Unable to identify Ubuntu after installing

[SMOKEY989]

Hi

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


I have created new partitions for ubuntu((ext4) and share partition and installed Ubuntu. When installation completed and system restarted, my laptop (Sony Vaio) automatically booted Windows 7. There was no option to select operating system and on several restarts i have tried to locate Ubuntu through bios, but no luck!! I understand GRUB2 should allow this but it doesn't seem to be working.

Anyone got any ideas as to what this might be and how to resolve it?

thanks

[Hakunka-Matata]

boot into your Ubuntu liveCD, open a Terminal and run

sudo fdisk -lu
post output

we'll see how your hard drive is partitioned and whether Ubuntu is actually installed.

[SMOKEY989]

I ran installation from USB, using unetbootin. Would it still work this way?

thanks

[Hakunka-Matata]

Yep, just boot using the flashdrive and select "try without installing"

[SMOKEY989]

Hi

Here's the output

To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>".
See "man sudo_root" for details.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -lu

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
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x21227c0a

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 2048 19556351 9777152 27 Unknown
/dev/sda2 * 19556352 19761151 102400 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 19761152 393716399 186977624 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 393719806 625139711 115709953 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 393719808 618790911 112535552 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 618792960 625139711 3173376 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 4111 MB, 4111466496 bytes
127 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1019 cylinders, total 8030208 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0009e87d

This doesn't look like a partition table
Probably you selected the wrong device.

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 ? 3223366752 3470046675 123339962 f4 SpeedStor
Partition 1 has different physical/logical beginnings (non-Linux?):
phys=(793, 22, 13) logical=(409368, 50, 21)
Partition 1 has different physical/logical endings:
phys=(870, 235, 61) logical=(440696, 102, 48)
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdb2 ? 378192737 710426324 166116794 10 OPUS
Partition 2 has different physical/logical beginnings (non-Linux?):
phys=(205, 7, 0) logical=(48030, 72, 54)
Partition 2 has different physical/logical endings:
phys=(870, 235, 50) logical=(90224, 41, 7)
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdb3 ? 225603442 225603451 5 74 Unknown
Partition 3 has different physical/logical beginnings (non-Linux?):
phys=(367, 66, 47) logical=(28651, 88, 13)
Partition 3 has different physical/logical endings:
phys=(370, 32, 37) logical=(28651, 88, 22)
Partition 3 does not end on cylinder boundary.

Partition table entries are not in disk order
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ ^C
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ ^C
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

I haven't got a clue what this means by the way, so your help will be appreciated!!

[SMOKEY989]

Hi, sorry to be a pain. Could anyone help me with this?

[Hakunka-Matata]

Is this a Wubi install?
Please paste formatted output using code tags. How?


highlight and copy data to be posted, "like the output of sudo fdisk -lu"
paste it into your reply, then highlight it again
click on the code tags icon "#", if you can't see the '#', switch to 'Advanced" mode

[SMOKEY989]

No it isn't a Wubi install, I created the partitions in Windows to accommodate the Ubuntu install.

The new drives were G: Installtion drive for Ubuntu(ext 4) and H: swap drive.

I will try what you said above and post soon, I am very new to Linux so if i keep asking questions I apologise.

[SMOKEY989]

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
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x21227c0a

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 2048 19556351 9777152 27 Unknown
/dev/sda2 * 19556352 19761151 102400 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 19761152 393716399 186977624 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 393719806 625139711 115709953 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 393719808 618790911 112535552 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 618792960 625139711 3173376 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 4111 MB, 4111466496 bytes
127 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1019 cylinders, total 8030208 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0009e87d

This doesn't look like a partition table
Probably you selected the wrong device.

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 ? 3223366752 3470046675 123339962 f4 SpeedStor
Partition 1 has different physical/logical beginnings (non-Linux?):
phys=(793, 22, 13) logical=(409368, 50, 21)
Partition 1 has different physical/logical endings:
phys=(870, 235, 61) logical=(440696, 102, 4:cool:
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdb2 ? 378192737 710426324 166116794 10 OPUS
Partition 2 has different physical/logical beginnings (non-Linux?):
phys=(205, 7, 0) logical=(48030, 72, 54)
Partition 2 has different physical/logical endings:
phys=(870, 235, 50) logical=(90224, 41, 7)
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdb3 ? 225603442 225603451 5 74 Unknown
Partition 3 has different physical/logical beginnings (non-Linux?):
phys=(367, 66, 47) logical=(28651, 88, 13)
Partition 3 has different physical/logical endings:
phys=(370, 32, 37) logical=(28651, 88, 22)
Partition 3 does not end on cylinder boundary.

