recover grub2 after win 7 install

[Cavsfan]

I had to reinstall Win 7 yesterday and it did not touch my Karmic Koala partition, but after installation,
I can only boot into win 7 .
I tried to recover grub2 yesterday, but then borked the win 7 boot and like to never got that back.
But, my customized picture was there on the grub2 boot screen, so all is good with that.
So, I am back to square one. I can boot into win 7, but not Ubuntu (my favorite OS :D).
I did the sudo fdisk -l and here is what it showed:

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa55f55ec

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 47870 384513000 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 59806 60801 8000370 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda3 47871 59805 95867887+ 83 Linux

What I did yesterday would allow me to boot into Ubuntu, but the win 7 loader was wrong.

I believe it is something like this: sudo grub-install /dev/sda (but not sure if this would apply to my system and I don't want to mess it up again).
(I booted into Ubuntu w/o installing - I think the top option)
Thanks in advance for any help!

[darkod]

I didn't quite understand whether you can't boot ubuntu or win7 right now, because you mentioned both. Also, for detailed information about the boot process, you can download the script in my signature, move it on desktop for example, and run it with:
sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

It will create results.txt file. Post the content of the file here and wrap it in CODE tags for easier reading (with the text selected hit the # button in the toolbar above when writing the post).

If you can't boot the hdd ubuntu you can do this procedure from the live desktop too, doesn't matter.

[Hansmc]

Check out this link: http://www.ubuntu-inside.me/2009/06/howto-recover-grub2-after-windows.html. If you need any help with the steps come back here and maybe some one can help.

[Cavsfan]

I didn't quite understand whether you can't boot ubuntu or win7 right now, because you mentioned both. Also, for detailed information about the boot process, you can download the script in my signature, move it on desktop for example, and run it with:
sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

It will create results.txt file. Post the content of the file here and wrap it in CODE tags for easier reading (with the text selected hit the # button in the toolbar above when writing the post).

If you can't boot the hdd ubuntu you can do this procedure from the live desktop too, doesn't matter.

Thanks! I can only boot into win 7 right now. I want to fix grub2 to where it comes up at boot and the win 7 boot option will go to win 7.
Here is the contents of your script: (ignore sdb and sdc - they are USB drives)
(I think I accidentally installed GRUB2 on the sda3 partition last night. Can I remove that too?) Thanks immensely!


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda
=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb
=> Grub 0.97 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc and looks on boot drive #1
in partition #3 for /boot/grub/stage2 and /boot/grub/menu.lst.

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: Grub 2
Boot sector info: Grub 2 is installed in the boot sector of sda3 and
looks at sector 787945302 of the same hard drive for
core.img, core.img is at this location on /dev/sda and
looks on partition #3 for /boot/grub.
Operating System: Ubuntu 9.10
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/menu.lst /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab
/boot/grub/core.img

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Unknown
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 95
Boot files/dirs: /IO.SYS /MSDOS.SYS /COMMAND.COM

sdb2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sdc1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa55f55ec

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 2,048 769,028,047 769,026,000 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 960,767,325 976,768,064 16,000,740 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda3 769,031,550 960,767,324 191,735,775 83 Linux


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 120.0 GB, 120000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14589 cylinders, total 234375000 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe4651a0a

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdb1 63 64,259 64,197 de Dell Utility
/dev/sdb2 * 64,260 234,370,555 234,306,296 7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdc ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdc: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xf87b4c9a

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdc1 63 1,953,520,383 1,953,520,321 7 HPFS/NTFS


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 1CFC7A8DFC7A60C6 ntfs
/dev/sda2 53d632f0-bfe2-4588-a9a1-23b6a030090b swap
/dev/sda3 a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4 ext4
/dev/sdb1 07D2-030B vfat DellUtility
/dev/sdb2 96AE4C3FAE4C1A5F ntfs
/dev/sdc1 78B8D1A1B8D15DE6 ntfs Fantom

============================ "mount | grep ^/dev output: ===========================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

aufs / aufs (rw)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (rw)
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (rw)
/dev/sdb2 /media/96AE4C3FAE4C1A5F fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,default_permissions,b lksize=4096)
/dev/sdc1 /media/Fantom fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,default_permissions,b lksize=4096)


=========================== sda3/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 2

