absolute beginner , f'd something up (installing 10.10)

[MTNoob]

hi ...
i'm completely new to ubuntu (and linux) , well not really i did test 7.10
i installed the maverick meerkat amd 64bit dvd and chose the "install alongside other os" option .
after the installation finished i restarted my laptop . it booted straight to ubuntu . how can i get my windows back ?
(laptop : sony ea2gfx core i5 ...)
btw i don't know what it is but i executed "boot_info_script055.sh" (i read about it in some other thread) and this is what i got :



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 #1 for (,msdos1)/boot/grub.

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 10.10
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

=========================== 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 * 2,048 953,866,239 953,864,192 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 953,868,286 976,771,071 22,902,786 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 953,868,288 976,771,071 22,902,784 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/sda1 fe8f725c-c0fe-433d-8cdc-cae8acf3fb1b ext4
/dev/sda2: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sda5 f9ab199d-6216-4fcb-ae4d-f0a0b67f24f2 swap
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sda1 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro,commit=0)


=========================== sda1/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 ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fe8f725c-c0fe-433d-8cdc-cae8acf3fb1b
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fe8f725c-c0fe-433d-8cdc-cae8acf3fb1b
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 2.6.35-22-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fe8f725c-c0fe-433d-8cdc-cae8acf3fb1b
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=fe8f725c-c0fe-433d-8cdc-cae8acf3fb1b ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-22-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fe8f725c-c0fe-433d-8cdc-cae8acf3fb1b
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.35-22-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=fe8f725c-c0fe-433d-8cdc-cae8acf3fb1b ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

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

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fe8f725c-c0fe-433d-8cdc-cae8acf3fb1b
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set fe8f725c-c0fe-433d-8cdc-cae8acf3fb1b
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
if [ "x${timeout}" != "x-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 ###

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

=============================== sda1/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/sda1 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/sda5 none swap sw 0 0

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


446.8GB: boot/grub/core.img
73.1GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
262.2GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
446.8GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic
262.2GB: initrd.img
446.8GB: vmlinuz

[runeh76]

Hi

It seems that u have overwrited ur Windows...
Did u have important stuff there?

[MTNoob]

lol :D
i did backup my documents before installing ...
but how is that possible !?
anyway i guess i have to start re installing my windows . how can i prevent this from happening again ?
i used to install 7.10 with advanced setting (choosing swap , root ...) but i didn't know what to do with 10.10' advanced setting

wait ... just my windows or every thing on my hard drive ?

[ksprasad]

Hi,

It has wiped out everything from your hard drive :(
Same thing has happened to me also.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1667559

Regards,
ksprasad

[MibunoOokami]

I recently learned (the easy way fortunately) that there is a bug/fault/issue whatever you want to call it with doing the side by side installation, where on occasion it can go wrong and completely wipe out a windows partition. It sound's like this may have happened to you and if I'm reading your bootscript right (I'm new too and had recent issues with an install) then windows is gone and only Ubuntu remains on your system.

I have very limited experience and may be mistaken. More experienced people will be along soon.

[runeh76]

Yeah it seems that everything is gone, and u should see ur windows partitions in synaptic.

Now if u install windows, ur ubuntu wont boot! U can fix ur grub after that though. Just google it.

There is files recovery tool named, TESTDISK. U could try it first!

[MTNoob]

oh F :|
i wanted to try but it showed 8 partiotions !!! i only have (had :( ) 4
as you may know sony doesn't give any genuine windows dvd with its laptops instead it has a "making recovery discs" in vaio care app . it eather fixes the C drive which currently doesn't exist or it removes all partiotions and makes a 500 GB C Drive + windows so trying to fix the grub afterwards isn't an option

i definitely want to use ubuntu alongside windows so can anyone give me a link to a tutorial on how to install it with th advanced settings ? you know without screwing up the whole thing ...

[runeh76]

U need to figure out now, how much disk-space u add for Win and Ubuntu needs partitions:
root / Ext4or3
home Ext2
swap

U dont need to know nothing else, if u wanna do it once. Install Win first and after that Ubuntu.

[runeh76]

U should try first TESTDISK! Its really powerful tool to recover files!

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=387922

[MTNoob]

thanks .
btw i know what kind of partitions it needs . there were a lot of options there ... is there a tut with some images ?
btw testdisk6 ... i386.rpm not found . even if it did i dont have an i386

[runeh76]

64bit Testdisk:
http://pkgs.org/centos-5-rhel-5/epel-x86_64/testdisk-6.11-3.el5.x86_64.rpm.html

Google is ur friend ;)

[MTNoob]

yeah i know but i said i don't know anything about linux so i guess trying to recover my files would be stupid because i don't even know how to work with the terminal :D thanks again

[runeh76]

We all have learned this stuff, doing it. U dont use Testdisk from terminal, its just a program. U have to install it first. Im not sure about this, but check from Package-manager if its there. Just search word: testdisk