GRUB fails to load after re-allocating memory to Windows partition

[pepperjinks]

Resized Ubuntu partition, moved it to the right so I could allocate more memory to Windows 7 partition. Computer and Ubuntu worked perfectly after this, no problems so far--rebooted, GRUB loaded, etc. Proceeded to allocate the memory to Windows 7 partition. Windows worked fine until reboot. GRUB gave me the message, "error: no such partition. GRUB rescue".

Booted from Ubuntu 12.04 live CD. Followed instructions to install Boot Repair (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair). Selected recommended repair after following terminal instructions to the letter. The program hangs on the enabling bootinfo status bar; my laptop whirs but there is no active display on the monitor. The screen simply freezes. I let it sit for about fifteen or twenty minutes before forcibly shutting down.

Repeated boot repair install instructions, this time going into advanced options after inputting the requisite terminal commands. I don't have the options displayed in the help document though.

Under main options, there is no reinstall GRUB checkbox. GRUB location and GRUB options tabs are greyed out.

What to do? Should I select Repair boot files under the Other options tab, and if so where should I place the boot flag? My only options in this instance are sda2 (Windows 7), sda1 (Windows 7) or something called mmcblk0p1.

Or should I do something else entirely? Any help is much appreciated!

[Bucky Ball]

What did you resize the partitions with? A really bad idea to use Gparted to resize Win7 partitions. It can get messy.

PS: Memory is RAM. Do you mean disk space?

[pepperjinks]

I did mean disk space, yes. I resized the Ubuntu partition with GParted and allocated the disk space to Windows 7 with Partition Wizard. I didn't do any resizing with Windows 7.

[wilee-nilee]

Post the HTTP address of the boot info summary generated by using that tool.

If the script hangs you can download and run a command as well, extract the download to the desktop before the command. This can be done from a live ubuntu cd or a install.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/bootinfoscript/


sudo bash ~/Desktop/bootinfoscriptYou just might need to run in Ubuntu.


sudo update-grub

[pepperjinks]

I'm wondering if I should just wipe the drive and then reinstall 12.04 and Windows. I ran the disk management utility in 7 and the partition I assigned to Ubuntu is now being recognized as free space. I ran the live CD and checked with GParted and it doesn't recognize that there is a Windows partition at all. Also, I tried to update GRUB from terminal and it didn't work.

[oldfred]

Windows does not see Linux partitions, so that is normal.

Gparted should see the Windows partition, but sometimes shows an error flag, if chkdsk is required. You have to run chkdsk from a Windows repair console.

Boot script will tell us a lot about your system.

[Bucky Ball]

+1. Like oldfred said ...

Don't reinstall just yet, but if and when you do, install Windows first, first drive, first partition and save yourself some headaches.