Unable to install ubuntu

[Bartias]

Hello

I have a big problem with installing ubuntu 12.04.

The thing is, that I had WIn 7 for a couple of months, then I've installed Ubuntu 11.10 along Win7 and I had no problems, except for not enough disk space on ubuntu partition (when I last used linux, 10 GB was more than enough). Because of the new release, I decided to extend my linux partition and upgrade ubuntu.

I used linux LiveCD (USB) to repartition and upgrade the system, but after installing and removing the pendrive, none of the systems boot.

I have used some ways of restoring the boot manager, like Boot-Repair (the auto-help did not help - however, reseting the MBR allowed me to boot into windows again)

In windows I've tried two boot managers (easyBCD and something else) - they both seem to "see" linux, but they don't boot.

I have dropped the idea of keeping my ubuntu files, I have tried to remove it and install it again - I don't want to "save" ubuntu anymore, I just need to install it in order to work (I've lost 2 days on this).


This is what I get after sudo fdisk -l (at this point, windows does not boot as well)


Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 421192169 210596053+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 421192170 1428885359 503846595 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3 1428885502 1465147391 18130945 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 1428885504 1448417279 9765888 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 1448419328 1450420223 1000448 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7 1450422272 1465147391 7362560 83 Linux
I was also told to show the boot info script http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/

and this is the current result http://pastebin.com/SbuL4m6z

Help me please

Regards

[darkod]

Use the 12.04 cd to boot into live mode.

You have to delete grub2 that you installed onto /dev/sda1 partition boot sector. Windows partitions can't work if grub is in its boot sector. You can use this procedure to remove it:
http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/bootinfoscript/index.php?title=Boot_Problems:Boot_Sector

Also, you need to open /dev/sda2 and delete the /grub/grub.cfg and /grub/core.img files. They shouldn't be there.

From that point on, you can think if you want to save ubuntu, or reinstall. You can give it a go at saving it, in live mode in terminal try:
sudo mount /dev/sda5 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda

Restart and see if that gives you the correct grub2 menu and if it works.

If you want to get rid of ubuntu, simply reuse the same partitions and install over them. You don't even need to format /home (/dev/sda7) and you can reuse it.

Or delete all ubuntu partitions including the extended one, and use that unallocated space to install.

[Bartias]

THank you very much.

And, when I install Ubuntu again - what should be the mounting point, on which partition etc?

[darkod]

For reusing existing /home, it has to be done with manual partitioning.

/dev/sda5 is root, mount point /
/dev/sda6 is swap area (no mount point)
/dev/sda7 is /home

For root tick the format box, for /home no. But you have to use the same filesystem, for example if it's ext4 now, use it as ext4 again.

[Bartias]

Use the 12.04 cd to boot into live mode.



Also, you need to open /dev/sda2 and delete the /grub/grub.cfg and /grub/core.img files. They shouldn't be there.



How do I do this? I was not able to find it, nor to access it in console.

[mips]

Just boot up with your Win 7 DVD and select repair and the do a FIXMBR do delte grub. You should be able to boot into Win 7 now.

Next delte all the linux partitions from your livecd and reinstall linux which will install a new grub.

[Bartias]

THe problem is I was able to boot into windows and yet installing a fresh Ubuntu did not solve the issue.

And currently, i get "read error" after "Loading operating system" and nothing happens (unless I use Live USB).

And I cannot use my Win7 DVD because I don't have a DVD drive in this PC at the moment.


Anyway, I've tried Boot-Repair again, because I'm a little terrified that now I don't have the access to any of the OS'es.

It showed me this http://paste.ubuntu.com/967436/ report. Now I'm gonna see what happens when I reboot.

Well, a read error - so now I cannot use any of the systems.

[darkod]

How do I do this? I was not able to find it, nor to access it in console.

Simply open Nautilus (click on the folder icon in Unity), and once the file browser opens the detected partitions are shows on the left. Click on the partition you want to open (you can tell by the size). That's it.

In terminal you could mount it manually but maybe deleting files in terminal will be more difficult unless you are used to it.

[Bartias]

Yeah, I've done that - it turned out that dev/sda2 is my D: disk from windows:) There was a large folder "grub", i Have deleted only that two files. Is that okay?

A moment ago I've tried to install ubuntu once again, but it still, the same error.

Maybe the problem is "device for bootloader information"? I have chosen dev/sda (750GB)

Maybe I shopuld choose something else?

[mips]

And I cannot use my Win7 DVD because I don't have a DVD drive in this PC at the moment.

If you have access to another PC MS has a utility to write the DVD to a USB flash stick.

http://arstechnica.com/business/news/2009/12/-the-usb-flash-drive.ars
http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

[darkod]

Yeah, I've done that - it turned out that dev/sda2 is my D: disk from windows:) There was a large folder "grub", i Have deleted only that two files. Is that okay?

