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Thread: Failed Installation

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Texas
    Beans
    2
    Distro
    Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron

    Failed Installation

    I attempted to install Ubuntu 8.04.1 and couldn't complete the installation because of error message GRUB loading Error 21.

    Now I can't open Windows Vista! Please help and thanks!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Swap
    Beans
    1,061
    Distro
    Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx

    Re: Failed Installation

    Try to change the slave hard drive controller from "off" to "auto" in bios set up.
    Be Safe. Use Linux.
    Double your drive space. Delete Windows.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
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    Greece, Athens
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    576
    Distro
    Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron

    Re: Failed Installation

    8.10 on HDX16-1050ev
    #22144
    My Ubuntu Blog

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    China
    Beans
    996
    Distro
    Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin

    Re: Failed Installation

    grub error 21 means that grub is looking for the grub configuration file on a disk that does not exist.

    Which is odd.

    I think I'd boot up on the live cd and then on system > administration > partition editor see if you have your Windows ntfs and linux partitions are still there.

    If everything is still OK you could get Vista booting by booting on the Vist install cd clicking repair your computer then command prompt and using the BootRec.exe /fixmbr command (apparently it replaces the fixmbr command in XP).

    I think I'd then remove the Linux partitions and reinstall Ubuntu again. Personally I install grub onto the Linux partition rather than the MBR and then use a boot manager called GAG, but I seem to be in a minority!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Texas
    Beans
    2
    Distro
    Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron

    Re: Failed Installation

    THANK YOU! I was able to open Vista with your instructions and that was a huge relief. I have not attempted to install Ubuntu again. Thanks!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Beans
    2

    Exclamation Re: Failed Installation

    I have had the same problem with GRUB Error 21. But the odd thing is, sometimes it WORKS? But USUALLY it doesnt. About 1 in 20 times of trying to reboot, it will work.

    I want to remove GRUB from my internal hard drive, and reload UBUNTU. I dont know how GRUB landed on my systgem drive anyway.
    I have Vista on there, so I rarely can boot either one.

    I have downloaded a lot fo FIX-IT programs, none worked.
    I have tried a LOT of suggestions to redo the GRUB setup. Nothing worked...

    I wanteed to give LINUX a fair trial, but this is really discouraging me.
    I need HELP!!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Greece, Athens
    Beans
    576
    Distro
    Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron

    Re: Failed Installation

    Quote Originally Posted by 98bluewave View Post
    THANK YOU! I was able to open Vista with your instructions and that was a huge relief.
    really?
    8.10 on HDX16-1050ev
    #22144
    My Ubuntu Blog

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Beans
    113
    Distro
    Ubuntu

    Re: Failed Installation

    Well you can put the live CD and check for your partitions with any linux partitions left out and delete them.You may then install Ubuntu if you wish...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Beans
    197
    Distro
    Ubuntu Development Release

    Re: Failed Installation

    Just as a Question do you have one Sata and one IDE Hard Drive?

    I've noticed that if you do have a combination of both Hard Drives. Even if you install Linux on the Sata Drive Partitions Grub ends up on the IDE Drive by defualt for some reason. Then you get boot load errors.

    If this is the case the fix is simple. Unhook the IDE Drive while you install Linux this ensures the GRUB gets placed on the correct drive. Then just hook it back up and mount it via Fstab or as a storage device.

    Now this solution is of course only something that applies if you answered yes to the question asked. But Since I have had a very similar issue and this was how it happened and how I fixed it I thought I would share. (There are no doubt much more elegant and better ways to do this of course. But it's a quick and guaranteed method I know works for me. So I use it.)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    China
    Beans
    996
    Distro
    Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin

    Re: Failed Installation

    hermes0710 when the stress levels have normalized I'd try Ubuntu again with a little tweaking I'm sure you'll find it nicer than Vista.

    I'm sure that other members are right and grub got confused about which was the primary drive and playing with BIOS settings will sort the problem.

    I think I'll just do one more plug for using GAG and putting grub on the root partition. It just makes things easier, I usually have XP and Ubuntu (as my main OS) and another OS to play with and that changes (although I have a space on my HD ready for Haiku) GAG is just easier than playing with grub.

    http://gag.sourceforge.net/
    Last edited by Gone fishing; August 7th, 2008 at 04:11 PM. Reason: just added a link

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