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YouStoleMyLaptop
June 23rd, 2010, 04:58 AM
(this part was deleted for your confusion)

Edit: I have a Sony Vaio FJ170 laptop with Phoenix BIOS version R0060X6 & a broken DVD Drive. The BIOS doesn't support booting from USB (it does have 'External Drive Boot' option, but my USB stick doesn't get listed under boot devices in BIOS when connected to the laptop).


A few days ago I upgraded to Windows7, then installed Lucid through WUBI. With the help of another thread of mine (here) (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1498681), I changed the default boot option & timeout of Windows to zero to directly boot into Ubuntu. So far it was good. But recently I tried to get back to Windows for some reason but could not succeed as the F8 key no longer brings up the Window's Advance Boot Menu. (here's (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=9462351&postcount=39) a suggested solution to my problem, but I don't have a working DVD Drive to implement it!)


Is there another way to restore the dual boot menu timeout to get back to the Windows installation. Or even better, is there some way to make a fresh install of Windows & Ubuntu side-by-side without DVD drive.
Please mind that I am only 14 and absolutely new to Linux. The network booting methods given on the Internet were too complex for me to understand. I like Ubuntu but also need Windows for programming C++ & Photoshop CS4.

wilee-nilee
June 23rd, 2010, 07:38 AM
Recently I have installed the OS ubuntu through wubi. & it has dual booted my laptop with windiows 7. But I have noticed that after you install through wubi, microsoft disable the f8 key so you cant pop up the grub menu. So recently I have thought of becoming a programmer. & I need the C++ Program & i see that ubuntu doesnt support that, only in text editor forms,. So I am trying to reinstall windows 7 so i could just have the whole disk 1 OS, because i cant access the windows 7 now. So, How would i install windows 7 to my ubuntu system when my CD drive is broken? I have a .zip file of windows 7. So I can install from that. but someone has told me that I can't install from the .exe file in the .zip file so what do i do now? i have a Sony Vaio VGN-FJ170, thank you in advance

First change your font to the correct size and color black, then you might get some help. If this is just a W7 install go to the W7 forums and ask for their help.
http://www.sevenforums.com/

If you just want windows 7 fixed so it works post the bootscript in my signature in code tags.

at the beginning and at the end.

Please change the font to look as the quote does in my response.

inka1
June 23rd, 2010, 07:43 AM
Hi.
I think your post is very unclear...
Try to give explain it a little more clearly what exactly do you need.

You could probably try to install Windows 7 from an usb, search for this topic on the net.
Even a working CD-rom can`t help you, because win7 comes on a DVD.

And about the C++, there is no "C++ program", maybe you mean MS Visual Studio?
On Linux you could try MonoDevelop.

Greetings.

YouStoleMyLaptop
June 23rd, 2010, 07:19 PM
I have the downloaded version iso file. & my laptop doesnt have a usb boot manager. It doesnt show the USB in the bios

& Microsoft Visual C++
is the program i was talkign about.

& to willie nillie, it told me to post this



Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

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

=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda
=> Syslinux is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Fat32
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sda1 starts
at sector 0. But according to the info from fdisk,
sda1 starts at sector 63.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

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: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /ntldr /NTDETECT.COM /wubildr.mbr
/ubuntu/winboot/wubildr.mbr /wubildr
/ubuntu/winboot/wubildr /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
/ubuntu/disks/swap.disk

sda2/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

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Fat32
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 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/sda1 63 8,401,994 8,401,932 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 * 8,401,995 195,366,464 186,964,470 7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 8213 MB, 8213305856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 998 cylinders, total 16041613 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 * 58 16,016,804 16,016,747 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 637709fe-da43-407d-a06e-39b910a0b2ff ext4
/dev/sda1 748E-79CE vfat ProNess
/dev/sda2 6AD077D3D077A44B ntfs
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb1 4802-7173 vfat
/dev/sdb: PTTYPE="dos"
error: /dev/sdc: No medium found

