tried to dual boot but failed!

[yezzir]

my laptop has 2 HDs. i just upgraded one of them and installed windows 7 on it. my goal was to have one whole HD dedicated to win 7 and another dedicated to ubuntu. so just a while ago, i tried to install ubuntu. well it installed correctly, but unfortunately i cant choose between operating systems and i dont think it even recognizes windows 7 being installed.

i checked to see if my windows HD is still intact, and it is. i tried to run the windows 7 CD to repair it but it doesnt catch anything =(

any ideas?

[yezzir]

im pretty sure its the windows 7 loader that messed up but nothing that i have done so far seems to bring it back :(

[byStanderone]

... try a sudo update-grub

[Tanayar]

Can you choose between the harddrives in the BIOS? If you can boot both it's grub that doesn't work. Or are they both unbootable now?

[wilee-nilee]

Post this boot script in code tags.
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/
Without the information that this script will contain we are just flailing in the dark. To post in code tags paste the script in the reply highlight it and click on the # on the reply panel, then hit submit reply.

[yezzir]

i can choose HD's but when i choose the windows HD it doesnt even boot up. it gives me some kind of error which i will post up later tonight as i have to go to work right now (it says something about my ethernet card for some reason). the ubuntu HD works fine.

wilee-nilee - i will do that when i get back

[kansasnoob]

Post this boot script in code tags.
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/
Without the information that this script will contain we are just flailing in the dark. To post in code tags paste the script in the reply highlight it and click on the # on the reply panel, then hit submit reply.

+1! Why guess when you can test :)

[wilee-nilee]

+1! Why guess when you can test :)

It didn't take very long for me to figure that out, I'm basically lazy, why not make it easy eh, well relatively easy. Many times I see what the problems are but I let the people who are much better at this give the advice, this is a great learning tool.

[yezzir]

ok i ran the script, here are the results


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

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

=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda
=> Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks on the same drive in
partition #1 for /boot/grub.

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: /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 10.04 LTS
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sdb2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: Unknown
Boot sector info:

sdb5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142448 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 2,048 625,139,711 625,137,664 7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 100.0 GB, 100030242816 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 12161 cylinders, total 195371568 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdb1 * 2,048 187,336,703 187,334,656 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 187,338,750 195,371,007 8,032,258 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 187,338,752 195,371,007 8,032,256 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/sda1 FAFE947FFE94363B ntfs
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb1 7771ba19-c0dc-4e8a-b6e1-d6952f1576d1 ext4
/dev/sdb2: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb5 7c2fd557-948c-4a5b-a0a1-423b0634199c swap
/dev/sdb: PTTYPE="dos"

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sdb1 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/sr0 /media/UDF Volume udf (ro,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks,uid=1000,gid=1000, iocharset=utf8,umask=0077)


=========================== sdb1/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 $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
set saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then
saved_entry=${chosen}
save_env saved_entry
fi
}

function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then if [ -z ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 7771ba19-c0dc-4e8a-b6e1-d6952f1576d1
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 7771ba19-c0dc-4e8a-b6e1-d6952f1576d1
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en
insmod gettext
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 7771ba19-c0dc-4e8a-b6e1-d6952f1576d1
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=7771ba19-c0dc-4e8a-b6e1-d6952f1576d1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 7771ba19-c0dc-4e8a-b6e1-d6952f1576d1
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-21-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=7771ba19-c0dc-4e8a-b6e1-d6952f1576d1 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 7771ba19-c0dc-4e8a-b6e1-d6952f1576d1
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 7771ba19-c0dc-4e8a-b6e1-d6952f1576d1
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
if [ ${timeout} != -1 ]; then
if keystatus; then
if keystatus --shift; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=0
fi
else
if sleep --interruptible 3 ; then
set timeout=0
fi
fi
fi
### 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 ###

=============================== sdb1/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 nodev,noexec,nosuid 0 0
/dev/sda1 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=7c2fd557-948c-4a5b-a0a1-423b0634199c none swap sw 0 0

