Grub2 keeps getting wiped out by windows

[2quick]

Hi all!

I am having a bit of a problem with windows wiping out grub everytime I boot into windows then reboot back into linux(Ubuntu 9.10). The issue started after a Windows Vista update took place. I did not have this issue after the initial install or with 9.04. The computer is an Asus G50V laptop. Upon reboot I get the error:

Grub loading.
no module name found.
Aborted. Press any key to continue.

So I boot via a Super Grub Disk back into Linux.

the only way to get grub back that has worked for me is using these commands:


cd /
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/ dev/sdX
sudo update-grub
sudo update-grub2
sudo reboot

This is a bit of info about the HD layout:


laptop:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
4 heads, 44 sectors/track, 3551945 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 176 * 512 = 90112 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xfdfbcdb6

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 12 1775977 156284928 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 1775989 3551942 156283952 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 1775989 3255250 130174972 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6 3255251 3348340 8191920 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7 3348341 3440969 8151330 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 3440970 3551942 9765602 83 Linux


Can someone help me in getting this right? Thank you so much for the assistance!

[phillw]

Hi,

This is a reported problem on certain brands of computer. Can you post back your make ?

Regards,

Phill.

[2quick]

Hi,

This is a reported problem on certain brands of computer. Can you post back your make ?

Regards,

Phill.

I have an Asus G50V laptop

I previously had Ubuntu 9.04 installed and I did not have this issue. Also 9.10 was working fine until I did a large update for Windows Vista was installed. I should have included that information in the original post, sorry!

[phillw]

Hmm, the Asus is not on the list of affected computers. However the symptoms point to the same issue whereby one of the recovery software software packages is over-writing the MBR. For once, we can't blame M$ for this, it's only doing as it is told !!

The things to go 'a hunting for' are listed in this thread - which also leads to another couple of threads. There are several possibilities. Basically, you're looking to disable a backup 'Service' from within Win environment.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1338439

If you'd post back with how you get on, it will allow us to 'look out' for similar issues with Asus machines.

Regards,

Phill.

[2quick]

Looks like I found the culprit. It was Norton Ghost running in the background, that I had just recently installed. I disabled it during startup through msconfig and no more trouble. Thanks for the links!

[semacore]

I have the same issue with Windows 7 on a dell

I get this...

no module name found
Aborted. Press any key to exit.
Intel(R) Boot Agent GE v1.3.35
Copyright (C) 1997-2009, Intel Corporation

PXE-E61 : Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F : Exiting Intel Boot Agent.
Operating System not found


I did find this as a solution but it seems to be a temporary solution at best:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20from%20LiveCD

[oldfred]

See these sites:
http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/bootinfoscript/index.php?title=Boot_Problems:Windows_Writes_To_MB R
http://www.supergrubdisk.org/wiki/WindowsErasesGrub
HP ProtectTools, Dell Recovery, and a few others write into MBR meierfra.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/441941
https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/441941?comments=all
Dell Media direct issues with MBR
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=923576