Partition table entries are not in disk order
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ ^C
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ ^C
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

Hopefully this is what you mean!

I've attached screen grab of my partitions in Windows Computer Management.

The first (9.32gb) is a recovery partition for windows,
the second (107.32gb) is the main Linux installation partition(ext4) i created
the third 3.03gb is the swap drive i created
fourth (178.32gb) is windows
and the last is system reserved.

thanks

[oldfred]

You must not have gotten grub2's boot loader installed to the MBR.

To see where everything is installed:

Boot Info Script courtesy of forum members meierfra & Gert Hulselmans
Page with instructions and download:
http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/
Paste contents of results.txt in a New Reply, 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 New Reply Edit toolbar and then paste the contents between the generated [ code] paste here [ /code] tags.
V60 has improved formating and requires code tags to make it legible. New Version is a zip file that you have to extract to get .sh to run.

[SMOKEY989]

HI here is the output

thanks




Boot Info Script 0.60 from 17 May 2011


============================= 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: /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: /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: /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda4: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: Grub2 (v1.99)
Boot sector info: Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the boot sector of sda5
and looks at sector 486358872 of the same hard drive
for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
for (,msdos5)/boot/grub on this drive.
Operating System: Ubuntu 11.04
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda6: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sdb: __________________________________________________ _________________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: SYSLINUX 4.03 2010-10-22 ........>..sr>.......sE.8...0...~.....~...f...M.f.f....f..0~....>E}.u......
Boot sector info: Syslinux looks at sector 7772832 of /dev/sdb for its
second stage. SYSLINUX is installed in the directory.
The integrity check of the ADV area failed. No errors
found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /syslinux.cfg /ldlinux.sys

============================ 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 Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System

/dev/sda1 2,048 19,556,351 19,554,304 27 Hidden NTFS (Recovery Environment)
/dev/sda2 * 19,556,352 19,761,151 204,800 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda3 19,761,152 393,716,399 373,955,248 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda4 393,719,806 625,139,711 231,419,906 f W95 Extended (LBA)
/dev/sda5 393,719,808 618,790,911 225,071,104 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 618,792,960 625,139,711 6,346,752 82 Linux swap / Solaris


"blkid" output: __________________________________________________ ______________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 ACC843D3C8439A8A ntfs Recovery
/dev/sda2 86BE321ABE32036B ntfs System Reserved
/dev/sda3 448A33C78A33B470 ntfs
/dev/sda5 9396c375-e007-4262-b653-71f625f70660 ext4
/dev/sda6 4db33eb5-47a0-4787-9134-dd050d1c8f96 swap
/dev/sdb EAC8-F1A5 vfat

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)
/dev/sdb /cdrom vfat (ro,noatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=cp437,i ocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,errors=remount-ro)


=========================== sda5/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,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9396c375-e007-4262-b653-71f625f70660
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,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9396c375-e007-4262-b653-71f625f70660
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en_GB
insmod gettext
if [ "${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 2.6.38-8-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9396c375-e007-4262-b653-71f625f70660
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=9396c375-e007-4262-b653-71f625f70660 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-8-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9396c375-e007-4262-b653-71f625f70660
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.38-8-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=9396c375-e007-4262-b653-71f625f70660 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-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='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9396c375-e007-4262-b653-71f625f70660
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9396c375-e007-4262-b653-71f625f70660
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows Recovery Environment (loader) (on /dev/sda1)" --class windows --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root ACC843D3C8439A8A
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda2)" --class windows --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 86BE321ABE32036B
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/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/sda5 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/sda6 none swap sw 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

231.914009094 = 249.015771136 boot/grub/core.img 1
189.881248474 = 203.883438080 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
189.183872223 = 203.134636032 boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic 2
231.912281036 = 249.013915648 boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic 1
189.183872223 = 203.134636032 initrd.img 2
231.912281036 = 249.013915648 vmlinuz 1

