GRUB not providing option to load windows 7

[kamalrajonnet]

Hi,

In my ubuntu 10.10 wubi installation, I used to get the option for windows 7. Last week, i added some updates through update manager. After that the windows 7 option is missing. How do i resolve it?

- Kamalraj

[bobcollard]

Hi,

In my ubuntu 10.10 wubi installation, I used to get the option for windows 7. Last week, i added some updates through update manager. After that the windows 7 option is missing. How do i resolve it?

- Kamalraj

sudo update-grub

[oldfred]

There have been some wubi issues lately:

how to fix those Wubi installation breakages without going crazy Dec 2010
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1639198
Fix for 10.04 upgrade fail bcbc copy wubildr or edit grub.cfg
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=9932369&postcount=5
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=10180520&postcount=78

[Krytarik]

There is also obviously an issue with GRUB2 and Windows 7, at one installation it wouldn't start even after I manually added a menu-entry (moved Win7 to another partition before) even after experimenting with some options, GRUB2 didn't recognize Win7 at update-grub. After downgrading to GRUB (version 1) Win7 is booting successful, however maybe you have to add a menu-entry manually, try update-grub first.

[kamalrajonnet]

Tried sudo update-grub. It found Windows 7. But while booting windows 7 is not coming.

[bobcollard]

Tried sudo update-grub. It found Windows 7. But while booting windows 7 is not coming.
I assume you did reboot after that?

[oldfred]

So we can see what is where:

Boot Info Script courtesy of forum member meierfra
Page with instructions and download:
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/
Paste results.txt, then highlight entire file and click on # in edit panel(code tags) to make it easier to read.
Or You can generate the tags first by pressing the # icon in the post's menu and then paste the contents between the generated [ code] paste here [ /code] tags.

[Krytarik]

Tried sudo update-grub. It found Windows 7. But while booting windows 7 is not coming.

I've tried the Boot-Info-Script-thing also, but it didn't help at all.

Are you with GRUB2 or GRUB now?

Try adding the menu-entry manually, with GRUB put it directly in menu.lst after "END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST" (also in /boot/grub I believe),

title Windows 7 Home Premium
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1with GRUB2 put it in /etc/grub.d/40_custom and do "sudo update-grub" again:

menuentry "Windows 7 Home Premium" {
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1
}The "root"-variable depends on the location of your Windows-partition, "hd0,0" means: first drive, first partition.

[oldfred]

Krytarik entry for grub legacy will work for sda1, but not for grub2 as partition number and style have changed.

Either of these should work, but the one with UUID has to have your UUID. To see UUIDs:
sudo blkid

gksudo gedit /etc/grub.d/40_custom

menuentry "WinXP" {
set root=(hd0,1)
insmod chain
chainloader +1
}
sudo update-grub

/etc/grub.d/40_custom

menuentry "Windows NT/2000/XP (loader) (on /dev/sdb5)" {
insmod ntfs
set root=(hd1,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 4a6077fc6077ed57
drivemap -s (hd1) ${root}
chainloader +1
}

You have to set your own drive & partitions. Boot script would let use give you an exact entry:

[Krytarik]

Oohps, forgot about that, sorry!
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2

The first partition for GRUB 2 is 1, not 0. Devices still start the count at 0.

[kamalrajonnet]

I assume you did reboot after that?

Yes I did reboot :)

[kamalrajonnet]

There is also obviously an issue with GRUB2 and Windows 7, at one installation it wouldn't start even after I manually added a menu-entry (moved Win7 to another partition before) even after experimenting with some options, GRUB2 didn't recognize Win7 at update-grub. After downgrading to GRUB (version 1) Win7 is booting successful, however maybe you have to add a menu-entry manually, try update-grub first.

My GRUB Version has shown as 1.98-1ubuntu6.

[oldfred]

Your list from update-grub showed windows. The grub boot menu has a box that shows what you can boot. Once you get a lot of lines you have to scroll down the see the ones at the bottom. Windows will be at the bottom.

You can houseclean older kernels. You have to keep current kernel and should keep one older one just in case.

Check current kernel:
lsb_release -a
Go to Synaptic Package Manager and search for linux-image.
More info in post #8
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1283521

[Krytarik]

My GRUB Version has shown as 1.98-1ubuntu6.
So as mine, actually 1.98-1ubuntu9. But that's definitely GRUB2. They, for whatever reason, keep numbering the version under the actual version-title, it's kinda weird. The last version of GRUB (version 1) is numbered 0.97-29ubuntu60, it's called "grub" in the archive, whereas GRUB2 consists of "grub-pc" and "grub-common".

[kamalrajonnet]

So we can see what is where:

Boot Info Script courtesy of forum member meierfra
Page with instructions and download:
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/
Paste results.txt, then highlight entire file and click on # in edit panel(code tags) to make it easier to read.
Or You can generate the tags first by pressing the # icon in the post's menu and then paste the contents between the generated [ code] paste here [ /code] tags.