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/loop0 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/sda2 /host fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_id=0,group_id=0,all ow_other,blksize=4096)
/dev/sdb1 /media/4802-7173 vfat (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks,uid=1000,gid=1000, shortname=mixed,dmask=0077,utf8=1,flush)
/dev/sr0 /media/U3 System iso9660 (ro,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks,uid=1000,gid=1000, iocharset=utf8,mode=0400,dmode=0500)


======================== sda2/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="4"
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='(hd0,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 6ad077d3d077a44b
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=/dev/sda2 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='(hd0,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 6ad077d3d077a44b
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=/dev/sda2 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='(hd0,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 6ad077d3d077a44b
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=/dev/sda2 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='(hd0,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 6ad077d3d077a44b
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=/dev/sda2 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/sda2)" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 6ad077d3d077a44b
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 ###

============================= sda2/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

================= sda2/Wubi: Location of files loaded by Grub: =================


14.7GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
11.0GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
11.2GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
11.0GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic
11.2GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic
11.2GB: initrd.img
11.0GB: initrd.img.old
11.2GB: vmlinuz
11.0GB: vmlinuz.old
=======Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive==============

sdc

YouStoleMyLaptop
June 23rd, 2010, 07:43 PM
I have a Sony Vaio FJ170 laptop with Phoenix BIOS version R0060X6 & a broken DVD Drive. The BIOS doesn't support booting from USB (it does have 'External Drive Boot' option, but my USB stick doesn't get listed under boot devices in BIOS when connected to the laptop).


A few days ago I upgraded to Windows7, then installed Lucid through WUBI. With the help of another thread of mine (here) (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1498681), I changed the default boot option & timeout of Windows to zero to directly boot into Ubuntu. So far it was good. But recently I tried to get back to Windows for some reason but could not succeed as the F8 key no longer brings up the Window's Advance Boot Menu. (here's (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=9462351&postcount=39) a suggested solution to my problem, but I don't have a working DVD Drive to implement it!)


Is there another way to restore the dual boot menu timeout to get back to the Windows installation. Or even better, is there some way to make a fresh install of Windows & Ubuntu side-by-side without DVD drive.
Please mind that I am only 14 and absolutely new to Linux. The network booting methods given on the Internet were too complex for me to understand. I like Ubuntu but also need Windows for programming C++ & Photoshop CS4.

cariboo
June 23rd, 2010, 08:43 PM
Please don't create multiple threads on the same subject, I have merged your two threads.

wilee-nilee
June 23rd, 2010, 08:43 PM
sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: Fat32
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sda1 starts
at sector 0. But according to the info from fdisk,
sda1 starts at sector 63.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

Your missing the boot files generally in the recovery partition, they are in sda2 though. And it is a recovery that is no good anyway since you have upgraded.

Since this was a upgrade as I suspected the upgrade provider will give you a ISO link download it burn it to a dvd and get the external cd/dvd reader and install.

You can only run the .exe from a running MS OS.

wilee-nilee
June 23rd, 2010, 09:04 PM
If you get the ISO burned, and get a external cd/reader then delete the recovry and the other upgrade and install W7 again your activation key should work if your first upgrade was activated. If it wasn't you can activate with the auto-phone activation option if you get the second upgrade installed and try to activate and get the prompt for the phone activation.

Otherwise MS will be glad to get you activated they want you to use their software.

When this is all done I would avoid the wubi and use a virtual like the sun vbox or just do a real dual boot.

Also if the F8 option gets you to the windows boot options boot in and change the timeout that is what is causing you the problems never set that to 0

YouStoleMyLaptop
June 23rd, 2010, 10:07 PM
Please don't create multiple threads on the same subject, I have merged your two threads.


I am sorry, my friend has told me to because I will get more responses.

YouStoleMyLaptop
June 23rd, 2010, 10:08 PM
If you get the ISO burned, and get a external cd/reader then delete the recovry and the other upgrade and install W7 again your activation key should work if your first upgrade was activated. If it wasn't you can activate with the auto-phone activation option if you get the second upgrade installed and try to activate and get the prompt for the phone activation.

