can't choose between OS (No grub?!)

[Mina Fouad]

Hi all,
I installed ubuntu 10.04 inside windows vista but I un-installed it and I created an extended partition and created inside it 2 partitions one of them are ext4 with size 10 GB and the other with size 3 GB as swap.
the installation was done successfully but when I boot my system I couldn't have the option of choosing OS
it opens ubuntu always .
I tried to fix mbr using vista recovery disc. and I succeeded (windows installed in MBR)
but the same problem with the windows
the system always boot into windows
I used ubuntu life CD
and I got this info about my boot files and dirs


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

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

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

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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 /boot/grub/core.img

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows Vista
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /Windows/System32/winload.exe
/boot/grub/core.img

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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:

sda4: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda6: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders, total 234441648 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 24,578,047 24,576,000 27 Hidden HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 24,578,048 106,498,047 81,920,000 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 106,498,048 207,174,239 100,676,192 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 207,174,301 234,436,544 27,262,244 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 207,174,303 228,139,064 20,964,762 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 228,139,128 234,436,544 6,297,417 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 9AD0FBFDD0FBDD87 ntfs WinRE
/dev/sda2 2E64E23464E1FE89 ntfs
/dev/sda3 0E5EE59E5EE57EB9 ntfs
/dev/sda4: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sda5 36865e8b-618f-4e6a-89c6-15b3472f4c1a ext4
/dev/sda6 0236cdd4-1d7d-4888-a3f0-c61005024e63 swap
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

aufs / aufs (rw)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)
/dev/sda3 /media/0E5EE59E5EE57EB9 fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_ permissions)
/dev/sda2 /media/2E64E23464E1FE89 fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_ permissions)
/dev/sda5 /mnt/root ext4 (rw)
/dev /mnt/root/dev none (rw,bind)


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


??GB: boot/grub/core.img

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


??GB: boot/grub/core.img

=========================== sda5/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 ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 36865e8b-618f-4e6a-89c6-15b3472f4c1a
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 36865e8b-618f-4e6a-89c6-15b3472f4c1a
set locale_dir=($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='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 36865e8b-618f-4e6a-89c6-15b3472f4c1a
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=36865e8b-618f-4e6a-89c6-15b3472f4c1a 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='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 36865e8b-618f-4e6a-89c6-15b3472f4c1a
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-21-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=36865e8b-618f-4e6a-89c6-15b3472f4c1a 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='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 36865e8b-618f-4e6a-89c6-15b3472f4c1a
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 36865e8b-618f-4e6a-89c6-15b3472f4c1a
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 ###

=============================== sda5/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
# / was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=36865e8b-618f-4e6a-89c6-15b3472f4c1a / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=0236cdd4-1d7d-4888-a3f0-c61005024e63 none swap sw 0 0

=================== sda5: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


115.3GB: boot/grub/core.img
113.5GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
115.3GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
115.3GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic
115.3GB: initrd.img
115.3GB: vmlinuz


any help will be appreciated..

[ptptaylor]

I'm not an expert, but you may want to run the 'sudo update-grub' command in a terminal.

[Grenage]

Yup, I'm with ptptaylor on this one.

That said, last time I did this, I believe I ran the live CD, then reinstalled Grub2:


sudo grub-install /dev/sda

Then ran the update command for good measure:


sudo update-grub2

[oldfred]

I do not even know how you are booting Ubuntu as you still show windows boot loader in the MBR.

You somehow installed part of grub2 to both windows partitions, your recovery in sda1 and install in sda2.
/boot/grub/core.img

Grenage's instructions will reinstall grub2 to the MBR if you are booted into Ubuntu. Instructions are slightly different if from liveCD.

But you do need to remove the /boot/grub/core.img from both partitions. Windows is not CaseSensitive and will see two boot folders and get confused. In sda1 it looks like you only have /boot but /grub is inside that, so delete /grub under the /boot. Not sure if you then have some grub files in /boot mixed up with the windows files. Compare with your sda2 folder to see grub vs windows files.
In sda2 your have windows /Boot - do not delete it but delete the /boot folder. You may want to first see what is in /boot besides the /boot/grub folder, and files would also be files you want to delete from sda1's /boot folder.