A moment ago I've tried to install ubuntu once again, but it still, the same error.

Maybe the problem is "device for bootloader information"? I have chosen dev/sda (750GB)

Maybe I shopuld choose something else?

/dev/sda is correct for the bootloader. But I've seen cases where it is not correctly installed especially if grub2 was already there, as in your case.

Try the two commands to install grub2 from live mode from post #2. It can't hurt.

[Bartias]

Read Error again.

I will post results of the new test from #1 again - maybe I have changed something accidentally.


Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 421192169 210596053+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 421192170 1428885359 503846595 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3 1428885502 1465147391 18130945 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 1428885504 1448417279 9765888 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 1448419328 1450420223 1000448 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7 1450422272 1465147391 7362560 83 Linux



Boot Info Script 0.61 [1 April 2012]


============================= 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.
=> Syslinux MBR (4.04 and higher) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb.

sda1: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Grub2 (v1.99)
Boot sector info: Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the boot sector of sda1
and looks at sector 1442073064 of the same hard drive
for core.img, but core.img can not be found at this
location. No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Boot file info: Grub2 (v1.97-1.98) in the file /NST/nst_linux.mbr
looks at sector 1433902815 of the same hard drive for
core.img, but core.img can not be found at this
location.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda2: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7: NTFS
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files:

sda3: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
Boot files: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda6: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

sda7: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files:

sdb1: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: vfat
Boot sector type: SYSLINUX 4.06 4.06-pre1
Boot sector info: Syslinux looks at sector 30542 of /dev/sdb1 for its
second stage. SYSLINUX is installed in the directory.
No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files: /syslinux/syslinux.cfg /ldlinux.sys

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

Drive: sda __________________________________________________ ___________________

Disk /dev/sda: 750.2 GB, 750156374016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 91201 cylinders, total 1465149168 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 * 63 421,192,169 421,192,107 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda2 421,192,170 1,428,885,359 1,007,693,190 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda3 1,428,885,502 1,465,147,391 36,261,890 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 1,428,885,504 1,448,417,279 19,531,776 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 1,448,419,328 1,450,420,223 2,000,896 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7 1,450,422,272 1,465,147,391 14,725,120 83 Linux


Drive: sdb __________________________________________________ ___________________

Disk /dev/sdb: 4023 MB, 4023385600 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 489 cylinders, total 7858175 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/sdb1 * 38 7,839,719 7,839,682 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)


"blkid" output: __________________________________________________ ______________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/loop1 222ec6d1-cd5b-9644-ae48-69e4743494b0 ext2 casper-rw
/dev/sda1 01CD23B1B1584CB0 ntfs
/dev/sda2 01CD23B1A8345D40 ntfs
/dev/sda5 5a77b378-5257-449d-ada8-dee89c80b52f ext4
/dev/sda6 4454280e-51f2-4250-a19c-88602672d6db swap
/dev/sda7 b720b949-c3da-4ef5-82f0-69fcd5c26e45 ext4
/dev/sdb1 10DD-0862 vfat PENDRIVE

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)
/dev/sdb1 /cdrom vfat (rw,relatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=cp437, iocharset=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='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 5a77b378-5257-449d-ada8-dee89c80b52f
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=auto
load_video
insmod gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 5a77b378-5257-449d-ada8-dee89c80b52f
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=pl_PL
insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${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 ###
function gfxmode {
set gfxpayload="$1"
if [ "$1" = "keep" ]; then
set vt_handoff=vt.handoff=7
else
set vt_handoff=
fi
}
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, za pomocą systemu Linux 3.2.0-24-generic-pae' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 5a77b378-5257-449d-ada8-dee89c80b52f
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-24-generic-pae root=UUID=5a77b378-5257-449d-ada8-dee89c80b52f ro quiet splash $vt_handoff
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-24-generic-pae
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, za pomocą systemu Linux 3.2.0-24-generic-pae (tryb ratunkowy)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 5a77b378-5257-449d-ada8-dee89c80b52f
echo 'Wczytywanie systemu Linux 3.2.0-24-generic-pae...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-24-generic-pae root=UUID=5a77b378-5257-449d-ada8-dee89c80b52f ro recovery nomodeset
echo 'Wczytywanie początkowego dysku RAM...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-24-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='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 5a77b378-5257-449d-ada8-dee89c80b52f
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 5a77b378-5257-449d-ada8-dee89c80b52f
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='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 01CD23B1B1584CB0
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
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' 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
# / was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=5a77b378-5257-449d-ada8-dee89c80b52f / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /home was on /dev/sda7 during installation
UUID=b720b949-c3da-4ef5-82f0-69fcd5c26e45 /home ext4 defaults 0 2
# swap was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=4454280e-51f2-4250-a19c-88602672d6db none swap sw 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