Otherwise MS will be glad to get you activated they want you to use their software.

When this is all done I would avoid the wubi and use a virtual like the sun vbox or just do a real dual boot.

Also if the F8 option gets you to the windows boot options boot in and change the timeout that is what is causing you the problems never set that to 0

The F8 key does work, but when i press on
"Window's 7 Loader"
It just goes back to the same screen with
"Linux Generic"

wilee-nilee
June 23rd, 2010, 10:29 PM
If this can be fixed the best people with the knowledge of this are on line now. If you get no response, burn the ISO to a DVD and get a external CD/DVD reader and reinstall. This is a fresh install anyway I doubt you have anything needed to save, am I right. If you need to save stuff boot a live Ubuntu CD and open the windows partition and extract it to a external device.

I gave pretty good instructions on how to reinstall and have the key verify, and if not, how to get it done.

varunendra
June 24th, 2010, 06:40 AM
The OP's BIOS has the option to boot from external drive but his USB stick didn't get listed in the boot devices when connected. What may be wrong with that?

And if he gets himself an external optical drive with (obviously) USB interface, is there any chance that it wouldn't get listed there too?

An external drive would definitely much more reliable & possibly cheaper than an internal one. That's why I want to confirm.

wilee-nilee
June 24th, 2010, 06:46 AM
The OP's BIOS has the option to boot from external drive but his USB stick didn't get listed in the boot devices when connected. What may be wrong with that?

And if he gets himself an external optical drive with (obviously) USB interface, is there any chance that it wouldn't get listed there too?

An external drive would definitely much more reliable & possibly cheaper than an internal one. That's why I want to confirm.

A usb thumb or hard drive are different then a CD/DVD reader. I suspect that when they checked to see if it would boot from one none were plugged in the f prompt will only list what is in the bios stock and plugged in devices.

Here is link to that computer it will boot from a thumb or HD.
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=VGN-FJ170

What the OP said was that usb didn't show in the bios they didn't confirm having it plugged in, it has to be plugged in and at the least a key prompt like f12 will bring up the boot from list. Mine is f12.

inka1
June 24th, 2010, 08:09 AM
Is there another way to restore the dual boot menu timeout to get back to the Windows installation. Or even better, is there some way to make a fresh install of Windows & Ubuntu side-by-side without DVD drive.


To change the timeout for grub, try installing "startupmanager" from syanaptic, this provides a simple interface for some grub options, including the timeout or default boot option.


If you really need Visual Studio, you could use VirtualBox with Windows+VStudio I use this solution for WinXP+MSOffice.

wilee-nilee
June 24th, 2010, 08:15 AM
To change the timeout for grub, try installing "startupmanager" from syanaptic, this provides a simple interface for some grub options, including the timeout or default boot option.


If you really need Visual Studio, you could use VirtualBox with Windows+VStudio I use this solution for WinXP+MSOffice.
They set the time out in widows I think if you look at the script you will see in the grug.cfg
set timeout=10

Since it is a wubi install it should be defaulting to the windows bootloader anyway, not grub.

varunendra
June 24th, 2010, 08:16 AM
What the OP said was that usb didn't show in the bios they didn't confirm having it plugged in, it has to be plugged in and at the least a key prompt like f12 will bring up the boot from list. Mine is f12.

I was chatting with him the moment he was doing it. He confirmed me that it was plugged in & was formatted as a USB startup disk in Ubuntu. That's why I suspect his laptop's capability to boot off USB.

I visited the link you provided, but couldn't get any hint about booting options there.


@inka1,
He already has changed the timeout in Grub. It is the Windows boot-menu he's having problem with. see here (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=9462351&postcount=39).
Network install was what I was thinking too, but my knowledge about it is same as you :)

inka1
June 24th, 2010, 08:26 AM
@inka1,
He already has changed the timeout in Grub. It is the Windows boot-menu he's having problem with. see here (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=9462351&postcount=39).
Network install was what I was thinking too, but my knowledge about it is same as you :)

I removed that netword install line, because it seems you need floopy drive for it, and the laptop doesn`t have one.

