dual boot problem

[pi149]

I have windows XP installed. I installed Ubuntu 9.04 properly(I think). I have no option to select Ubuntu at start up. Can some one please help me?

[pi149]

The GRUB menu thing does not even appear.

[presence1960]

I have windows XP installed. I installed Ubuntu 9.04 properly(I think). I have no option to select Ubuntu at start up. Can some one please help me?

Did you partition your HDD to install Ubuntu or did you use wubi? If you have an Ubuntu partition boot from the Ubuntu Live CD & choose try Ubuntu without any changes to your computer. When the Desktop is loaded open firefox and come back here. Download this Boot Info Script to the Desktop from : http://sourceforge.net/projects/bootinfoscript/

Next open a terminal from Applications > Accessories > Terminal. Run in terminal
sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

This will produce a RESULTS.txt file on your desktop. Copy and paste the contents of that file here. Put code tags around the text you paste here by highlighting the text and clicking the " # " from the toolbar.

This will show exactly how your system is set up.

[pi149]

Thanks for the suggestion, but unfortunately I can not access the internet on the computer that I am trying to get Ubuntu on.

[Game Over]

I had dual boot problems once. After I backed up and wiped out Windows in one fell swoop, there were no more problems. I'm a happy camper now and I can safely say you would be too.

[presence1960]

Thanks for the suggestion, but unfortunately I can not access the internet on the computer that I am trying to get Ubuntu on.

Ok, try booting the Ubuntu Live CD & choose try Ubuntu without any changes to your computer. When the Desktop loads open a terminal: Applications > Accessories > Terminal. Run
sudo fdisk -l and post the output here. BTW that is a lowercase L.

[presence1960]

I had dual boot problems once. After I backed up and wiped out Windows in one fell swoop, there were no more problems. I'm a happy camper now and I can safely say you would be too.

I know a lot of us don't particularly like Windows, but the OP didn't say he/she wanted to remove Windows. Currently we don't even know if the Ubuntu install succeeded. I recommend we get the partition info from fdisk first before we rush to judgment.

[pi149]

All right, long text copying beginning.

[pi149]

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160061885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x103d8ef0

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdal * 1 19457 156288321 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sbd: 40.0 GB, 40020664320 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4865 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x05c0d225

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sbd1 * 1 2121 17036901 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sbd2 2122 4865 22041180 5 Extended
/dev/sbd5 2122 4745 21077248+ 83 Linux
/dev/sbd6 4746 4865 963868+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

sorry about formating

[presence1960]

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160061885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x103d8ef0

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdal * 1 19457 156288321 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sbd: 40.0 GB, 40020664320 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4865 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x05c0d225

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sbd1 * 1 2121 17036901 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sbd2 2122 4865 22041180 5 Extended
/dev/sbd5 2122 4745 21077248+ 83 Linux
/dev/sbd6 4746 4865 963868+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Looks OK. Try hitting ESC when you get the GRUB loading message. That should bring up the menu. Then you can choose Ubuntu. Once in Ubuntu open a terminal and install startupmanager by running in terminal
sudo apt-get install startupmanager This is a GUI for editing your startup options. You can also install it through Synaptic Package manager- System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager.
Let's see if that works. If not I see you have Windows installed to sda1 and sdb1. Which one is your Windows that you are using?

[pi149]

I do not get the grub loading message.

[presence1960]

I do not get the grub loading message.

Ok I take it it goes straight to windows then correct? If so you will have to restore GRUB, follow this :

1. Boot your computer up with Ubuntu CD
2. Open a terminal window or switch to a tty.
3. Go SuperUser (that is, type "sudo -s"). Enter root passwords as
necessary.
4. Type "grub"
5. Type "find /boot/grub/stage1". You'll get a response like "(hd0,1)".
Use whatever your computer spits out for the following lines.
6. Type "root (hd0,1)", or whatever your hard disk + boot partition
numbers are for Ubuntu.
7. Type "setup (hd0)", to install GRUB to MBR, or "setup (hd0,1)" or
whatever your hard disk + partition # is, to install GRUB to a
partition.
8. Quit grub by typing "quit".
9. Reboot and remove the bootable CD

try this and lets see what happens.

[presence1960]

if your windows is on the same hard disk as Ubuntu you will have to make that disk first in boot order in BIOS. Just a thought there because I saw you have Windows installed to both hard disks. Reinstalling GRUB won't hurt anything. It's a shame you cant access the net to get that script. I was going to attach it but it exceeds the upload size limit for that filetype.

[pi149]

At step 5 I get message "Error 15: File not found"

[presence1960]

At step 5 I get message "Error 15: File not found"

it looks like your install may have fouled up. Did you run check disk for integrity when the options came up when you booted the Live CD? You may have a bad burn. I would burn another using a CD-R at the slowest speed you are able to select. Then try reinstalling. Also which hard disk is windows installed to? If it is the same disk as where you tried to install Ubuntu make sure you go into BIOS and set that hard disk as first in the hard drive boot order. If this is the case your boot order should be CD/DVD drive - disk with Ubuntu & Windows (sdb)- other disk (sda)

[pi149]

Did you run check disk for integrity when the options came up when you booted the Live CD?

Yes I did check the disk, it said it was fine.
I guess Ill try re burning then.

[presence1960]

Yes I did check the disk, it said it was fine.
I guess Ill try re burning then.
Going to bed, but let us know how it goes. We want your Ubuntu up and running! ):P

[pi149]

Ok, I burned an new disk at slowest possible speed, installed ubuntu, and it did not help at all.

[pi149]

Again, the disc check thing said that the disk was fine.

[Tomatosoup]

I have the same problem:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1162083

[pi149]

Hurray! I managed to get it to work:D It worked for about 3.5 minutes.
NOW, I can not do anything because when ever I click on anything it turns pitch black, and within 5 seconds the entire screen is pitch black and I have to restart my computer to get out:mad:
It is not supposed to do that, right?

[Tomatosoup]

What did you do then? :o

Never mind, read it in my topic.
But still no solution.

It isn't suppose to do that no. :P
Hope it'll work for you.