuntu back with the LiveCD. Boot the LiveCD, mount your real / and /home partitions, then reinstall Grub so the MBR of the boot drive points to your Ubuntu installation.

sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
sudo mount /dev/sda8 /mnt/home
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda
sudo umount /dev/sda6 /dev/sda8

Don't use the partition number in the final third command.

Reboot and you should get the Ubuntu/Grub menu. If you don't see Windows in the menu, after booting without the CD run:

sudo update-grub

I used your first list of commands and the result was a black screen with this words:

error file not found

grub rescue>

It did not start from windows 7 nor ubuntu 11.10.

In the utility disks I see that sda6 ,7 and 8 are already mounted ¿could it be the explanation for the error?.

The other partitions are not mounted since there is an option button wich says "mount".

I used boot repair with two different options:

1.-First in advanced options I used "put flag on sda1", but it only starts in ubuntu.

2.-In Grub location I activated "Force grub into:sda1" (for chainloader), but it starts in ubuntu.

Sorry If this is getting too much time to solve, I appreciate a lot your help.

edit:

when the pc starts I see "out of range" in the screen, I don't know if this is important, but I see that I can start from windows 7, and I can start from ubuntu 11.10 but I can't choose what I want at the same time, that is I think the biggest problem.

The set timeout was -1 and nothing happened, then i changed to 15 and the result is the same, I don't know why.

reedit:

Finally it works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

I think that it has been working properly all the time, but the screen could not show any image, then the solution was simply:

2- Edit /etc/default/grub and uncomment this
#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480
finally it works with this
GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480
run: update-grub

--------

drs305 I am ashamed because this now looks very simple, but If you are starting with linux I think that perhaps it is just normal to have this kind of problems.

Thanks for your support!

See you in other threads of this great forum!

[drs305]

drs305 I am ashamed because this now looks very simple, but If you are starting with linux I think that perhaps it is just normal to have this kind of problems.

Thanks for your support!

See you in other threads of this great forum!

I know the devs work hard to try to get the system to work right from the start so that new users are pleased with Ubuntu. Sometimes it doesn't happen but I'm glad that you now have your system working.

We were all Linux newbies at some point, and many of us (especially me) have learned by trial and error, with help from these forums.

Happy Ubuntu-ing !