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

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

=> Lilo 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

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

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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 /wubildr.mbr /wubildr

sda4: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Grub 2
Boot sector info: Grub 2 is installed in the boot sector of sda5 and
looks at sector 296660197 of the same hard drive for
core.img, but core.img can not be found at this
location. According to the info in the boot sector,
sda5 starts at sector 63.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /ubuntu/winboot/wubildr.mbr /ubuntu/winboot/wubildr
/ubuntu/disks/root.disk /ubuntu/disks/swap.disk
/boot/grub/core.img

sda5/Wubi: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: Grub 2
Boot sector info: Grub 2 is installed in the boot sector of sda5/Wubi
and looks at sector 21424016 of the same hard drive
for core.img, but core.img can not be found at this
location.
Operating System: Ubuntu 10.10
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda6: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sda6 starts
at sector 63.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sda7: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sda7 starts
at sector 63.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

=========================== 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 31,264,767 31,262,720 27 Hidden HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 * 31,264,768 31,469,567 204,800 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 31,469,568 200,073,509 168,603,942 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 200,073,510 625,137,344 425,063,835 f W95 Ext d (LBA)
/dev/sda5 200,073,573 369,302,219 169,228,647 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6 369,302,283 495,107,234 125,804,952 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda7 495,107,298 625,137,344 130,030,047 7 HPFS/NTFS


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 6b609cd6-e776-401e-8468-46dc61b49609 ext4
/dev/sda1 2A88FD0288FCCCF7 ntfs Recovery
/dev/sda2 5456CF0456CEE5B8 ntfs System Reserved
/dev/sda3 01CB2888844B1ED0 ntfs
/dev/sda4: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sda5 01CB288886037D30 ntfs Drive for Windows Server
/dev/sda6 01CB288888FD3530 ntfs Personal
/dev/sda7 01CB28888BE16960 ntfs Rajinish
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/loop0 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro,commit=0)
/dev/sda5 /host fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_id=0,group_id=0,all ow_other,blksize=4096)
/dev/sda6 /media/Personal fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_ permissions)


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


??GB: boot/grub/core.img

======================== sda5/Wubi/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ========================

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
set have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${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
}

function load_video {
insmod vbe
insmod vga
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 01cb288886037d30
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 01cb288886037d30
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
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 ###
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.35-23-generic" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 01cb288886037d30
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-23-generic root=/dev/sda5 loop=/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-23-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.35-23-generic (recovery mode)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 01cb288886037d30
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-23-generic root=/dev/sda5 loop=/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-23-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.35-22-generic" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 01cb288886037d30
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=/dev/sda5 loop=/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.35-22-generic (recovery mode)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 01cb288886037d30
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=/dev/sda5 loop=/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.32-25-generic" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 01cb288886037d30
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-25-generic root=/dev/sda5 loop=/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-25-generic
}
menuentry "Ubuntu, Linux 2.6.32-25-generic (recovery mode)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 01cb288886037d30
loopback loop0 /ubuntu/disks/root.disk
set root=(loop0)
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-25-generic root=/dev/sda5 loop=/ubuntu/disks/root.disk ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-25-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

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

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows Vista (loader) (on /dev/sda1)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 2a88fd0288fcccf7
chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda2)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 5456cf0456cee5b8
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 ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

============================= sda5/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

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


10.9GB: boot/grub/core.img
4.7GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
1.3GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-25-generic
4.3GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
5.2GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-23-generic
11.1GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-25-generic
11.2GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic
11.2GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-23-generic
5.2GB: initrd.img
4.3GB: initrd.img.old
11.2GB: vmlinuz
11.2GB: vmlinuz.old
=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown BootLoader on sda4

