Dual Boot Problem -- error: unknown filesystem grub rescue>

[lingben]

I had a dual boot system on a laptop with lubuntu and XP.

I wanted to remove lubuntu and replace it with linux mint. So I booted into the linux mint live CD and went through the first few steps of the install. I chose to erase lubuntu and install linux mint on top of it. After a few steps and in the middle of the install for no apparent reason the laptop's power went out!

Restarted and went into the live CD again but this time the menu for the install was different. Instead of offering me the choice of installing over lubuntu and keeping XP it offered me the choice of adding linux mint to the mix (I don't want to erase my XP install or documents).

At this point I wanted to just uninstall lubuntu so I quit the linux mint installation and restarted to go into windows and erase the lubuntu partition from there.


But I was met with:


error: unknown filesystem

grub rescue>
woah!


My goal is to remove the linux distros. Either by booting into windows XP and removing the partitions from there or by loading a live CD of linux mint and removing the now unnecessary partitions that are there as a result of the previous lubuntu install and the unsuccessful linux mint install.


Unfortunately I don't have a windows XP repair/recovery disk.


Here's what I see in the partitions menu of the installation process:

Device Type Mount point Format? Size Used

/dev/sda
/dev/sda1 ntfs _______________54352 MB unknown
/dev/sda6 ext4 _______________ 21400 MB 5309 MB
/dev/sda7 swap _______________2130 MB 0 MB
/dev/sda5 swap _______________2135 MB 0 MB


there is a pull down menu "Device for boot loader installation:"

/dev/sda ATA Hitachi HTSS4258 (80 GB)
/dev/sda1 Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
/dev/sda6 Linux Mint 11 LXDE (11)


Would appreciate any and all help. Thank you in advance!

[Rubi1200]

Hi and welcome to the forums :)

Please boot the computer with the LiveCD in live mode and post the results of the boot info script.

There is a link at the bottom of my post with instructions.

[lingben]

thanks, I've downloaded and extracted the folder and finally figured out how to do it!



Boot Info Script 0.60 from 17 May 2011


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

=> Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 1 of
the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
for (,msdos5)/boot/grub on this drive.

sda1: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Mounting failed: $MFTMirr does not match $MFT (record 1).
Failed to mount '/dev/sda1': Input/output error
NTFS is either inconsistent, or there is a hardware fault, or it's a
SoftRAID/FakeRAID hardware. In the first case run chkdsk /f on Windows
then reboot into Windows twice. The usage of the /f parameter is very
important! If the device is a SoftRAID/FakeRAID then first activate
it and mount a different device under the /dev/mapper/ directory, (e.g.
/dev/mapper/nvidia_eahaabcc1). Please see the 'dmraid' documentation
for more details.
$MFTMirr does not match $MFT (record 1).
Failed to mount '/dev/sda1': Input/output error
NTFS is either inconsistent, or there is a hardware fault, or it's a
SoftRAID/FakeRAID hardware. In the first case run chkdsk /f on Windows
then reboot into Windows twice. The usage of the /f parameter is very
important! If the device is a SoftRAID/FakeRAID then first activate
it and mount a different device under the /dev/mapper/ directory, (e.g.
/dev/mapper/nvidia_eahaabcc1). Please see the 'dmraid' documentation
for more details.

sda2: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sda6: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Linux Mint 11 LXDE
Boot files: /etc/fstab

sda7: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

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

Drive: sda __________________________________________________ ___________________

Disk /dev/sda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders, total 156301488 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 * 63 106,156,820 106,156,758 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda2 106,158,078 156,301,311 50,143,234 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 152,129,536 156,301,311 4,171,776 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 106,158,080 147,955,711 41,797,632 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 147,957,760 152,119,295 4,161,536 82 Linux swap / Solaris


"blkid" output: __________________________________________________ ______________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 FE14279314274E49 ntfs
/dev/sda5 25e6ce85-2765-4c1a-a8b0-4551aee367fb swap
/dev/sda6 370a0dcf-03f5-4342-975a-6f3b35a73ea6 ext4
/dev/sda7 3e37e3fd-2c94-49c6-8671-c0bd632cfd46 swap

