9.1 upgrade boot problem

[Puttj]

9.1 upgrade boot problem
Hit the upgrade to 9.1 option in updates thinking it would be just another upgrade - didn't back up files - and now Ubuntu will not load. Gets to the loading screen then reverts to:
"waiting for /dev/disk/by UUID/cef 57a5b-412f-4f50-a634-3793596a9d9a
'TMP:waiting for null
:wap waiting for UUID=30cd36b1-3a81-458f-bfa7-167c30081de5"

Looks like a boot problem to me but I am barely literate in Windows. Ubuntu is a whole new game. Appreciate any suggestions that might enable me to get back in to 9.04 to at least retrieve my files.
I have a good 9.1 disc now but cannot seem to get it to repair the installation.

System is AMD64bit, dual booted with XP pro.

Be gentle with me, I'm probably too old and too thick to be fooling with this stuff :confused:

[darkod]

If you only want to retrieve/backup files the easiest is just to boot with the 9.10 cd, select Try Ubuntu from the menu, and that will load a so called live desktop, ubuntu running from the cd.
In Places you should be able to see all the partitions from the hdd and access them. Have in mind that the live desktop wouldn't know which partition was what and in Places you will see like:
100GB filesystem
20GB filesystem
etc

Just guess by the partition size.

Once you have the data safe, you can consider whether to try saving the current install, or doing a clean install of 9.10.

Just because upgrade went wrong it doesn't mean a clean install of 9.10 will give you problems. Upgrades can sometimes go wrong. On the other hand, running the live desktop of 9.10 can show you if it has some issues with your hardware.

[Puttj]

Many thanks. Problem is the program keeps asking me to delete former installations before I can get in. I think I need to correct the bootloader but haven't yet been able to figure out how to do that. Man I sure miss Ubuntu now that I'm forced back into Windows.