No GRUB menu and can only login as Guest

[nmorst]

Hi, Need some help, much appreciated! I'll get right into it. The problem started when I couldn't connect to a wifi connection from Ubuntu as I am being prompted for a root password, which I don't have and can't get, as I can only log in as a guest, since ubuntu (12.04) does not accept my login details. I'm a complete linux beginner so please bear with me. I recently installed ubuntu thru wubi on my (2nd hand) Asus eeePC (w/o cd-dvd drive), dual booting with win 7 starter. Install was flawless, and when starting up comp I get what I assume is the windows GRUB menu where I have 3 options: "windows 7", "ubuntu" or "windows memory diagnostic" (under "Tools"). If I choose "Ubuntu", a text appears on a black screen saying "mount: can't read proc/mounts: no such file or directory". Then the black screen is suddenly filled with paragraph symbols, before actually starting ubuntu. When I get to the Ubuntu login screen I can only login with a "Guest Session". When I try the normal login and I input my username and password, I am just told that my password is invalid and that I should try again. I have already reinstalled ubuntu as I thought maybe I had mistyped my password or that caps lock was on. But indeed that wasn't the case. I simply can't enter ubuntu with the admin account. I've searched for hours on ubuntu forums and have tried to boot into recovery mode so as to 'reset' my Ubuntu password from the terminal, by pressing (and sometimes holding) Esc or Shift or F6 or F2 or F9 on startup. This is after I have chosen Ubuntu from the windows GRUB menu. I also tried pressing esc and shift while in the windows GRUB menu but to no avail. I can however access the terminal from ubuntu in the guest mode and from the login screen. When I try to log in that way it just tells me my password is invalid as well. I suppose my "root" problem is that I can't get to Ubuntu GRUB menu to apply any of the fixes I have seen on the forums to change password or reinstall drivers or to reinstall the MBR or GRUB settings...(?) So just to sum up: - Can't use wifi from guest access without authentication password, since I - Can't get authentication password through terminal as guest account is not allowed to - Can't enter admin account - Can't get access to Ubuntu GRUB menu with all the kernel and recovery mode options (only windows GRUB menu I reckon) so that I can reset password or update drivers on startup or whatever I would very much like to be able to log into admin account! Not just to connect to Wifi obviously. Starting to get really frustrating! Would very much appreciate any help. Cheers, N

[grahammechanical]

I am not sure if you understand things correctly. When installing Ubuntu by means of Wubi we run Ubuntu inside Windows as a kind of Windows application.

Secondly, unlike Windows we do not have an Administrator account. The password that we choose when we install Ubuntu is the administrator password. We run Ubuntu as a standard user then when we need administrator privileges Ubuntu asks us to authenticate. That is when we enter our password. Once the task is complete Ubuntu takes us back to standard user privileges.

There seem to be two issues here. The invalid password and the "mount: can't read proc/mounts: no such file or directory".

Here is a link to the Wubi mega thread. Something there may help.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1639198

Regards.

[nmorst]

Thx for the swift reply.

I am not sure if you understand things correctly. When installing Ubuntu by means of Wubi we run Ubuntu inside Windows as a kind of Windows application.

That is, there is no Ubuntu GRUB menu when having installed ubuntu with wubi? Cus when I start my comp I am given a choice of win7 or ubuntu.

Secondly, unlike Windows we do not have an Administrator account. The password that we choose when we install Ubuntu is the administrator password. We run Ubuntu as a standard user then when we need administrator privileges Ubuntu asks us to authenticate. That is when we enter our password. Once the task is complete Ubuntu takes us back to standard user privileges.

But it seems I can only log in thru 'Guest session', where the normal login is trhu the 'standard session' then (where the install/admin passwd is required?). Also, do you reckon this issue is related to the mount proc mounts error? Thx

[rambabup]

Hi,

I too faced exactly same issue.

