Grub Rescue after ubuntu install

[Matt D]

I installed ubuntu onto my new pc onto some unalocated free space on my extenal hard drive but after the install my pc rebooted and got the error no such device: 0b1bf457-4057-4581-90dc-12fdcc1dd45a grub rescue. I have had no problem with installing ubuntu in the past but i guess it was because i installed in onto an external hard drive. My pc already has windows 7 installed on it as i wanted a dual boot. I tried editing the munu.lst to make it boot into windows 7 but the file was not in boot/grub and after searching for said file using alt+f2 the file was blank. What can I do I just want to be able to boot into ubuntu and linux.

[Hakunka-Matata]

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1594052

What release Ubuntu did you install? Current releases use Grub2, which is very different from Grub, no more menu.lst for one thing.

[Hakunka-Matata]

Grub Rescue prompt means you have Grub2 installed

[Matt D]

Yeah its grub 2 as I downloaded 10.04 from a torrent website as i couldn't find 10.10 and the downlaod from the ubuntu website was being realy slow.

[Matt D]

if i boot from the live CD is there anyway of altering the boot setting there such as using the terminal.

[Hakunka-Matata]

Live CD gives you everything an installed system gives you. Terminal is located under Applications > Accessories

[Matt D]

i know that but how would i go about altering the grub menu so i can boot my pcinto windows and or linux

[wilee-nilee]

So from a booted live Ubuntu cd or thumbdrive lets see the bootscript read out; in my signature just click on it and follow the instructions. Come back to the thread and click on the (#) in the reply panel this makes code tags paste all the text in between.

Have the external HD plugged in when you run the script.

[Hakunka-Matata]

i know that but how would i go about altering the grub menu so i can boot my pcinto windows and or linux

Sorry, I misunderstood your post. You've got the expert helping now though, I'll butt out. Good Luck

[Matt D]

here are the results

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 #5 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 Vista
Boot files/dirs: /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sda5 starts
at sector 2048.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sdb1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sdb2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sdb5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sdb6: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sdc: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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:

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 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 3,074,047 3,072,000 27 Hidden HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 * 3,074,048 212,785,151 209,711,104 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 212,785,152 976,771,071 763,985,920 f W95 Ext d (LBA)
/dev/sda5 212,787,200 976,771,071 763,983,872 7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000202043392 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121600 cylinders, total 1953519616 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 1,911,576,575 1,911,574,528 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2 1,911,578,622 1,953,517,567 41,938,946 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 1,911,578,624 1,951,682,559 40,103,936 83 Linux
/dev/sdb6 1,951,684,608 1,953,517,567 1,832,960 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 4A2252522252435D ntfs WinRE
/dev/sda2 3A3E7BCF3E7B82A5 ntfs
/dev/sda3: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sda5 18C4B862C4B84432 ntfs Data
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb1 A60EFA090EF9D1F3 ntfs External
/dev/sdb2: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb5 0b1bf457-4057-4581-90dc-12fdcc1dd45a ext4
/dev/sdb6 16e7bece-311b-46d2-b62c-8e8467bff634 swap
/dev/sdb: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdc 9A6EAD6C6EAD41BD ntfs New Volume

============================ "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/sdc /media/New Volume fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_ permissions)


=========================== sdb5/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 ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 0b1bf457-4057-4581-90dc-12fdcc1dd45a
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 0b1bf457-4057-4581-90dc-12fdcc1dd45a
set locale_dir=($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='(hd1,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 0b1bf457-4057-4581-90dc-12fdcc1dd45a
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=0b1bf457-4057-4581-90dc-12fdcc1dd45a 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='(hd1,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 0b1bf457-4057-4581-90dc-12fdcc1dd45a
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-21-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=0b1bf457-4057-4581-90dc-12fdcc1dd45a 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='(hd1,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 0b1bf457-4057-4581-90dc-12fdcc1dd45a
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd1,5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 0b1bf457-4057-4581-90dc-12fdcc1dd45a
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/sda2)" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 3a3e7bcf3e7b82a5
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 ###

=============================== sdb5/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/sdb5 during installation
UUID=0b1bf457-4057-4581-90dc-12fdcc1dd45a / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sdb6 during installation
UUID=16e7bece-311b-46d2-b62c-8e8467bff634 none swap sw 0 0

=================== sdb5: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


983.2GB: boot/grub/core.img
996.3GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
983.3GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
983.3GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic
983.3GB: initrd.img
983.3GB: vmlinuz

I currently have windows 7 and ubuntu on here but it mentions vista and xp not sure why though.

[Matt D]

I tried to do this from the grub rescue page but it came back with error unknown filesystem on the insmod linux command
set prefix=(hdX,Y)/boot/grub # Example: (hd0,1) , (hd1,5)
set root=(hdX,Y)
insmod linux
linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sdXY ro # Example: root=/dev/sda1 , /dev/sdb5
initrd /initrd.img
boot

[wilee-nilee]

You have grub in the sda hd's mbr it should be in sdb the same hd where Ubuntu is installed. Boot a Ubuntu live cd and run these to commands. Also put the sdb hd first to be read in the bios.

sudo mount /dev/sdb5 /mnt
then

sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sdb

Reboot to the grub menu choose the Ubuntu install and run
sudo update-grub
in its terminal.

[Matt D]

After doing that the message installation finished no eror reported is displayd but after the reboot the it still goes to the grub rescue screen.