=================== sdb1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


58.1GB: boot/grub/core.img
49.5GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
58.1GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
58.1GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic
58.1GB: initrd.img
58.1GB: vmlinuz
=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown BootLoader on sdb2

00000000 25 6b 32 86 02 82 c4 f0 e0 f0 8c f4 88 4a 69 3d |%k2..........Ji=|
00000010 7d 8d 77 3a 58 8e 71 46 34 fc e9 99 de 9c 3f 40 |}.w:X.qF4.....?@|
00000020 69 4d 5f f9 46 6e 27 91 a4 1c f1 46 28 0e 30 a1 |iM_.Fn'....F(.0.|
00000030 a3 f4 fb c2 b3 96 a6 cc a7 d7 03 5f 69 ad 6d ea |..........._i.m.|
00000040 0c 0f 62 01 5e 49 76 25 1f 8b c9 13 92 15 43 55 |..b.^Iv%......CU|
00000050 5d 43 cf 55 4e 21 a8 a3 71 43 80 f1 b8 8b 47 b8 |]C.UN!..qC....G.|
00000060 73 f2 b3 2f df 95 7d 0f 2a 1d ed ee 83 a7 36 39 |s../..}.*.....69|
00000070 01 37 1f ef 0f 6c 6d 46 c5 a5 d6 56 85 8d 0f 83 |.7...lmF...V....|
00000080 27 d5 c2 9c 41 73 56 cb 78 de 1e 75 55 e5 2a 62 |'...AsV.x..uU.*b|
00000090 9b 87 c5 71 42 03 a8 23 3b 67 e4 47 c0 c4 d8 76 |...qB..#;g.G...v|
000000a0 0e 05 a5 4b 1d 0d 06 64 c2 93 eb 6d 8c b7 49 89 |...K...d...m..I.|
000000b0 f2 d3 8f 8a ab c7 9c f1 01 98 7b f8 fe 72 f4 14 |..........{..r..|
000000c0 96 88 f8 35 98 a3 51 c1 76 5e 6e 86 18 e2 8f 78 |...5..Q.v^n....x|
000000d0 b6 bb 88 04 6c 53 cd cb 99 e3 63 55 48 79 c5 52 |....lS....cUHy.R|
000000e0 7f 01 93 9b bb 30 5e d1 ca 06 e0 bc ba df 9b c2 |.....0^.........|
000000f0 01 56 cf 5a 73 73 c4 2e 1d de 45 62 6b 03 93 cf |.V.Zss....Ebk...|
00000100 f8 d8 ad 1a 8c dd 64 1b 31 a7 77 c4 3c 1d a9 b3 |......d.1.w.<...|
00000110 5e 7d c5 68 25 2c 06 18 06 24 61 15 dc 4a 91 da |^}.h%,...$a..J..|
00000120 58 b1 87 e5 06 e9 15 dd a2 b5 b5 01 b2 5f de 7a |X............_.z|
00000130 56 25 a7 11 f7 a4 2e 36 5e d7 09 46 8c a0 f9 2f |V%.....6^..F.../|
00000140 e5 ed ad e8 01 d0 2b 7b f8 20 f6 13 28 0b c4 c8 |......+{. ..(...|
00000150 c4 c0 68 43 c6 06 f7 7a 20 41 00 91 14 5b 25 0b |..hC...z A...[%.|
00000160 a0 29 1b da 68 3f 0e f2 89 4d e7 06 c1 67 c3 d2 |.)..h?...M...g..|
00000170 ba 83 4b 18 6e 42 3a 81 ef 4c 4b 1d 5c 64 e4 e4 |..K.nB:..LK.\d..|
00000180 86 af 89 64 6f e2 51 e8 61 36 ee b7 b0 60 c9 f9 |...do.Q.a6...`..|
00000190 55 12 34 31 45 a6 71 3c 2c 72 18 24 14 3c 5c 41 |U.41E.q<,r.$.<\A|
000001a0 21 d3 75 83 5a fe 06 b7 d8 d8 d8 a4 cd 42 1b f0 |!.u.Z........B..|
000001b0 32 7a 73 ae e1 58 76 b1 0a d6 64 e7 c5 fc 00 fe |2zs..Xv...d.....|
000001c0 ff ff 82 fe ff ff 02 00 00 00 00 90 7a 00 00 00 |............z...|
000001d0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
*
000001f0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 55 aa |..............U.|
00000200