686.349647522 = 736.962322432 boot/grub/core.img 1
689.629440308 = 740.483973120 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
682.759765625 = 733.107716096 boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-24-generic-pae 2
682.502719879 = 732.831715328 boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-24-generic-pae 1
682.759765625 = 733.107716096 initrd.img 2
682.502719879 = 732.831715328 vmlinuz 1

========================= sdb1/syslinux/syslinux.cfg: ==========================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# D-I config version 2.0
include menu.cfg
default vesamenu.c32
prompt 0
timeout 50

# If you would like to use the new menu and be presented with the option to install or run from USB at startup, remove # from the following line. This line was commented out (by request of many) to allow the old menu to be presented and to enable booting straight into the Live Environment!
# ui gfxboot bootlogo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

================= sdb1: Location of files loaded by Syslinux: ==================

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

?? = ?? ldlinux.sys 1
?? = ?? syslinux/chain.c32 1
?? = ?? syslinux/gfxboot.c32 1
?? = ?? syslinux/syslinux.cfg 1
?? = ?? syslinux/vesamenu.c32 1

============== sdb1: Version of COM32(R) files used by Syslinux: ===============

syslinux/chain.c32 : COM32R module (v4.xx)
syslinux/gfxboot.c32 : COM32R module (v4.xx)
syslinux/vesamenu.c32 : COM32R module (v4.xx)

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

xz: (stdin): Compressed data is corrupt

[darkod]

So, none of the OSs boot, or only windows doesn't boot?

[Bartias]

None of them

[darkod]

I can't see anything wrong in the results, except that you still have grub2 on /dev/sda1 as we discussed.

But even if windows can't boot because of that, ubuntu should boot.

The only thing that could possibly be a problem that I can see, is that the grub files and kernels are towards the end of the disk, after the 680GiB. Somtimes, some computers have problems if the boot files are so far from the start.

I don't have any large disks and have never seen this issue, but I have seen it mentioned here.

However, it's very inconvenient now to rearrange the disk layout, with data on it, and move ubuntu closer to the start, and the ntfs data partition to the back. Plus, I can't say 100% that this is the problem.

[Bartias]

And I cannot remove grub2 from /dev/sda1, at least not with the procedure described in that link.

Perpahs removing the entire Ubuntu partitions, all of them, then fixing the win7 bootloader somehow from USB, and THEN installing a fresh version of ubuntu could help?

[darkod]

Yes, that is one approach. I hope the same error won't be there again since we don't know what is causing it.

[Bartias]

Ok, now that is freaking crazy - I have changed the BIOS settings into fail safe and bang, there is my GRUB loader with WORKING ubuntu 12.04 and not working Win 7.

So, basically, now I have to bring Win back to the Grub loader. At this point, when I click Windows 7, sceen goes black and only "_" blinks and nothing else happens.

[darkod]

Ok, now that is freaking crazy - I have changed the BIOS settings into fail safe and bang, there is my GRUB loader with WORKING ubuntu 12.04 and not working Win 7.

So, basically, now I have to bring Win back to the Grub loader. At this point, when I click Windows 7, sceen goes black and only "_" blinks and nothing else happens.

This is because of the grub2 installed onto its partition.

PS. You said you couldn't fix it with testdisk. What exactly is the problem? testdisk should fix that easy.

[Bartias]

Yeah, and Testdisk did not help to remove it...

[darkod]

Yeah, and Testdisk did not help to remove it...

What exactly did it say? It should help in these cases.

[Bartias]

There was no error, but, according to the instruction

If the sixth screen did not have a "BackupBS" tab, it usually means that the original and backup boot sector are identical, and you are probably suffering from a different problem. But it could also mean that your backup boot sector is corrupted, in which case you will of to use "fixboot" from a Windows CD to repair the boot sector.

I did somethings anyway (I hoped that one of the options will restore original Win MBR) but nothing happened.

I tried to fix Win with Boot-Repair and it gave me this report http://paste.ubuntu.com/967807/

And after rebooting there were only 3 options in GRUB and no windows.

[darkod]

And was there an option Rebuild BS?

Now in your latest results the windows boot files are gone. Not sure what you did, but you just made it worse.

Now you do need to boot with a win7 dvd/usb and try to recover them with the manual procedure explained here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708

If that makes windows boot, you will need to reinstall grub2 to the MBR with instructions in the same link.

[Bartias]

Yes, there was such option and I've used it

The funny thing is that Windows Recovery Disk freezes and I cannot use it.