Let me explain the issue for my case:

wubi installer is 12.04 but ubuntu installed is 13.04.

grub menu shows only 2 options like this:
Windows 7
ubuntu

, after selecting ubuntu, while booting the error shows is:
mount: can't read '/proc/mounts' : no such file or directory

Major problem is that i can't login with the login details which i entered while installing wubi application. Only able to login to guest account. In this account too can't give my password for root.

Probably root file system has not mounted in my PC. The installation i have choosen is C: drive itself, where windows is also installed, i will try uninstalling and install in a separate partition.

Another thing is i have n't found terminal option on guest account, i have worked on Linux environment previously but this one is looking strange to me.

If i press shift+control+F1, tty1 opens but login details are failing, so i am forced to shut power to do further activities.

Please let me know if the problem is something other than i think.


I have attached my system information for the hardware details purpose.


Operating System
Name Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Edition (64-bit)
Service Pack Service Pack 1
Build Number 7601
DirectX Version 11
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2630QM CPU @ 2.00GHz (CPU:0)
Name Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2630QM CPU @ 2.00GHz
Cores 4
Threads 8
System Memory
Total Physical Memory 6.00 GB
Maximum Supported Memory 8.00 GB
Battery - Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
Battery Name Dell
Type LION - Lithium Ion
Battery Serial Number 768
Hard Drive - TOSHIBA MK6461GSY
Vendor Toshiba
Model Number TOSHIBA MK6461GSY
Serial Number 51GJT3Q7T
Marketed Size 640.1 GB
Optical Drive - TSSTcorp DVD+-RW TS-L633J
Model Number TSSTcorp DVD+/-RW TS-L633J
Drive Serial Number R8126GMB614960
Firmware Revision D500

Thanks,
rambabu

[bcbc]

Rambapup - if it installed 13.04 you should file a bug. http://bugs.launchpad.net/wubi/+filebug

[jayeshdiwan]

Hi friends,

M facing the same problem,couldn login as admin, cnt change root pswrd, bt quit relaxed as its the issue with 13.04.....please nebody who can solve dis problem.....

Hi,

I too faced exactly same issue.

Let me explain the issue for my case:

wubi installer is 12.04 but ubuntu installed is 13.04.

grub menu shows only 2 options like this:
Windows 7
ubuntu

, after selecting ubuntu, while booting the error shows is:
mount: can't read '/proc/mounts' : no such file or directory

Major problem is that i can't login with the login details which i entered while installing wubi application. Only able to login to guest account. In this account too can't give my password for root.

Probably root file system has not mounted in my PC. The installation i have choosen is C: drive itself, where windows is also installed, i will try uninstalling and install in a separate partition.

Another thing is i have n't found terminal option on guest account, i have worked on Linux environment previously but this one is looking strange to me.

If i press shift+control+F1, tty1 opens but login details are failing, so i am forced to shut power to do further activities.

Please let me know if the problem is something other than i think.


I have attached my system information for the hardware details purpose.


Operating System
Name Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Edition (64-bit)
Service Pack Service Pack 1
Build Number 7601
DirectX Version 11
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2630QM CPU @ 2.00GHz (CPU:0)
Name Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2630QM CPU @ 2.00GHz
Cores 4
Threads 8
System Memory
Total Physical Memory 6.00 GB
Maximum Supported Memory 8.00 GB
Battery - Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery
Battery Name Dell
Type LION - Lithium Ion
Battery Serial Number 768
Hard Drive - TOSHIBA MK6461GSY
Vendor Toshiba
Model Number TOSHIBA MK6461GSY
Serial Number 51GJT3Q7T
Marketed Size 640.1 GB
Optical Drive - TSSTcorp DVD+-RW TS-L633J
Model Number TSSTcorp DVD+/-RW TS-L633J
Drive Serial Number R8126GMB614960
Firmware Revision D500

Thanks,
rambabu

[bcbc]

Hi friends,

M facing the same problem,couldn login as admin, cnt change root pswrd, bt quit relaxed as its the issue with 13.04.....please nebody who can solve dis problem.....

Hi jayeshdiwan
Please attach your log file from the %TEMP% directory. It will be called something like wubi-xx.xx-revxxx.log. (Or pastebin it and post the link).

Thanks