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)
/dev/sda6 /media/370a0dcf-03f5-4342-975a-6f3b35a73ea6 ext4 (rw,nosuid,nodev,uhelper=udisks)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (ro,noatime)


=============================== sda6/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/sda6 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda7 during installation
UUID=3e37e3fd-2c94-49c6-8671-c0bd632cfd46 none swap sw 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sda6: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

50.768554688 = 54.512320512 boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic 2
64.752418518 = 69.527379968 boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic 1
50.768554688 = 54.512320512 initrd.img 2
64.752418518 = 69.527379968 vmlinuz 1

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

Unknown BootLoader on sda2

00000000 69 1a 81 ab 0c 72 03 38 48 00 06 91 3c 39 2b 14 |i....r.8H...<9+.|
00000010 b7 9e 0e 08 75 ba be 07 83 29 60 90 91 60 07 af |....u....)`..`..|
00000020 4f de 4e 7d c3 c0 85 fb 85 a9 5c 5e f7 ef c2 c2 |O.N}......\^....|
00000030 43 00 22 80 f3 00 2f c5 89 ca 8b 43 df 1b c2 7c |C.".../....C...||
00000040 fb 10 3a 64 9e 9d 2f 14 ee ba 47 35 0b 9d ad 55 |..:d../...G5...U|
00000050 00 a5 58 89 b4 c1 a5 1b 91 92 b3 24 ba d1 dd c7 |..X........$....|
00000060 f0 53 e6 91 3c 39 2b 14 b7 9e 0e 08 75 ba be 07 |.S..<9+.....u...|
00000070 81 80 1d 07 0b 77 b8 d7 14 40 4b 70 43 07 09 f5 |.....w...@KpC...|
00000080 65 c2 02 08 40 41 f9 61 28 3e cf 5f 3e 7b 5d ff |e...@A.a(>._>{].|
00000090 68 7f 5a e3 ea d4 e1 c2 74 a7 85 2a 4f d3 a5 52 |h.Z.....t..*O..R|
000000a0 fb 54 37 cb 9f a5 7c fd d2 65 34 9f 53 54 e6 c2 |.T7...|..e4.ST..|
000000b0 0c ea 9d 3d 7e 86 13 e8 4f 63 d3 4a f9 fa 5e 1f |...=~...Oc.J..^.|
000000c0 d6 b8 fb e7 c4 30 95 3e 4b 9d ec 2a 4f df 26 74 |.....0.>K..*O.&t|
000000d0 f6 1a a4 cf a9 25 7d 49 f5 27 d4 9d 90 e6 f6 dc |.....%}I.'......|
000000e0 da 6a 9f 29 7d 0d 4b e8 04 29 52 a4 fb cb 7a 63 |.j.)}.K..)R...zc|
000000f0 06 0c 80 59 0f 15 8a cf 3f 22 31 95 cf b3 d9 7e |...Y....?"1....~|
00000100 87 df be bc 81 fb b4 11 d0 20 8e 9b 06 a6 ec f0 |......... ......|
00000110 8f a8 01 fe 01 20 01 f0 b5 8e 3e 0d ae 8c 5e 8a |..... ....>...^.|
00000120 d7 29 50 0f 46 32 a9 65 05 38 c8 0d a5 9a 60 a8 |.)P.F2.e.8....`.|
00000130 83 19 06 48 81 8e 4c da 5b 36 38 b1 19 c1 88 20 |...H..L.[68.... |
00000140 57 41 ca 57 a0 6b b1 33 c0 12 65 90 f1 58 ac f3 |WA.W.k.3..e..X..|
00000150 f2 23 19 5c fb 3d 80 da 60 00 02 a6 81 7c e4 04 |.#.\.=..`....|..|
00000160 4d 48 d2 9a 3e 70 f7 90 48 e2 5c 6e f1 17 61 2c |MH..>p..H.\n..a,|
00000170 c8 1d a7 7b 21 b8 67 ee 77 aa 9b 9b 77 7b 06 00 |...{!.g.w...w{..|
00000180 9d 2d e8 af be 73 05 b8 3b a0 5d 88 48 76 b9 02 |.-...s..;.].Hv..|
00000190 29 90 06 9c 8c 6e cd cd 22 f6 86 8a 14 74 61 6b |)....n.."....tak|
000001a0 59 f2 da 77 7b b7 77 18 5a 92 ef 41 da f7 af 14 |Y..w{.w.Z..A....|
000001b0 08 a0 2a 68 17 ce 40 44 d4 8d 29 a3 e7 00 00 fe |..*h..@D..).....|
000001c0 ff ff 82 fe ff ff 02 78 bd 02 00 a8 3f 00 00 fe |.......x....?...|
000001d0 ff ff 05 fe ff ff 01 00 00 00 01 c8 7d 02 00 00 |............}...|
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