00000000 e9 15 ea 15 eb 15 ec 15 ed 15 ee 15 ef 15 f0 15 |................|
00000010 f1 15 f2 15 f3 15 f4 15 f5 15 f6 15 f7 15 f8 15 |................|
00000020 f9 15 fa 15 fb 15 fc 15 fd 15 fe 15 ff 15 00 16 |................|
00000030 01 16 02 16 03 16 04 16 05 16 06 16 07 16 08 16 |................|
00000040 09 16 0a 16 0b 16 0c 16 0d 16 0e 16 0f 16 10 16 |................|
00000050 11 16 12 16 13 16 14 16 15 16 16 16 17 16 18 16 |................|
00000060 19 16 1a 16 1b 16 1c 16 1d 16 1e 16 1f 16 20 16 |.............. .|
00000070 21 16 22 16 23 16 24 16 25 16 26 16 27 16 28 16 |!.".#.$.%.&.'.(.|
00000080 29 16 2a 16 2b 16 2c 16 2d 16 2e 16 2f 16 30 16 |).*.+.,.-.../.0.|
00000090 31 16 32 16 33 16 34 16 35 16 36 16 37 16 38 16 |1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.|
000000a0 39 16 3a 16 3b 16 3c 16 3d 16 3e 16 3f 16 40 16 |9.:.;.<.=.>.?.@.|
000000b0 41 16 42 16 43 16 44 16 45 16 46 16 47 16 48 16 |A.B.C.D.E.F.G.H.|
000000c0 49 16 4a 16 4b 16 4c 16 4d 16 4e 16 4f 16 50 16 |I.J.K.L.M.N.O.P.|
000000d0 51 16 52 16 53 16 54 16 55 16 56 16 57 16 58 16 |Q.R.S.T.U.V.W.X.|
000000e0 59 16 5a 16 5b 16 5c 16 5d 16 5e 16 5f 16 60 16 |Y.Z.[.\.].^._.`.|
000000f0 61 16 62 16 63 16 64 16 65 16 66 16 67 16 68 16 |a.b.c.d.e.f.g.h.|
00000100 69 16 6a 16 6b 16 6c 16 6d 16 6e 16 6f 16 70 16 |i.j.k.l.m.n.o.p.|
00000110 71 16 72 16 73 16 74 16 75 16 76 16 77 16 78 16 |q.r.s.t.u.v.w.x.|
00000120 79 16 7a 16 7b 16 7c 16 7d 16 7e 16 7f 16 80 16 |y.z.{.|.}.~.....|
00000130 81 16 82 16 83 16 84 16 85 16 86 16 87 16 88 16 |................|
00000140 89 16 8a 16 8b 16 8c 16 8d 16 8e 16 8f 16 90 16 |................|
00000150 91 16 92 16 93 16 94 16 95 16 96 16 97 16 98 16 |................|
00000160 99 16 9a 16 9b 16 9c 16 9d 16 9e 16 9f 16 a0 16 |................|
00000170 a1 16 a2 16 a3 16 a4 16 a5 16 a6 16 a7 16 a8 16 |................|
00000180 a9 16 aa 16 ab 16 ac 16 ad 16 ae 16 af 16 b0 16 |................|
00000190 b1 16 b2 16 b3 16 b4 16 b5 16 b6 16 b7 16 b8 16 |................|
000001a0 b9 16 ba 16 bb 16 bc 16 bd 16 be 16 bf 16 c0 16 |................|
000001b0 c1 16 c2 16 c3 16 c4 16 c5 16 c6 16 c7 16 00 fe |................|
000001c0 ff ff 07 fe ff ff 3f 00 00 00 67 39 16 0a 00 fe |......?...g9....|
000001d0 ff ff 05 fe ff ff a6 39 16 0a d7 a1 7f 07 00 00 |.......9........|
000001e0 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

[oldfred]

You have just wubi. You should not be installing grub2 at all. It has a grub2 boot as part of wubi but it is not installed to a MBR or partition boot sector. Installing to NTFS partitions messes up windows.

You should get a windows boot that lets you choose windows or Ubuntu. Then you get the standard grub2 menu that lets you boot Ubuntu, whether it has windows or not should not matter as you boot windows from the windows boot loader.

What does not work?

[kamalrajonnet]

You have just wubi. You should not be installing grub2 at all. It has a grub2 boot as part of wubi but it is not installed to a MBR or partition boot sector. Installing to NTFS partitions messes up windows.

You should get a windows boot that lets you choose windows or Ubuntu. Then you get the standard grub2 menu that lets you boot Ubuntu, whether it has windows or not should not matter as you boot windows from the windows boot loader.

What does not work?

As I told in my initial message, I have wubi. I am getting the windows boot menu first to choose between windows 7 and ubuntu. Once I choose ubuntu, the grub boot menu pops up. In this grub menu I used to get the option for windows 7. But its missing now. i.e. I dont have a option to go back to windows once I booted to ubuntu.

178094

[Krytarik]

As I told in my initial message, I have wubi. I am getting the windows boot menu first to choose between windows 7 and ubuntu. Once I choose ubuntu, the grub boot menu pops up. In this grub menu I used to get the option for windows 7. But its missing now. i.e. I dont have a option to go back to windows once I booted to ubuntu.

178094
Then you want to have two times the choice between Ubuntu and Windows? Is the first still working?

EDIT: Sorry, I didn't know about the submenu-way wubi installs Ubuntu until now.

[kamalrajonnet]

Then you want to have two times the choice between Ubuntu and Windows? Is the first still working?

EDIT: Sorry, I didn't know about the submenu-way wubi installs Ubuntu until now.

Yes The first menu (windows boot manager) works fine. It gives windows 7 and as well ubuntu option. Once I selected ubuntu, the GRUB comes in to picture. But it is not providing the option to load windows 7 once again.

This is something that was working fine before I installed some updates through update manger.

All I wanted to know is why it disappeared now? Is it possible to get it again?

[Krytarik]

Personally I'd leave it as it is, because you risk loosing your Windows-boot-menu.
Nevertheless my advice is still true, but you have to be CAREFUL on which disk/partition you install the grub-bootloader!

manual of version 0.97: http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/grub-legacy-support.en.html

[kamalrajonnet]

Personally I'd leave it as it is, because you risk loosing your Windows-boot-menu.
Nevertheless my advice is still true, but you have to be CAREFUL on which disk/partition you install the grub-bootloader!

manual of version 0.97: http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/grub-legacy-support.en.html

Ok. I will leave it as it is. Thanks for your all suggestions and ideas.