GRUB will not appear, even after grub-install or boot-repair

[padel]

Dear all,



I've just installed Ubuntu 11.04 on my Sony Vaio VGN-731WN. Once installed, I reboot and GRUB does not appear. Instead, Windows XP appears.


I've been searching and trying to make GRUB work, such as running a Live and on it running grub-install /dev/sda in a chrooted environment ( mounting dev, dev/pts, sysfs, proc, etc. ), or using the Boot-repair program, but none worked. The result is always the same: Windows XP loading, and no GRUB starting. Furthermore, when running the bootinfoscript I always get:


=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda.


How can I make GRUB work? How can I install it in the MBR?


The information of the bootinfoscript is attached here:


http://paste.ubuntu.com/687886/

thank you very much

[garvinrick4]

Put in Ubuntu live cd of 11.04 open a terminal and copy and paste these commands.

sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda
sudo umount /mnt
sudo rebootBoot into Ubuntu and:

sudo update-grubNow should have installed grub to mbr and added Windows to config file and
as a menuentry.

#umount is not a typo.

## You look like you are missing boot files in your install of sda6, if above does not work we will have to install grub files from Live Cd (your install cd using Try Ubuntu) Post 6.

[Quackers]

It appears that grub is not installed.
Boot from the Ubuntu live cd/usb and select "try Ubuntu" and when the desktop loads please open up a terminal, then copy/paste these lines into it, one line at a time, pressing enter after each line.
It should report no errors.

sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda If an error is reported when running the second command please run this one instead
sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/mnt /dev/sda Once no errors are reported please reboot, taking out the Ubuntu cd/usb.
You should then get Ubuntu booting directly. If it does, open a terminal and run
sudo update-grub and watch the terminal screen as grub.cfg is run. You should see the Windows Loader recognised. If it appears please reboot and you should then see a grub menu giving you the choice of which operating system to boot.

[coffeecat]

Welcome to the forum. :)

I don't know why grub was not installed when you first installed Ubuntu. Using a chroot is a perfectly valid way of installing grub to the mbr, but there's a simpler way. See here, under Copy LiveCD Files:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Copy_LiveCD_Files

You don't need to run fdisk as you know from your boot script output that your Ubuntu root partition is on sda6. Boot up with the live CD, choose "try Ubuntu" to get to the live desktop, open a terminal, and:


sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda

Then reboot. Your grub.cfg looks OK so you may not need to run update-grub.

One odd thing about your boot script output. The boot flag is set on both sda2 your Windows partition, and on sda6, your Ubuntu partition. Windows needs the boot flag if it is booting from Windows mbr code, but not if booting from grub. But what I can't explain is how you have two boot flags and a boot flag on a logical partition, both of which I thought were impossible. Not that it should make any practical difference to your setup.

EDIT: aha! beaten to it by garvinrick4 and Quackers. You have to be quick round here! :p

[Quackers]

I didn't think 2 boot flags were possible! I don't think I've seen it before.

[garvinrick4]

If previous post did not do it because of lack of boot files in sda6 install then this
will install boot files and put in mbr so you are up and working.
#Make sure internet is working in Live CD and open terminal and copy and paste one
at a time. (Live Cd in install CD using Try UBuntu and get internet working.


sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
sudo mount -o bind /dev /mnt/dev; sudo mount -o bind /dev/pts /mnt/dev/pts; sudo mount -o bind /proc /mnt/proc; sudo mount -o bind /sys /mnt/sys
sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf /mnt/etc/resolv.conf
sudo chroot /mnt
apt-get updateIf that above gave errors you do not have internet connection

apt-get purge grub-common grub-pc
apt-get install grub-common grub-pcWhen install grub it go's into sda not sda1 or sda6 but sda and you can toggle with tab key if have to at install of grub.
update-grub
exit
sudo umount /mnt/dev/pts && sudo umount /mnt/dev && sudo umount /mnt/proc && sudo umount /mnt/sys; sudo umount /mnt
sudo rebootNow should all be fine.

[garvinrick4]

coffeecat, quackers,
I have to sign off for 3 hours or so can you keep an eye on this Thread.
Thanks, Rick

[Quackers]

No problem for an hour or so :-)

[coffeecat]

I'm OK for about half-an-hour. :)

[padel]

Thank you very much for your replies

i followed the step that garvinrick4 (http://ubuntuforums.org/member.php?u=899097) indicated, and it worked :)

thank you for replying so quickly :D

[Quackers]

Excellent! Happy Ubuntuing :-)

[coffeecat]

Good luck with using Ubuntu! :)

[Blasphemist]

I was following this and understood, except for the wierdness pointed out, until it came to what ended up working. Garvinrick could you explain what the binding and resolving conflict was doing? Thanks

[garvinrick4]

I was following this and understood, except for the wierdness pointed out, until it came to what ended up working. Garvinrick could you explain what the binding and resolving conflict was doing? Thanks
OP did not have all boot files in his install below is how it should have looked in bootscript.

sda6: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 11.04
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img
#So you mount the install sda6 and have to bind /dev /dev/pts /sys and /proc to the mounted
sda6 at /mnt to be able to purge and then reinstall grub-pc and update-grub from within chroot (or root) of that install sda6. You can update and upgrade from here or run dpkg commands or install or remove packages really whatever you choose to do.
#The cp of /etc/resolv.conf to /mnt/etc/resolv.conf is copying the internet connection from the
Live CD to the mounted sd6 at /mnt
#You can use chroot from another install or Live CD as long as they are of the same architecture (32 bit or 64 bit).

## Below is a link written by drs305 that is a better explanation and one to keep in bookmarks.
HOWTO: Purge and Reinstall Grub 2 from the Live CD - Ubuntu Forums (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1581099)
## There are many ways to achieve the same goal so you will see different types of code, some simpler that others.

[padel]

thank you, it is great for the beginners like me to know that there are people like you. Helping a lot.

I hope to learn and enjoy of Ubuntu :)

thank you

[garvinrick4]

thank you, it is great for the beginners like me to know that there are people like you. Helping a lot.

I hope to learn and enjoy of Ubuntu :)

thank you
There are a lot of Ubuntu users in these Forums that are here to help and be helped also. I believe you will make a fine Ubuntu user you had a bit of an unusual problem and hung in there to get the fix while being polite about it. I hope to see you around these Forums in the future padel, enjoy your Ubuntu.