[drs305]

I initially started to tell you how to restore Ubuntu, but that isn't what you want and may not work since the installation was aborted.

I'll have to let a Windows user help you restore your sda1 partition to a usable condition. Using an XP repair CD would be the way to do it, but as you said you don't have one available.

[lingben]

sorry but what/where is the GRUB menu? I'm a little over my head here so please bear with me.

Here's a screenshot of gparted if it helps:

http://i.imgur.com/HMleo.png

my ultimate goal is to remove all installed linux **so that** I can then install linux mint alongside XP

I don't want to touch the XP install because it has all documents, files, etc. that I need so if there is a way to install on top of the existing linux OS' already there that's fine, the problem is that the live CD no longer gives me that option as it did before.

now, it gives me three options, to add linux mint to the OS'es I have, to remove everything and install linux mint instead of all, or the third, to "fine tune" the partitions myself, which is the menu I quoted above.

hope that helps to clarify things

[drs305]

sorry but what/where is the GRUB menu? I'm a little over my head here so please bear with me.

Here's a screenshot of gparted if it helps:

http://i.imgur.com/HMleo.png

I revised my post when I saw you really weren't interested in restoring Ubuntu. Windows is not my area of expertise so you'll have to await further input by other helpers. Best of luck.

[lingben]

actually restoring ubuntu/lubuntu would be fine, is that what's wrong?

once I do that, then I can install linux mint in its place

right?

[drs305]

actually restoring ubuntu/lubuntu would be fine, is that what's wrong?

once I do that, then I can install linux mint in its place

right?

Your Ubuntu installation most likely did not survive the interruption, but you can try the following to see if it will boot:

We'll use a quick method which might work if the first command returns a long list of *.mod files. If not, we will have to do a more comprehensive repair.

From the Grub rescue prompt:


ls (hd0,6)/boot/grub # If you don't see the module files, stop and let us know
set prefix=(hd0,6)/boot/grub
set root=(hd0,6)
insmod (hd0,6)/boot/grub/linux.mod
linux (hd0,6)/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda6
initrd (hd0,6)/initrd.img
boot

If it boots:


sudo grub-install /dev/sda
sudo update-grub

[Newbeatontheblock]

Hello have you tried booting to your XP with a Hirens Boot CD ? Just set your pc to boot from dvd/cdrom then boot into the Harddrive choose Windows and then copy and past all your data onto an external harddrive.....
IF your XP installlation has all kinds of paid apps use tools like productkey to recover all your productkeys
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html
After that kick windows and Boot Ubuntu from usb or cd rom and then install your favourite Linux and setup XP in VM ware... Or setup a dualboot again

Dunno if this helps you out really cause i m a newby if it comes to linux

and i would really advice you to follow tips from all others above mine

but i got the same thing going on a few months ago after dualbooting and experimenting and this is how i fixed it... All the best

[lingben]

at


grub rescue>

I entered:


ls (hd0,6)/boot/grub

it gave me


./ ../ gfxblacklist.txt grubenv linuxmint.png

[drs305]

As feared, your Grub folder contents have been removed, as have probably many of your other system files.

To be honest, unless you have data on the partition, it would probably be quicker to do a full install from a LiveCD than try to repair a damaged system.

You could try to install Grub by chrooting into your Ubuntu partition but it's only going to work if your other system files are intact. If you want to try it, click the "Chroot" link in my signature line. The partition to chroot into would be sda6.

