grub problems

**dnns123** · July 15th, 2008

I installed Windows in an HDD via USB. My original HDD was connected to the same computer during the whole installation. After that, I tried to boot up from my real HDD and found out that the windows installation wiped out GRUB from the MBR. Also, my HDD's partition tables cant be found using the partition editor from the liveCD, but all my files can still be accessed using the LiveCD (whew!).

I tried the info from

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Re...tallingWindows

but I get errors even if I do it properly.

grub> find /boot/grub/stage1
(hd0,5)

grub> root (hd0,5)

grub> setup (hd0)
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0)"... 16 sectors are embedded.
succeeded
Running "install /boot/grub/stage1 (hd0) (hd0)1+16 p (hd0,5)/boot/grub/stage2 /boot/grub/menu.lst"... failed

Error 12: Invalid device requested

I don't understand the problem

**Het Irv** · July 15th, 2008

This is an old thread, but see if it helps:

http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-464695.html

**sandysandy** · July 15th, 2008

there is a utility called Super Grub (http://www.supergrubdisk.org/)

which u can download and burn a bootable CD.

with the Super Grub Disk u can try and do some trouble shooting.

regards

**Het Irv** · July 15th, 2008

Follow Up:

12 : "Cannot mount selected partition"

This error is returned if the partition requested exists, but the filesystem type cannot be recognized by GRUB.

Dunno if that helps any

**bumanie** · July 15th, 2008

boot livr cd and post the output of terminal command

sudo fdisk -l

(that's a lower case L)

**dnns123** · July 15th, 2008

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l
omitting empty partition (5)

Disk /dev/sda: 400.0 GB, 400088457216 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 48641 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x6256c0b8

____Device Boot_____Start_________End_______Blocks__Id__Syste m
/dev/sda1_______________1_______44636___358538638+___5_ _Extended
/dev/sda2____________5464_______44636___314657091____7_ _HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3___*_______44637_______48641____32170162+___7_ _HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda5_______________1________5332____42829195+__83_ _Linux
/dev/sda6____________5333________5463_____1052226___82_ _Linux swap / Solaris
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

The partition editor doesn't even see this. It just says that my whole HDD is unallocated

**dnns123** · July 16th, 2008

I tried to reinstall GRUB using this link https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Re...tallingWindows

But it always says that my /boot/grub/stage1 cannot be read.

**unutbu** · July 16th, 2008

(hd0,5) is /dev/sda6 -- your Linux swap according to fdisk.
(hd0,4) would be /dev/sda5 -- the Linux partition.

Try booting from the LiveCD, and typing

Code:

sudo grub
root (hd0,4)
setup (hd0)

**bumanie** · July 16th, 2008

The problem is that you have somehow managed to place all your partitions within an extended partition - windows won't boot from an extended/logical partition under normal circumstances. Unfortunately, you can't get rid of an extended partition without getting rid of what is inside the extended partition.