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 30

## 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=a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4

## 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 9.10, kernel 2.6.31-16-generic
uuid a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-16-generic root=UUID=a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-16-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 9.10, kernel 2.6.31-16-generic (recovery mode)
uuid a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-16-generic root=UUID=a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-16-generic

title Windows 7
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

=========================== sda3/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s /boot/grub/grubenv ]; then
have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="2"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
save_env saved_entry
prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,3)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
set gfxpayload=keep
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=30
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,3)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4
insmod tga
if background_image /usr/share/images/grub/Blue_Beautiful_Boat.tga ; then
set color_normal=white/black
set color_highlight=magenta/black
else
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=white/blue
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-19-generic" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
set quiet=1
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,3)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-19-generic root=UUID=a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-19-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.31-19-generic (recovery mode)" {
recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,3)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-19-generic root=UUID=a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-19-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)" {
insmod ntfs
set root=(hd0,1)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 12aac3a8aac38727
chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

=============================== sda3/etc/fstab: ===============================

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s 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/sda3 during installation
UUID=a31b7ce3-880c-4a55-b62a-a48f0c509cf4 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda2 during installation
UUID=53d632f0-bfe2-4588-a9a1-23b6a030090b none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

=================== sda3: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


403.4GB: boot/grub/core.img
398.4GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
399.1GB: boot/grub/menu.lst
419.4GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-19-generic
432.7GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-19-generic
419.4GB: initrd.img
432.7GB: vmlinuz
=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown BootLoader on sdb1

00000000 eb 44 90 44 65 6c 6c 20 34 2e 31 00 02 04 01 00 |.D.Dell 4.1.....|
00000010 02 00 02 00 00 f8 3f 00 3f 00 ff 00 3f 00 00 00 |......?.?...?...|
00000020 c5 fa 00 00 80 00 29 0b 03 d2 07 44 65 6c 6c 55 |......)....DellU|
00000030 74 69 6c 69 74 79 46 41 54 31 36 20 20 20 00 00 |tilityFAT16 ..|
00000040 00 00 00 00 00 00 fa b8 00 00 8e c0 8e d0 bc fc |................|
00000050 7b fb 0e 1f fc be ae 7d e8 cd 00 e8 1d 01 0f 82 |{......}........|
00000060 b9 00 66 0f b7 06 16 7c 66 d1 e0 66 0f b7 1e 0e |..f....|f..f....|
00000070 7c 66 03 c3 66 03 06 1c 7c 66 a3 3e 7c a1 11 7c ||f..f...|f.>|..||
00000080 ba 20 00 f7 e2 bb 00 02 f7 f3 8b e8 bb 00 05 e8 |. ..............|
00000090 a5 00 0f 82 85 00 ba 10 00 b9 0b 00 be ef 7d 8b |..............}.|
000000a0 fb f3 a6 74 13 83 c3 20 4a 75 ee 66 ff 06 3e 7c |...t... Ju.f..>||
000000b0 4d 75 d9 be e3 7d eb 6b 66 0f b7 06 11 7c 66 ba |Mu...}.kf....|f.|
000000c0 20 00 00 00 66 f7 e2 66 0f b7 0e 0b 7c 66 03 c1 | ...f..f....|f..|
000000d0 66 48 66 f7 f1 66 01 06 3e 7c 66 a1 3e 7c 66 26 |fHf..f..>|f.>|f&|
000000e0 a3 fc 7b 66 26 0f b7 47 1a 8b f8 2d 02 00 66 0f |..{f&..G...-..f.|
000000f0 b6 1e 0d 7c 66 f7 e3 66 01 06 3e 7c bb 00 07 bd |...|f..f..>|....|
00000100 04 00 e8 32 00 72 14 81 c3 00 02 66 ff 06 3e 7c |...2.r.....f..>||
00000110 4d 75 ef bd 00 7c ea 00 02 70 00 be d6 7d eb 03 |Mu...|...p...}..|
00000120 be e3 7d e8 02 00 eb fe ac 3c 00 74 09 b4 0e bb |..}......<.t....|
00000130 07 00 cd 10 eb f2 c3 66 a1 3e 7c 66 33 d2 66 0f |.......f.>|f3.f.|
00000140 b7 0e 18 7c 66 f7 f1 66 42 88 16 45 7c 66 33 d2 |...|f..fB..E|f3.|
00000150 66 0f b7 0e 1a 7c 66 f7 f1 88 16 44 7c a3 42 7c |f....|f....D|.B||
00000160 b8 01 02 8b 0e 42 7c c0 e5 06 0a 2e 45 7c 86 e9 |.....B|.....E|..|
00000170 8a 36 44 7c 8a 16 24 7c cd 13 c3 26 80 3e c2 07 |.6D|..$|...&.>..|
00000180 06 74 2a b8 01 02 bb 00 06 b9 01 00 b6 00 8a 16 |.t*.............|
00000190 24 7c cd 13 72 17 26 c6 06 c2 07 06 b8 01 03 bb |$|..r.&.........|
000001a0 00 06 b9 01 00 b6 00 8a 16 24 7c cd 13 c3 0d 0a |.........$|.....|
000001b0 42 6f 6f 74 69 6e 67 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 75 74 69 |Booting from uti|
000001c0 6c 69 74 79 20 70 61 72 74 69 74 69 6f 6e 2e 2e |lity partition..|
000001d0 2e 0d 0a 0d 0a 00 44 69 73 6b 20 65 72 72 6f 72 |......Disk error|
000001e0 0d 0a 00 4e 6f 20 6c 6f 61 64 65 72 0d 0a 00 49 |...No loader...I|
000001f0 4f 20 20 20 20 20 20 53 59 53 00 00 00 00 55 aa |O SYS....U.|
00000200