[darkod]

You are missing two windows boot files on its partition, /dev/sda1. Use your win7 dvd and there are instructions here how to repair it:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708

The process should leave untouched your grub2 and ubuntu on /dev/sdb. After you have repaired the win7 boot process and you can boot directly into it when /dev/sda is first in BIOS, set /dev/sdb first in BIOS and after booting ubuntu run:

sudo update-grub

That should sort it out.

[yezzir]

You are missing two windows boot files on its partition, /dev/sda1. Use your win7 dvd and there are instructions here how to repair it:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708

The process should leave untouched your grub2 and ubuntu on /dev/sdb. After you have repaired the win7 boot process and you can boot directly into it when /dev/sda is first in BIOS, set /dev/sdb first in BIOS and after booting ubuntu run:

sudo update-grub

That should sort it out.

unfortunately ive tried what is in that link before with no success :(

bootrec.exe /fixmbr gives 'The operation was completed successfully.'

but bootrec.exe /fixboot gives 'Element not found.'

[darkod]

Have you tried using the automated process? I know the instructions say to do it manually, but sometimes the automated works better.
So, when it detects your win7 and it should, do not deselect it. Continue with the automated process and sometimes you need to run it 3-4 times because it fixes one bit at a time.

If that fails, you could try locating the files on the dvd and just copying them, hoping it works that way. Boot ubuntu, put the win7 dvd in the drive and from the root of the dvd copy 'bootmgr' to /dev/sda1. Then also copy the whole folder 'boot' to /dev/sda1. I have never tried it but it's worth a shot. :)

[yezzir]

Have you tried using the automated process? I know the instructions say to do it manually, but sometimes the automated works better.
So, when it detects your win7 and it should, do not deselect it. Continue with the automated process and sometimes you need to run it 3-4 times because it fixes one bit at a time.

If that fails, you could try locating the files on the dvd and just copying them, hoping it works that way. Boot ubuntu, put the win7 dvd in the drive and from the root of the dvd copy 'bootmgr' to /dev/sda1. Then also copy the whole folder 'boot' to /dev/sda1. I have never tried it but it's worth a shot. :)

well it also doesnt detect the windows 7 OS :(

i think i will try the 2nd thing you said though lol

[yezzir]

hmm exactly which two files are missing?

[yezzir]

FIXED! i found another website where someone was having the same sort of problem (i dont remember the link as i am on windows right now lol).

i took out my ubuntu HD and just left the windows one in

to solve:
1. run gparted
2. under flags for the HD, set it to boot
3. run windows 7 repair dvd and repair
4. fin

[wilee-nilee]

Just for future reference you have to run more commands than just the one the best way to go is this with Vista or W7.
BootRec.exe /fixmbr
chkdsk /r
BootRec.exe /FixBoot
BootRec.exe /ScanOs
BootRec.exe /RebuildBcd
This set would have rebuilt the boot loader, but you would just have to reinstall grub to gthe MBR. If there are missing boot files though then I see why the auto-repair worked without the other HD in as I suspect without being able to look at the script as I type this, that grub was running the 2nd HD.

darkod's instructions should have worked I suspect that there was a bit of the good ole user error involved, but hey it happens to all of us at times. ;)

[darkod]

Windows depends on the boot flag to be on the partition with the boot files, in order to start properly. I didn't notice whether a boot flag was there on yours. Maybe the repair process is so 'intelligent' that it can't repair it if the boot flag is missing. We are talking about windows after all... :)

Anyway, glad you got it sorted out.