Windows does not boot after installation of Ubuntu on external hard drive

[ColemanK]

Last night I bought the Humble Indie Bundle for a few bucks. I wanted to test the Linux versions of the games included without lag, so I installed Ubuntu on an empty partition that I had been saving on my 1TB external hard drive.

Of course, I boot into the CD, start the installation, and complete it. When I restart my computer, and try to boot from the internal hard drive of it, there's a Grub error, and Windows doesn't boot.

I'll be here until the issue is resolved, so go ahead and ask for more information when needed.
Thanks, Coleman Kintop.

[kansasnoob]

Grub is probably installed to the mbr of the internal drive, but please post the output of the Boot Info Script:

http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/

[ColemanK]

Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

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

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

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
/grldr /wubildr.mbr /ubuntu/winboot/wubildr.mbr
/wubildr /ubuntu/winboot/wubildr
/ubuntu/disks/root.disk /ubuntu/disks/swap.disk

sda1/Wubi: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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:

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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:

sdb2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext2
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

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

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
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 63 291,444,735 291,444,673 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 291,444,736 312,573,951 21,129,216 7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 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 63 1,638,405,089 1,638,405,027 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2 1,638,405,090 1,953,520,064 315,114,975 83 Linux


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 a04abbf7-fb6a-4d92-b4d0-8aa02622c6e2 ext4
/dev/sda1 7CFCEF19FCEECC88 ntfs
/dev/sda2 40AC6077AC6068FC ntfs Virtual RAM
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb1 431709C01C341030 ntfs
/dev/sdb2 725a82cb-f46f-42e7-9d69-b5a43c3293a1 ext2
/dev/sdb: PTTYPE="dos"

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sdb2 / ext2 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/sdb1 /media/431709C01C341030 fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_ permissions)
/dev/sda2 /media/Virtual RAM fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_ permissions)


======================== sda1/Wubi/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
}
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 ###
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.32-22-generic" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 7cfcef19fceecc88
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=/dev/sda1 loop=/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.32-22-generic (recovery mode)" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 7cfcef19fceecc88
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=/dev/sda1 loop=/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.32-21-generic" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 7cfcef19fceecc88
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=/dev/sda1 loop=/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.32-21-generic (recovery mode)" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 7cfcef19fceecc88
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=/dev/sda1 loop=/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### 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 7cfcef19fceecc88
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 ###

============================= sda1/Wubi/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
/host/ubuntu/disks/root.disk / ext4 loop,errors=remount-ro 0 1
/host/ubuntu/disks/swap.disk none swap loop,sw 0 0

================= sda1/Wubi: Location of files loaded by Grub: =================


28.1GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
17.4GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
17.5GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
17.3GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic
17.3GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic
17.5GB: initrd.img
17.4GB: initrd.img.old
17.3GB: vmlinuz
17.3GB: vmlinuz.old

=========================== sdb2/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 ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 725a82cb-f46f-42e7-9d69-b5a43c3293a1
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 725a82cb-f46f-42e7-9d69-b5a43c3293a1
set locale_dir=($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 2.6.32-22-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 725a82cb-f46f-42e7-9d69-b5a43c3293a1
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=UUID=725a82cb-f46f-42e7-9d69-b5a43c3293a1 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-22-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 725a82cb-f46f-42e7-9d69-b5a43c3293a1
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-22-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=UUID=725a82cb-f46f-42e7-9d69-b5a43c3293a1 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 725a82cb-f46f-42e7-9d69-b5a43c3293a1
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=725a82cb-f46f-42e7-9d69-b5a43c3293a1 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='(hd1,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 725a82cb-f46f-42e7-9d69-b5a43c3293a1
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-21-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=725a82cb-f46f-42e7-9d69-b5a43c3293a1 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='(hd1,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 725a82cb-f46f-42e7-9d69-b5a43c3293a1
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 725a82cb-f46f-42e7-9d69-b5a43c3293a1
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### 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 7cfcef19fceecc88
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 ###

=============================== sdb2/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/sdb2 / ext2 errors=remount-ro 0 1

=================== sdb2: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


964.1GB: boot/grub/core.img
964.2GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
964.0GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
964.0GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
963.9GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic
963.9GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic
964.0GB: initrd.img
964.0GB: initrd.img.old
963.9GB: vmlinuz
963.9GB: vmlinuz.old

What should I do?

[ColemanK]

Bump for being able to boot into Windows.

[bcbc]

Are you booting with the external disconnected? If so, you need to restore the windows bootloader to your internal drive.
You would also need to install the grub bootloader to your external, as it is not installed on the external.

So, step 1, boot ubuntu and install grub to the external MBR /dev/sdb
Step 2, restore the windows boot loader to the internal MBR /dev/sda.

Do it in that order, and then whenever you want to boot ubuntu make sure you boot from the external (setup in bios or override at boot time).

For instructions on installing the bootloaders, see here (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708)

Since you can boot ubuntu, you don't need to mount the partition, just run:
sudo grub-install /dev/sdb

[kansasnoob]

I assume that the 160GB drive is the internal and the 1TB drive is the external, eh?

If yes run the following commands while booted into Ubuntu (please copy-n-paste), first we'll put grub on the mbr of sdb:


sudo grub-install /dev/sdb

If that shows any errors run:


sudo grub-install --recheck /dev/sdb

Now we'll give sda a Windows readable mbr:


sudo apt-get install lilo

Ignore any warnings.


sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbr

Now if USB is set to boot before the internal in BIOS you should be able to boot Ubuntu with the external plugged in, and with the external unplugged Windows should boot normally.

I'm not sure about the Wubi install because I've never used Wubi (well, once briefly).

[ColemanK]

Wow! I can't thank you enough. Your combined instructions worked like a charm. Now I can boot into Windows when the external is turned off, and Ubuntu when it's on.

Thank you!

[blx1]

****EDIT**** I apolagise for re-opening an old thread. I have started my own to highlight my problem. THanks


I am having the same problem where I can not boot at all. I am currently booting from a CD.

I have run the "Boot info Script" and come out with this...(Please check attatchment)

Can someone please help. I would like to boot windows when HDD is not attached and Ubuntu when it is

Thanks