I can use Ubuntu but now Windows won't work...

[CaseyFen2]

Hey everyone,

I'm sure that you see a thousand of these per day and I've read a number of them but none of them suit my situation just perfectly. So here's what happened, I've got an internal HDD in my computer and I initially installed Ubuntu on it and created a partition. Once my computer rebooted, however, I saw no option to boot Ubuntu. It booted normally to Windows. So, I installed it again on an external USB hard drive. This time, it worked perfectly. My computer booted up and I hit F12, then I chose the external HDD and Ubuntu came right up. Then, I unhooked the external hard drive and tried to reboot my computer normally. This time, it gets to a screen that looks like a DOS command prompt but you can't type anything in. I have no idea what to do. Here's the results of "sudo fdisk -l":

Disk /dev/sda: 640.1 GB, 640135028736 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 77825 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0003880c

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 36473 292967424 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 36474 37689 9764865 5 Extended
/dev/sda3 77550 77826 2218328 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda5 36474 37689 9764864 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdd: 2000.4 GB, 2000396746752 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 243201 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0008a108

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdd1 * 1 243202 1953511424 7 HPFS/NTFS

Help me please!

[wojox]

You need to keep the external usb plugged in since that where Grub2 resides.

[YesWeCan]

Sigh. You have been caught out by the Ubuntu installer which idiotically defaults to putting Grub on sda regardless of which disk you installed Ubuntu to. Lots of people fall foul of this.

Now your normal MBR boot code on your internal disk has been replaced by Grub that depends on files that are on your external disk.

A. You need to reinstall the standard MBR boot code on your internal disk.
either boot from you Windows install CD and choose repair and fixmbr (preferred)
or
boot ubuntu CD
sudo apt-get install lilo
sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbr

B. You need to install Grub to your external disk.
boot ubuntu CD
sudo fdisk -l
see what the drive name is of the external disk, eg: sdb, and the partition name of the ubuntu root, eg: sdb1
sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sdb

[YesWeCan]

Let me check I haven't got my wires crossed. Which is your internal HDD the 2TB? You seem to have only Windows on the 2TB. But you say you installed Ubuntu to a partition on the internal but it wouldn't boot? So did you subsequently delete the Ubuntu partition on the internal?

I assume the 640GB is the external as it is the only one with Ubuntu on it. But the disk numbers are a little odd because sda is often the internal and sdd an external.

[CaseyFen2]

YesWeCan,

The 2TB HDD is my external one and the 640GB is the internal one. I didn't delete Ubuntu on the internal one. In fact, once I installed it, it booted up like normal to Windows. There was no difference so I assumed something had gone wrong and it had not installed it at all. Should I still follow the instructions you gave and see what that does?

[YesWeCan]

Let's get a better view of what's what before I advise further. I usually give better advice when I don't make too many assumptions. ;)

Would you mind downloading this http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/ and posting the output here inside code tags (highlight and press the # icon).

[CaseyFen2]

Boot Info Script 0.60 from 17 May 2011


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

=> No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda.
=> No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc.
=> Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdd and looks at sector 1 of
the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and uses an
embedded config file:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
search.fs_uuid 2272b7f7-41b0-4ac0-86d2-1cc48c88e581 root
set
prefix=($root)/boot/grub---------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------.

sda1: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 11.04
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab

sda2: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sda3: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: MSWIN4.1: FAT32
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 98
Boot files: /IO.SYS /MSDOS.SYS /COMMAND.COM

sdc1: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sdd1: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

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

Drive: sda __________________________________________________ ___________________

Disk /dev/sda: 640.1 GB, 640135028736 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 77825 cylinders, total 1250263728 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System

/dev/sda1 2,048 585,936,895 585,934,848 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 585,938,942 605,468,671 19,529,730 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 585,938,944 605,468,671 19,529,728 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda3 1,245,825,024 1,250,261,679 4,436,656 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)


Drive: sdc __________________________________________________ ___________________

Disk /dev/sdc: 1015 MB, 1015808000 bytes
32 heads, 63 sectors/track, 984 cylinders, total 1984000 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System

/dev/sdc1 249 1,983,743 1,983,495 6 FAT16


Drive: sdd __________________________________________________ ___________________

Disk /dev/sdd: 2000.4 GB, 2000396746752 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 243201 cylinders, total 3907024896 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System