=========================== sdb/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ============================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

if loadfont /boot/grub/font.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
insmod efi_gop
insmod efi_uga
insmod gfxterm
terminal_output gfxterm
fi

set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray

menuentry "Try Ubuntu without installing" {
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper quiet splash --
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
}
menuentry "Install Ubuntu" {
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /casper/vmlinuz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity quiet splash --
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
}
menuentry "Check disc for defects" {
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /casper/vmlinuz boot=casper integrity-check quiet splash --
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

============================== sdb/syslinux.cfg: ===============================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
default menu.c32
prompt 0
menu title UNetbootin
timeout 100

label unetbootindefault
menu label Default
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper quiet splash --

label ubnentry0
menu label ^Help
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit

label ubnentry1
menu label ^Try Ubuntu without installing
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper quiet splash --

label ubnentry2
menu label ^Install Ubuntu
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity quiet splash --

label ubnentry3
menu label ^Check disc for defects
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz boot=casper integrity-check quiet splash --

label ubnentry4
menu label Test ^memory
kernel /install/mt86plus
append initrd=/ubninit

label ubnentry5
menu label ^Boot from first hard disk
kernel /ubnkern
append initrd=/ubninit

label ubnentry6
menu label Try Ubuntu without installing
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper quiet splash --

label ubnentry7
menu label Install Ubuntu
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity quiet splash --

label ubnentry8
menu label Check disc for defects
kernel /casper/vmlinuz
append initrd=/casper/initrd.lz boot=casper integrity-check quiet splash --

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

?? = ?? boot/grub/grub.cfg 1

================== sdb: Location of files loaded by Syslinux: ==================

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

?? = ?? ldlinux.sys 1
?? = ?? menu.c32 1
?? = ?? syslinux.cfg 1

=============== sdb: Version of COM32(R) files used by Syslinux: ===============

menu.c32 : COM32R module (v4.xx)

======================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc: ========================

Unknown BootLoader on sda4

00000000 64 d8 65 d8 66 d8 67 d8 68 d8 69 d8 6a d8 6b d8 |d.e.f.g.h.i.j.k.|
00000010 6c d8 6d d8 6e d8 6f d8 70 d8 71 d8 72 d8 73 d8 |l.m.n.o.p.q.r.s.|
00000020 74 d8 75 d8 76 d8 77 d8 78 d8 79 d8 7a d8 7b d8 |t.u.v.w.x.y.z.{.|
00000030 7c d8 7d d8 7e d8 7f d8 80 d8 81 d8 82 d8 83 d8 ||.}.~...........|
00000040 84 d8 85 d8 86 d8 87 d8 88 d8 89 d8 8a d8 8b d8 |................|
00000050 8c d8 8d d8 8e d8 8f d8 90 d8 91 d8 92 d8 93 d8 |................|
00000060 94 d8 95 d8 96 d8 97 d8 98 d8 99 d8 9a d8 9b d8 |................|
00000070 9c d8 9d d8 9e d8 9f d8 a0 d8 a1 d8 a2 d8 a3 d8 |................|
00000080 a4 d8 a5 d8 a6 d8 a7 d8 a8 d8 a9 d8 aa d8 ab d8 |................|
00000090 ac d8 ad d8 ae d8 af d8 b0 d8 b1 d8 b2 d8 b3 d8 |................|
000000a0 b4 d8 b5 d8 b6 d8 b7 d8 b8 d8 b9 d8 ba d8 bb d8 |................|
000000b0 bc d8 bd d8 be d8 bf d8 c0 d8 c1 d8 c2 d8 c3 d8 |................|
000000c0 c4 d8 c5 d8 c6 d8 c7 d8 c8 d8 c9 d8 ca d8 cb d8 |................|
000000d0 cc d8 cd d8 ce d8 cf d8 d0 d8 d1 d8 d2 d8 d3 d8 |................|
000000e0 d4 d8 d5 d8 d6 d8 d7 d8 d8 d8 d9 d8 da d8 db d8 |................|
000000f0 dc d8 dd d8 de d8 df d8 e0 d8 e1 d8 e2 d8 e3 d8 |................|
00000100 e4 d8 e5 d8 e6 d8 e7 d8 e8 d8 e9 d8 ea d8 eb d8 |................|
00000110 ec d8 ed d8 ee d8 ef d8 f0 d8 f1 d8 f2 d8 f3 d8 |................|
00000120 f4 d8 f5 d8 f6 d8 f7 d8 f8 d8 f9 d8 fa d8 fb d8 |................|
00000130 fc d8 fd d8 fe d8 ff d8 00 d9 01 d9 02 d9 03 d9 |................|
00000140 04 d9 05 d9 06 d9 07 d9 08 d9 09 d9 0a d9 0b d9 |................|
00000150 0c d9 0d d9 0e d9 0f d9 10 d9 11 d9 12 d9 13 d9 |................|
00000160 14 d9 15 d9 16 d9 17 d9 18 d9 19 d9 1a d9 1b d9 |................|
00000170 1c d9 1d d9 1e d9 1f d9 20 d9 21 d9 22 d9 23 d9 |........ .!.".#.|
00000180 24 d9 25 d9 26 d9 27 d9 28 d9 29 d9 2a d9 2b d9 |$.%.&.'.(.).*.+.|
00000190 2c d9 2d d9 2e d9 2f d9 30 d9 31 d9 32 d9 33 d9 |,.-.../.0.1.2.3.|
000001a0 34 d9 35 d9 36 d9 37 d9 38 d9 39 d9 3a d9 3b d9 |4.5.6.7.8.9.:.;.|
000001b0 3c d9 3d d9 3e d9 3f d9 40 d9 41 d9 42 d9 00 fe |<.=.>.?.@.A.B...|
000001c0 ff ff 83 fe ff ff 02 00 00 00 00 50 6a 0d 00 fe |...........Pj...|
000001d0 ff ff 05 fe ff ff f8 52 6a 0d 0a dd 60 00 00 00 |.......Rj...`...|
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


