Ubuntu lost on windows install

[abicash]

Hello

I have lost ubuntu (or "grub" to be precise) after windows install.Please help me revive ubuntu!

Some things you may be interested in

sudo fdisk -lu

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x27822781

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 43471889 21735913+ c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda2 43471890 312576704 134552407+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 43471953 57352049 6940048+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/sda6 57352113 118784609 30716248+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda7 118784673 180217169 30716248+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda8 180217233 241649729 30716248+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda9 241649793 312576704 35463456 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 20.0 GB, 20060135424 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 2438 cylinders, total 39179952 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x1cc1b2a7

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 63 3903794 1951866 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb2 * 3903795 24868619 10482412+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdb3 24868620 39166469 7148925 b W95 FAT32




And in grub

grub> root (hd1,2)

grub> setup (hd1)
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... no
Checking if "/grub/stage1" exists... no

Error 15: File not found


My 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 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

#A splash image for the menu
splashimage=/boot/grub/splashimages/Mac4Lin_GRUB1_v1.0.xpm.gz

## 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=6cb21820-1cb7-45db-bac6-3a13e951bf1f ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=6cb21820-1cb7-45db-bac6-3a13e951bf1f

## 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

## 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 8.10 Intrepid
root hd(1,2)
uuid 6cb21820-1cb7-45db-bac6-3a13e951bf1f
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=6cb21820-1cb7-45db-bac6-3a13e951bf1f ro quiet splash vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.10, (recovery mode)
root hd(1,2)
uuid 6cb21820-1cb7-45db-bac6-3a13e951bf1f
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=6cb21820-1cb7-45db-bac6-3a13e951bf1f ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic

#title Ubuntu 8.10, memtest86+
#uuid 6cb21820-1cb7-45db-bac6-3a13e951bf1f
#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 Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1


Expecting help from forum members :)

[Mighty_Joe]

A quick search on Google returns many HOWTO's, including the Ubuntu Community Documentation (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows) and Howto Geek (http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/ubuntu/reinstall-ubuntu-grub-bootloader-after-windows-wipes-it-out/)

[oldfred]

In old grub partitions start at 0 (changed in grub2).

Your root (1,2) is the third partition.

for sda2 where you install is, it is root (1,1)

[abicash]

A quick search on Google returns many HOWTO's, including the Ubuntu Community Documentation (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows) and Howto Geek (http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/ubuntu/reinstall-ubuntu-grub-bootloader-after-windows-wipes-it-out/)

None have worked for me so far... :(


In old grub partitions start at 0 (changed in grub2).

Your root (1,2) is the third partition.

for sda2 where you install is, it is root (1,1)



i have 2 hard disks and linux is on sdb2

Please can you help??

[coffeecat]

i have 2 hard disks and linux is on sdb2

From the fdisk output of your first post, that seems correct. However....




grub> root (hd1,2)

grub> setup (hd1)
Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... no
Checking if "/grub/stage1" exists... no

Error 15: File not found
My menu.lst

<snip>
title Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid
root hd(1,2)
uuid 6cb21820-1cb7-45db-bac6-3a13e951bf1f
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=6cb21820-1cb7-45db-bac6-3a13e951bf1f ro quiet splash vga=791
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic
quiet

<snip>

You are using legacy grub and sdb2 in legacy grub speak is (hd1,1), not (hd1,2). In legacy grub, partitions are numbered from 0. In grub2, partitions are numbered from 1. Perhaps that's where the confusion arose.

So, those grub commands (I presume from a live disc?) need to be:


root (hd1,1)
setup (hd0)'setup' needs to point to sda/(hd0) to install grub stage 1 to the mbr of your primary hard drive.

But there's also a problem with your menu.lst. That stanza is referring to "hd(1,2)". Note the erroneous position of the brackets and the numbering of the partition. It also needs to be (hd1,1). Also, you've got both a 'root' line and an 'uuid' line. You don't need both. I don't know, but that might confuse grub once you've reinstalled it to the mbr.

Last comment: you are running Intrepid. That will reach end of life in a few days. You may wish to think about upgrading.

[abicash]

Got it working thanks....:P

[coffeecat]

Excellent! :)