/dev/sdd1 * 2,048 3,907,024,895 3,907,022,848 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS


"blkid" output: __________________________________________________ ______________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/sda1 2272b7f7-41b0-4ac0-86d2-1cc48c88e581 ext4
/dev/sda3 082D-1AF5 vfat DOS_TEST
/dev/sda5 7bf43d76-aa72-43a9-9465-6ca820ab1a26 swap
/dev/sdc1 6131-6233 vfat
/dev/sdd1 DA1CE6D71CE6AE27 ntfs Elements

================================ Mount points: =================================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sda1 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro,commit=0)
/dev/sda3 /media/DOS_TEST vfat (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks,uid=1000,gid=1000, shortname=mixed,dmask=0077,utf8=1,showexec,flush)
/dev/sdc1 /media/6131-6233 vfat (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks,uid=1000,gid=1000, shortname=mixed,dmask=0077,utf8=1,showexec,flush)
/dev/sdd1 /media/Elements fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,allow_other,blksize=4096,default_ permissions)


=========================== 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 video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2272b7f7-41b0-4ac0-86d2-1cc48c88e581
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2272b7f7-41b0-4ac0-86d2-1cc48c88e581
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en_US
insmod gettext
if [ "${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
if background_color 44,0,30; then
clear
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
if [ ${recordfail} != 1 ]; then
if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
if [ "$linux_gfx_mode" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-10-generic-pae' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2272b7f7-41b0-4ac0-86d2-1cc48c88e581
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-10-generic-pae root=UUID=2272b7f7-41b0-4ac0-86d2-1cc48c88e581 ro vga=771 quiet splash vt.handoff=7
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-10-generic-pae
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-10-generic-pae (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2272b7f7-41b0-4ac0-86d2-1cc48c88e581
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.38-10-generic-pae ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-10-generic-pae root=UUID=2272b7f7-41b0-4ac0-86d2-1cc48c88e581 ro single vga=771
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-10-generic-pae
}
### 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='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2272b7f7-41b0-4ac0-86d2-1cc48c88e581
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2272b7f7-41b0-4ac0-86d2-1cc48c88e581
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
/dev/sda2 /mnt/windows ntfs-3g defaults,umask=0 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

136.151718140 = 146.191794176 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
1.415039062 = 1.519386624 boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-10-generic-pae 2
40.552188873 = 43.542581248 boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-10-generic-pae 1
1.415039062 = 1.519386624 initrd.img 2
40.552188873 = 43.542581248 vmlinuz 1

========= Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive: =========

sdb

=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================

unlzma: Decoder error

[YesWeCan]

According to bootinfoscript,

The internal 640GB drive has Ubuntu and W98 installed but is has no MBR boot code. No boot flag is set. That should mean that if you try to boot this drive it won't boot. Is that correct?

The external 2TB drive has an NTFS partition with an XP boot sector and it has Grub boot code in the MBR that is configured to find its files in the Ubuntu partition on the 640GB drive. That should mean if you try to boot this drive you will either get a Grub menu or Ubuntu will boot. Is this correct?

And what do you want to end up with?

[CaseyFen2]

Yes! That's exactly what happens. If I try to boot with my external, Ubuntu comes right up. If I try to boot with my internal, nothing happens at all.

[raja.genupula]

ok i have a solution for this , maintain same grub on both hard disk . try this

boot from a live CD/USB
sudo fdisk -l to see what the internal disk partition name is that contains your boot directory, eg: sda1

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-partition=/mnt /dev/sda1

Then repeat this for you external, using the external partition and drive name, eg: sdc1

sudo umount /mnt
sudo mount /dev/sdc1 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-partition=/mnt /dev/sdc1

[YesWeCan]

@raja.genupula: sdc is not the external drive. sdd is and it already has Grub in its MBR. Putting Grub on sda may be the right move, tho.

@CaseyFen2
I would boot off the external into Ubuntu. Confirm the internal disk is still named sda by running
sudo fdisk -l

Then run
sudo update-grub
while it runs see confirm it lists your W98 OS
Then do this to put a boot flag on your W98 partition
sudo sfdisk -A3 /dev/sda

Then reboot off the external again. This time you should get a Grub menu that shows Ubuntu and W98 and memtest. Select W98 and confirm it boots.