[lingben]

As feared, your Grub folder contents have been removed, as have probably many of your other system files.

this must have happened during the interrupted install process. by 'other system files' you're referring to the linux partition and not the windows partition, I hope...



To be honest, unless you have data on the partition, it would probably be quicker to do a full install from a LiveCD than try to repair a damaged system.

which partition are you referring to? if to the linux partition, no, I do not have any data there. what do you mean by "full install"? do you mean as a replacement of the existing linux OS'es there now?


if you're referring to the windows partition, yes, I do have data there and want to keep it




You could try to install Grub by chrooting into your Ubuntu partition but it's only going to work if your other system files are intact. If you want to try it, click the "Chroot" link in my signature line. The partition to chroot into would be sda6.

please slow down, I don't understand that at all. can you explain it with more details?


thank you

[drs305]

Everything I discussed should apply only to the Linux partition. Ubuntu does not alter another partition unless you specifically take action to do so (such as allowing the installation to take space from another partition for installing Ubuntu). Ubuntu/Grub may also overwrite the MBR, but otherwise should not affect your Windows or other partitions.

By 'full installation', I meant accomplishing a complete, new installation on the existing Ubuntu partition. You would select 'Something else' during the installation, tell the installer to use the existing Ubuntu partition, and designate that partition as the mountpoint (/).

I didn't discuss 'Chroot' because it is all spelled out in the link I provided. You can use the 'chroot' procedure to try to repair an existing system. Normally, when you run commands in a LiveCD environment, the commands only act on the LiveCD files.

By 'chrooting', you can make the commands act as if you were actually running your real installation, and the commands apply to that installation's files rather than those of the CD.

In your case, I would probably recommend a new, fresh installation. But if you want to try 'chrooting' to see if you can recover your current Ubuntu installation by repairing Grub the procedures are detailed in the link.

[lingben]

Thanks.

I attempted to install linux mint (LXDE v11) along side all existing OS'es (windows and previous linux) once more but the power cut out again - this while the laptop is connected to a power source!!

I tried again and it happened again.

Each time a partition is partially created which leaves less and less space for the next install attempt.

I think something is wrong with the laptop, wiring or something for it to cut out like that. I don't think it is overheating since it has ample space for airflow (I've got it jacked up on "stilts" for max airflow).

At this point I'll try to fix it via windows and then once I'm in windows remove the linux partitions and attempt again from a live CD.

Thank you for your help.

[oldfred]

Boot script showed this:


Mounting failed: $MFTMirr does not match $MFT (record 1).

That says you need to run chkdsk from your XP disk. If you do not have one, you can run chkdsk from any Windows repairCD. A Windows 7 disk will not autorepair a XP system, but can run chkdsk and restore a XP style partition boot sector. (I have done that.)

Then if chkdsk fails:
If Microsoft's Checkdisk (chkdsk) failed to repair the MFT, run TestDisk, also rebuild boot sector
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Advanced_NTFS_Boot_and_MFT_Repair

If you know someone with Windows 7.

Make your own Windows repairCD (not vendor recovery):
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/Create-a-system-repair-disc
http://forums.techarena.in/guides-tutorials/1114725.htm

Windows 7 repair USB, Also Vista if service pack installed
http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-repair-windows-7-from-usb-flash-drive-repair-without-installation-dvd-disc/
http://www.webupd8.org/2010/10/create-bootable-windows-7-usb-drive.html

[marinara]

Thanks.


I tried again and it happened again.

Each time a partition is partially created which leaves less and less space for the next install attempt.

I think something is wrong with the laptop, wiring or something for it to cut out like that. I don't think it is overheating since it has ample space for airflow (I've got it jacked up on "stilts" for max airflow).

At this point I'll try to fix it via windows and then once I'm in windows remove the linux partitions and attempt again from a live CD.

Thank you for your help.

my 2 cents.
It's not unusual for PCs to reset or power off during hardware detection. IIRC, windows 98 used to reboot once during installation just for that reason.

so, the problem is with linux mint, it doesn't like your laptop.