Let's get a better look at your setup. Boot the Ubuntu Live CD. Choose "try ubuntu without any changes", when the desktop loads come back here and use the link in my signature to download the Boot Info Script 0.32 to the desktop. Once on desktop open a terminal and run this command
sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh This will create a RESULTS.txt file on the desktop. Paste the entire contents of that file back here. Once pasted highlight all text and click the # sign on the toolbar to place code tags around the text.
OK
============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================
=> Grub0.97 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on boot drive #2 in
partition #1 for /boot/grub/stage2 and /boot/grub/menu.lst.
=> Grub0.97 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks on the same drive
in partition #5 for /boot/grub/stage2 and /boot/grub/menu.lst.
sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows XP
Boot files/dirs: /boot.ini /ntldr /NTDETECT.COM
sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: vfat
Boot sector type: HP Recovery
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /boot.ini /BOOT.INI /ntldr /NTLDR /NTDETECT.COM
/ntdetect.com
sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: ext3
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 9.04
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/menu.lst /etc/fstab
sdb2: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
sdb5: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
sdb3: __________________________________________________ _______________________
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:
=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================
Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___
Disk /dev/sda: 200.0 GB, 200049647616 bytes
240 heads, 63 sectors/track, 25841 cylinders, total 390721968 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xcab10bee
Partition Boot Start End Size Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 372,965,039 372,964,977 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 372,980,160 390,715,919 17,735,760 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___
Disk /dev/sdb: 61.4 GB, 61492838400 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7476 cylinders, total 120103200 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x6eef6eef
Partition Boot Start End Size Id System
/dev/sdb1 63 39,070,079 39,070,017 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 39,070,080 41,030,009 1,959,930 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 39,070,143 41,030,009 1,959,867 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb3 41,030,010 120,085,874 79,055,865 7 HPFS/NTFS
blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________
/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/sda1: UUID="101F60F13F572DA1" LABEL="HP_PAVILION" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda2: LABEL="HP_RECOVERY" UUID="4B6E-6BC0" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/sdb1: UUID="f3c374ef-0ed8-43f5-ad0d-0f05f0de3ee2" SEC_TYPE="ext2" TYPE="ext3"
/dev/sdb3: UUID="8E4CFDE34CFDC5CD" LABEL="New Volume" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sdb5: UUID="b4cf91a2-445d-4633-91fa-ad5086553641" TYPE="swap"
=============================== "mount" output: ===============================
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw)
tmpfs on /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/volatile type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
tmpfs on /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/volatile type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
tmpfs on /lib/init/rw type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,mode=0755)
varrun on /var/run type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,mode=0755)
varlock on /var/lock type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,mode=1777)
udev on /dev type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
tmpfs on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,noexec,nosuid,gid=5,mode=620)
rootfs on / type rootfs (rw)
/dev/sr0 on /cdrom type iso9660 (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0 on /rofs type squashfs (ro,noatime)
fusectl on /sys/fs/fuse/connections type fusectl (rw)
tmpfs on /tmp type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
================================ sda1/boot.ini: ================================
[boot loader]
timeout=6
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Media Center Edition" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
================================ sda2/boot.ini: ================================
[boot loader]
timeout=0
default=C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
================================ sda2/BOOT.INI: ================================
[boot loader]
timeout=0
default=C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
C:\CMDCONS\BOOTSECT.DAT="Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" /cmdcons
=========================== sdb1/boot/grub/menu.lst: ===========================
# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.
## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0
## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10
## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu
# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue
## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret
#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#
#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST
### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below
## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs
## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=f3c374ef-0ed8-43f5-ad0d-0f05f0de3ee2 ro
## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=f3c374ef-0ed8-43f5-ad0d-0f05f0de3ee2
## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true
## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false
## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash
## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false
## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=
## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0
## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single
## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all
## specify if running in Xen domU or have grub detect automatically
## update-grub will ignore non-xen kernels when running in domU and vice versa
## e.g. indomU=detect
## indomU=true
## indomU=false
# indomU=detect
## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true
## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false
## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false
## ## End Default Options ##
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
uuid f3c374ef-0ed8-43f5-ad0d-0f05f0de3ee2
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=f3c374ef-0ed8-43f5-ad0d-0f05f0de3ee2 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet
title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)
uuid f3c374ef-0ed8-43f5-ad0d-0f05f0de3ee2
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=f3c374ef-0ed8-43f5-ad0d-0f05f0de3ee2 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+
uuid f3c374ef-0ed8-43f5-ad0d-0f05f0de3ee2
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet
### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Windows XP Media Center Edition
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1
# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Windows NT/2000/XP
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1
=============================== sdb1/etc/fstab: ===============================
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'vol_id --uuid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# / was on /dev/sdb1 during installation
UUID=f3c374ef-0ed8-43f5-ad0d-0f05f0de3ee2 / ext3 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sdb5 during installation
UUID=b4cf91a2-445d-4633-91fa-ad5086553641 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0
=================== sdb1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================
14.1GB: boot/grub/menu.lst
14.1GB: boot/grub/stage2
14.2GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
14.2GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic
14.2GB: initrd.img
14.2GB: vmlinuz
=======Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive==============
sdc sdd sde sdf
Wow interesting info.
shadetree