Finally, reboot the external again into Ubuntu and run
sudo grub-install /dev/sda
Then try rebooting off the internal with the external disconnected.
Check you can boot both Ubuntu and W98.

[CaseyFen2]

When I run 'sudo update-grub', this is what I get:

Generating grub.cfg ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-10-generic-pae
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-10-generic-pae
Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin

I don't see the Windows OS. What do you think? Should I continue with what you said?

[YesWeCan]

I was worried about that. I don't know but it may be that Grub isn't able to detect W98. Or it may be another problem.

So if you install Grub to the internal you still won't be able to boot W98.

It may be that a standard MBR code will boot W98. But then Ubuntu won't boot unless you use the external drive. So you need to decide what you want.

If you want to install a standard MBR the best way is to boot your W98 install disk if you have one and see if is will do a repair. Otherwise, you need to boot into Ubuntu and install lilo and run it:
sudo apt-get install lilo (ignore warnings)
sudo lilo -M /dev/sda mbr

If you just want Grub on the internal then boot Ubuntu and run
sudo grub-install /dev/sda

[YesWeCan]

I admit I am a little perplexed at how you booted W98 in the first place. It had no boot flag and no MBR boot code. It is W98 that you ran before, right?

[YesWeCan]

Oh, if you want to try to boot W98 you need to do the sfdisk -A3 /dev/sda first.

[CaseyFen2]

Yea, I was running Windows Vista.

[CaseyFen2]

Ok, I installed and ran lilo. Now when I try to boot up, it says "No Partition selected" or something along those lines. Any ideas?

[CaseyFen2]

Ok, here is the result of 'sudo parted /dev/sda print':


Model: ATA WDC WD6400AAKS-2 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 640GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 1049kB 300GB 300GB primary ext4 boot
2 300GB 310GB 9999MB extended
5 300GB 310GB 9999MB logical linux-swap(v1)
3 638GB 640GB 2272MB primary fat32 lba



When I first installed Ubuntu, I told it to create a 10 GB partition. And I made Windows the rest of it. From what I can tell, that is not the case now. Does it look like I'm just going to have to completely reinstall Windows?

[YesWeCan]

notice that the boot flag is set to partition 1. it needs to be set to 3 where your Windows partition is. The command to do this is
sudo sfdisk -A3 /dev/sda

I'm wondering why bootinfoscript reports Windows 98 in partition 3 but you were using Vista?

[CaseyFen2]

When I set it to boot from sda3, it said that it was pulling up Windows 98. Then it did some sort of Memory check and it said it would be done in a minute but I left it on and it eventually restarted and came back on and did it again. The thing I'm wondering is, I can only find around 300 GB of my 680 GB harddrive. Am I reading it wrong or does it say sda1 have 300 GB, sda5 have 10 GB and sda3 have 2GB? Where's the other 300GB?

[YesWeCan]

parted seems to be lying.
try sudo sfdisk -luM

Is W98 working yet? Was it doing a chdisk? Thats fine, just let it do it however much it wants.

[CaseyFen2]

Ok, I'll let it run and see what happens. Here is the results of sudo sfdisk -luM:


Disk /dev/sda: 77825 cylinders, 255 heads, 63 sectors/track
Warning: extended partition does not start at a cylinder boundary.
DOS and Linux will interpret the contents differently.
Units = mebibytes of 1048576 bytes, blocks of 1024 bytes, counting from 0

Device Boot Start End MiB #blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 286101 286101 292967424 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 286102+ 295638 9537- 9764865 5 Extended
/dev/sda3 608313 610479- 2167- 2218328 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda4 0 - 0 0 0 Empty
/dev/sda5 286103 295638 9536 9764864 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 243201 cylinders, 255 heads, 63 sectors/track
Units = mebibytes of 1048576 bytes, blocks of 1024 bytes, counting from 0

Device Boot Start End MiB #blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 1907726 1907726 1953511424 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb2 0 - 0 0 0 Empty
/dev/sdb3 0 - 0 0 0 Empty
/dev/sdb4 0 - 0 0 0 Empty

[YesWeCan]

look your boot flag is back on sda1. I wonder if W98 has done that, expecting to be installed in the first partition? Perhaps you should give up on this in case it messes with Ubuntu.
You mentioned you were using Vista...on what disk was it installed?

[CaseyFen2]

Vista was installed on the C drive. It was my internal. Do you have any idea where my missing GB went?