[Cavsfan]

Check out this link: http://www.ubuntu-inside.me/2009/06/howto-recover-grub2-after-windows.html. If you need any help with the steps come back here and maybe some one can help.

Thanks Hansmc! That is the page I found and thought I could do it last night, but borked it instead. I believe Darkod knows his stuff and he has helped me before.

[darkod]

It's a bit of a mess, but hopefully it will be OK.

First of all, use a 9.10 cd to boot into the live desktop. Then to install grub2 onto the MBR of /dev/sda, in terminal do:

sudo mount /dev/sda3 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sda

Make sure the int hdd is first option before USB in BIOS. You need to boot from it, that's /dev/sda.

Try to boot ubuntu, the win7 entry in grub menu will not work right now after you reinstalled. If booting ubuntu worked let me know because there are few more things to do.

[Cavsfan]

It's a bit of a mess, but hopefully it will be OK.

First of all, use a 9.10 cd to boot into the live desktop. Then to install grub2 onto the MBR of /dev/sda, in terminal do:

sudo mount /dev/sda3 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sda

Make sure the int hdd is first option before USB in BIOS. You need to boot from it, that's /dev/sda.

Try to boot ubuntu, the win7 entry in grub menu will not work right now after you reinstalled. If booting ubuntu worked let me know because there are few more things to do.

This is exactly what I had yesterday. When I installed win 7, I could only boot into that.
When I tried to fix the GRUB2, I could boot into Ubuntu, but no longer get to win 7.
So, my custom grub2 screen appears and I am booted into Ubuntu now.
We just need to fix my ability to get to win 7 from grub2.
Thanks!!! :D

[darkod]

This is exactly what I had yesterday. When I installed win 7, I could only boot into that.
When I tried to fix the GRUB2, I could boot into Ubuntu, but no longer get to win 7.
So, my custom grub2 screen appears and I am booted into Ubuntu now.
We just need to fix my ability to get to win 7 from grub2.
Thanks!!! :D

It's much easier than you think (hopefully). Reinstalling win7 included reformatting the partition and the UUID string (unique string allocated to partitions after format) doesn't match any more.
If all is well you only need to run:

sudo update-grub

and it should take care of that.
Also it seems that somehow you have installed grub1 (ver 0.97) to /dev/sdc and you have its menu.lst in your /boot/grub folder in ubuntu. Move that file from there, the new grub2 works only with grub.cfg. Move menu.lst first before running update-grub so it doesn't confuse it. Put it in your home folder for example, keep it for a while in case you need it.