About the boot time, maybe wubi has some config files that could be edited manually from linux? Just a wild guess...

wilee-nilee
June 24th, 2010, 08:40 AM
I was chatting with him the moment he was doing it. He confirmed me that it was plugged in & was formatted as a USB startup disk in Ubuntu. That's why I suspect his laptop's capability to boot off USB.

I visited the link you provided, but couldn't get any hint about booting options there.


@inka1,
He already has changed the timeout in Grub. It is the Windows boot-menu he's having problem with. see here (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=9462351&postcount=39).
Network install was what I was thinking too, but my knowledge about it is same as you :)

Any computer that new will boot from a usb.
I will tell you what I think here personally first the OP has a recovery that is from vista, a experienced user would have removed this it is not needed. Also If I remember this is a fresh install so trying to fix a setup with a not needed recovery on board and I suspect a fairly inexperienced user is not the way to go.

I can appreciate you all wanting to find some workaround to get this working but the boot is probably in the recovery and so a Fresh install that includes the removal of the recovery and set up correctly will be the best solution in the end. It is not about whether we can fix something in this situation, alone; but making sure the OP has a correctly set up OS. It is a fresh install there is nothing to be saved.

varunendra
June 24th, 2010, 09:00 AM
Any computer that new will boot from a usb.
It was, & still is my belief too,
No problem if you have a usb stick (at least 1GB, or a usb hard disk), and your laptop can boot from usb (which I'm damn sure it can - given the specs you posted) just a bit shaken.


so a Fresh install that includes the removal of the recovery and set up correctly will be the best solution in the end.
I totally agree, & that's what we want too. We just wanted to make sure that getting an external USB DVD writer would be a sure-shot solution for all the hassle.

wilee-nilee
June 24th, 2010, 09:14 AM
It was, & still is my belief too, just a bit shaken.


I totally agree, & that's what we want too. We just wanted to make sure that getting an external USB DVD writer would be a sure-shot solution for all the hassle.

I think I understand now, if the OP has a ISO of W7 it unpacks to about 2.7 gigs so a thumb large enough for that is needed and should be loaded with the MS tool.
http://store.microsoft.com/Help/ISO-Tool

So I suspect that in the bios of the computer, is a on off switch for the key prompt to choose the boot from menu, there was one in the bios of my aceraspire one d250

All of this could be found out with just a call to the manufacturers help line, I'm sure have one. The thumbloader has to be run from a MS environment and can be loaded with a DVD or ISO.

I think your smart though to get the thumb boot worked out first.

YouStoleMyLaptop
June 24th, 2010, 06:05 PM
Here's the bios pictures.

wilee-nilee
June 24th, 2010, 09:30 PM
So the USB option for boot can only be accessed probably with having it plugged in and using the key prompt to boot from, that is outside of the bios. Call the manufacturer to find out what the key prompt is and whether you can boot from a External HD or thumb. It has a optical drive setting in bios so it will boot from a CD/DVD reader.

pac4639
May 6th, 2011, 02:46 AM
For over the past year I have enjoyed using Ubuntu 10.10 along side a windows 7 os on the same hdd. I just upgraded to Unbuntu 11.04 and now do not have the "option" to select win7. The computer automatically boots to U 11.04.

What can I do to restore the ability to dual boot. I seem to have "lost" any ability to choose which os I want to use.

I appreciate your help and guidance in this situation.

Thanks,

John
pac4639@gmail.com

oldfred
May 6th, 2011, 05:20 AM
@pac4639

This is an old thread and most boot issues are unique. If thread did not have answers to your problem, you should start a new thread. Did you try.

sudo update-grubIf that does not work start a new thread and put the boot info script in it. Links to boot script are in wilee-nilee's signature.

Remove your email. This site is scanned and your email will get filled with junk.