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

unlzma: Decoder error
/home/ubuntu/Desktop/boot_info_script.sh: line 1579: [: 2.73495e+09: integer expression expected

[oldfred]

It looks like you installed grub2's boot loader to sda5 not sda. It will not matter that it still is there as normally the PBR is not used by grub/Ubuntu except possibly advanced users.

#Comments are anything after the #, enter commands in terminal session
#Install MBR from LiveCD, Ubuntu install on sda5 and want grub2's bootloader in drive sda's MBR:
#Find linux partition, change sda5 if not correct:
sudo fdisk -l
#confirm that linux is sda5
sudo mount /dev/sda5 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sda
#If grub 1.99 with Natty uses boot not root.
sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda
#If that returns any errors run:
sudo grub-install --recheck --root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sda
# If no errors on previous commands reboot into working system and run this:
sudo update-grub

#More info here
#How to restore the Ubuntu/XP/Vista/7 bootloader (Updated for Ubuntu 9.10)
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708
#Reinstall grub2 - Short version
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20GRUB%202

[SMOKEY989]

HI Oldfred

No errors on running your code, i'm right at the end now. When you say # If no errors on previous commands reboot into working system and run this:

WHat do you mean by reboot into working system, how do you do this?

thanks

[Hakunka-Matata]

HI Oldfred

No errors on running your code, i'm right at the end now. When you say # If no errors on previous commands reboot into working system and run this:

WHat do you mean by reboot into working system, how do you do this?

thanks

That means to reboot normally, not using liveCD, but selecting Ubuntu from the boot menu
then run
sudo update-grub

[SMOKEY989]

Hakunka-Matata & oldfred, sincere thanks for all your help, Linux is now up and running on my computer!! :smile: (http://ubuntuforums.org/member.php?u=735950)

Can I just ask, what desktop environment you both use?

If anyone else is reading this what else do you use and why? The reason i ask is that I am thinking of using installing Gnome or another environment other than Unity!

thank you

[oldfred]

Glad you got it working.

I still am primarily on Maverick. I changed 11.04 to not use Unity and then I do not see much difference from 10.10 anyway. But my wife has complained i update too often as I have been every 6 months doing a clean install and something is not quite the same. If I showed her Unity I think I would have huge problems.
And my 11.10 is not working at all, I just may have to reinstall. I also just installed 11.04 Kubuntu to see if I can live with it.

[Hakunka-Matata]

Yes, good job SMOKEY989, I'm always pleased when someone gets Ubuntu running correctly for the first time, especially if they have some problems installing and stick with it and fix things (learning more than those who don't have any initial problems). I think it's a great Operating System. I just got home after being gone all day to the bay area (CA.) for a post-op checkup. I like to see this kind of results.

I use natty 11.04 - 32 bit (even though I could use 64 bit), with Ubuntu-Classic Desktop
10.10 - 32
10.04 - 32 LTS