[Cavsfan]

It's much easier than you think (hopefully). Reinstalling win7 included reformatting the partition and the UUID string (unique string allocated to partitions after format) doesn't match any more.
If all is well you only need to run:

sudo update-grub

and it should take care of that.
Also it seems that somehow you have installed grub1 (ver 0.97) to /dev/sdc and you have its menu.lst in your /boot/grub folder in ubuntu. Move that file from there, the new grub2 works only with grub.cfg. Move menu.lst first before running update-grub so it doesn't confuse it. Put it in your home folder for example, keep it for a while in case you need it.

Thanks! So, you are saying that all I needed to do was update-grub after win 7 install and I would have been good to go?
I did as you said and here is the output of update-grub:

$ sudo update-grub
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found Debian background: Blue_Beautiful_Boat.tga
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-19-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-19-generic
Found Windows 7 (loader) on /dev/sda1
done

Can I get the grub1 stuff off of the 3rd partition /dev/sdc safely and if so, how do I go about it?
I am going to try to boot into win 7 now as Ubuntu is good to go.
Thanks!!!

[darkod]

Thanks! So, you are saying that all I needed to do was update-grub after win 7 install and I would have been good to go?
I did as you said and here is the output of update-grub:

$ sudo update-grub
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found Debian background: Blue_Beautiful_Boat.tga
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-19-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-19-generic
Found Windows 7 (loader) on /dev/sda1
done

Can I get the grub1 stuff off of the 3rd partition /dev/sdc safely and if so, how do I go about it?
I am going to try to boot into win 7 now as Ubuntu is good to go.
Thanks!!!

Yes, after restoring grub2 to /dev/sda (because windows would overwrite it there during the install), all you needed to do is boot ubuntu and do update-grub to detect the new UUID for the windows partition.

You can write generic mbr on /dev/sdc from ubuntu with:

sudo apt-get install lilo
sudo lilo -M /dev/sdc mbr

Ignore any warnings. That will write generic windows mbr there.

[Cavsfan]

Dual boot is back to normal! Thanks Darko!
So, if I have to install win 7 again (I would hope not), I would just do update-grub?
I am glad I didn't loose my customized boot screen!

And can I get the boot stuff off of the 3rd partition?
I entered this command last night in desperation: "grub-install /dev/sdc"
and that is how I ended up with the grub on the 3rd partition. And it gave me a warning
message too!

[darkod]

After reinstalling windows you need to boot the live desktop, run the two commands for reinstalling grub back on the MBR, and then boot into the hdd ubuntu and do update-grub.

In the previous post I gave you commands to write generic mbr on /dev/sdc. That will get rid of grub from /dev/sdc.

Glad it worked. :)

PS. If you are talking about Grub2 on /dev/sda3, leave it right now. It doesn't matter. I was giving you the commands to remove grub1 from /dev/sdc which is still there.

[Cavsfan]

After reinstalling windows you need to boot the live desktop, run the two commands for reinstalling grub back on the MBR, and then boot into the hdd ubuntu and do update-grub.

In the previous post I gave you commands to write generic mbr on /dev/sdc. That will get rid of grub from /dev/sdc.

Glad it worked. :)

PS. If you are talking about Grub2 on /dev/sda3, leave it right now. It doesn't matter. I was giving you the commands to remove grub1 from /dev/sdc which is still there.

Thanks! You're help was incredible!
I am back to cooking with gas! :)

[Cavsfan]

Yes, after restoring grub2 to /dev/sda (because windows would overwrite it there during the install), all you needed to do is boot ubuntu and do update-grub to detect the new UUID for the windows partition.

You can write generic mbr on /dev/sdc from ubuntu with:

sudo apt-get install lilo
sudo lilo -M /dev/sdc mbr

Ignore any warnings. That will write generic windows mbr there.

That worked perfectly! I ran your boot script again just to verify and it looks good!
You are very good and I very much appreciate your help!!!
Thanks again!

[Onael]

Will this thread help me? I'm in the same boat with Windows XP.

[darkod]

Will this thread help me? I'm in the same boat with Windows XP.

And how are we supposed to know that? If you think you have the same problem you can try the same solution. But even if the problem is the same sometimes there might be small differences in the solution.

Or you can follow the instructions to run the boot info script and post your results in a new thread you will open for your specific problem.

Without more info I can't really say anything.

[Onael]

Cool. Thank you. I thought I'd ask before punching-in commands.