help, ubuntu won't boot

[goosethebus]

Im completely new to linux so please excuse my noobyness. Ive been using it for a few days and it kept reminding me to update some files. (about 200mb worth) after it finished installing i rebooted but it won't show me a login screen. it only shows me a commmand line. it allows to 'exit' and then it boots windows. Please help.

[neo unplugged]

login at command line prompt and try the following:

service gdm start
And reply your output

[goosethebus]

it doesn't recognize the command 'service'

[neo unplugged]

try
/etc/init.d/gdm start

[oldfred]

Is this a grub command line or a terminal after grub boots? Is this a standard install or wubi?

I think the only way you get windows to boot is if it is wubi?

Fix for grub2 problem with wubi
http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/bootinfoscript/index.php?title=Boot_Problems:Wubi_9.10

[goosethebus]

does not recognize '/etc/init.d/gdm'

[neo unplugged]

my bad... should have asked if u r in grub command line. refer to oldfred's post

[goosethebus]

I tried using the link and i replaced the file but it made no difference

[goosethebus]

when i try to boot i get the "grub:sh>" prompt

[neo unplugged]

I am not good at at Grub prompt but check out the link below maybe of some use, (looks like a similar problem)
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1437214

[goosethebus]

i used the commands from the thread and it looked like it was about to boot, but then it said error does not exist and it dropped to a shell

[neo unplugged]

its good that you got to a shell prompt rather than just the grub...
whats the exact error?? also, do you have access to internet on this system?

[goosethebus]

I only have access when i boot to windows obviously, but normally i would have internet access on ubuntu. I can't copy the exact error but ill try again and write it down

[goosethebus]

waiting for root file system

gave up waiting for root device

alert! /dev/sda1/ does not exist dropping to a shell

[goosethebus]

should i just reinstall ubuntu?