Cannot boot Windows 7 from GRUB

[TheFlanman91]

I recently installed Ubuntu 12.04 on top of my Windows 7 32-bit machine. I used the Ubuntu installer to partition my C: drive where my Windows OS is located and installed Ubuntu. Ubuntu loads fine but now my Windows 7 won't boot through GRUB. It is visible, however whenever I try to boot it, the screen goes blank and then GRUB reappears.

I replied to a thread similar to this today but the solution found (reinstalling Windows) is not optimal for me as I have no Windows installation disc.

I think the problem may be that I installed GRUB onto my windows partition and I'm wondering where I go from here. I have already used a Windows 7 32-bit Startup Recovery Disk and used startup repair as well as trying to rebuild my BCD. This seemed to get rid of GRUB but did nothing to fix my boot loader. I then had to recover grub using a Live CD.

I have also used testdisk to try rebuild the boot loader and have got nowhere.

Here are the results from Boot Info Script. Hope someone can help me!



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.

sda1: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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: /BOOTMGR /BOOT/BCD

sda2: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Grub2 (v1.99)
Boot sector info: Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the boot sector of sda2
and looks at sector 456380520 of the same hard drive
for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
for (,msdos5)/boot/grub on this drive. No errors found
in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /Windows/System32/winload.exe
/ubuntu/winboot/wubildr /ubuntu/winboot/wubildr.mbr

sda3: __________________________________________________ ________________________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: Unknown
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:

sda4: __________________________________________________ ________________________

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

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

Drive: sda __________________________________________________ ___________________

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488397168 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 25,167,871 25,165,824 27 Hidden NTFS (Recovery Environment)
/dev/sda2 * 25,167,872 422,213,023 397,045,152 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda3 422,213,630 480,964,607 58,750,978 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 422,213,632 474,684,335 52,470,704 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 474,685,440 480,964,607 6,279,168 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda4 480,964,608 488,394,751 7,430,144 12 Compaq diagnostics


"blkid" output: __________________________________________________ ______________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/sda1 52284E96284E794D ntfs PQSERVICE
/dev/sda2 F4CC9000CC8FBAFE ntfs ACER
/dev/sda4 2E4A70284A6FEB53 ntfs
/dev/sda5 88d0a7c3-d0dd-4bea-b4ba-b6cfcdf4e723 ext4
/dev/sda6 04aefaeb-4be9-41ce-b99a-93f4d60ae9ff swap
/dev/sr0 udf Repair disc Windows 7 32-bit

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

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sda5 / ext4 (rw,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 $prefix/grubenv ]; then
set have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="5"
if [ "${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 88d0a7c3-d0dd-4bea-b4ba-b6cfcdf4e723
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 88d0a7c3-d0dd-4bea-b4ba-b6cfcdf4e723
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en_US
insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
set timeout=10
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 75,75,75; 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, with Linux 3.2.0-26-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 88d0a7c3-d0dd-4bea-b4ba-b6cfcdf4e723
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-26-generic-pae root=UUID=88d0a7c3-d0dd-4bea-b4ba-b6cfcdf4e723 ro quiet splash $vt_handoff
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-26-generic-pae
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-26-generic-pae (recovery mode)' --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 88d0a7c3-d0dd-4bea-b4ba-b6cfcdf4e723
echo 'Loading Linux 3.2.0-26-generic-pae ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-26-generic-pae root=UUID=88d0a7c3-d0dd-4bea-b4ba-b6cfcdf4e723 ro recovery nomodeset
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-26-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 88d0a7c3-d0dd-4bea-b4ba-b6cfcdf4e723
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 88d0a7c3-d0dd-4bea-b4ba-b6cfcdf4e723
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 52284E96284E794D
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda2)" --class windows --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root F4CC9000CC8FBAFE
chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Microsoft Windows XP Embedded (on /dev/sda4)" --class windows --class os {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos4)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 2E4A70284A6FEB53
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=88d0a7c3-d0dd-4bea-b4ba-b6cfcdf4e723 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=04aefaeb-4be9-41ce-b99a-93f4d60ae9ff none swap sw 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

= boot/grub/core.img 1
= boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
= boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-26-generic-pae 3
= boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-26-generic-pae 2
= initrd.img 3
= vmlinuz 2

================================ sda4/boot.ini: ================================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[boot loader]
timeout=0
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINDOW S
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(4)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Embedded" /fastdetect /maxmem=768
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Unknown BootLoader on sda3

00000000 de bd d6 96 33 fb c8 4a 05 34 4a 19 15 15 04 11 |....3..J.4J.....|
00000010 f2 be 5f d0 42 55 5a 6e 4d f2 b9 78 b5 b5 0c 3a |.._.BUZnM..x...:|
00000020 aa d5 38 ab ea 14 aa df c4 e0 7e 72 fd 34 65 c2 |..8.......~r.4e.|
00000030 5a 8f d0 81 f9 24 fd b7 c3 ff 29 de d8 df bd 58 |Z....$....)....X|
00000040 57 86 27 54 97 fe 33 51 fa c9 e8 a2 a6 99 48 29 |W.'T..3Q......H)|
00000050 6a 51 61 30 14 f4 4d 32 fb ea cb bd bb 54 7f 8b |jQa0..M2.....T..|
00000060 29 97 b8 b6 e3 95 ab b7 fe 12 26 0e 95 7d 5a bb |).........&..}Z.|
00000070 2b 5a d5 89 b7 51 b8 44 bc fd 93 14 a4 b7 bb 57 |+Z...Q.D.......W|
00000080 8e e5 bf c1 df e6 8e f9 39 55 f5 1c 8d cc 22 68 |........9U...."h|
00000090 81 b5 ce 82 1e cc b4 a3 bf e7 e9 74 55 b3 7e a2 |...........tU.~.|
000000a0 ef aa 1d 9e 62 c7 81 e9 3d eb fc 1e fb de 2f 53 |....b...=...../S|
000000b0 9b 31 47 bd ff f1 81 e5 3f 2f bd 00 ed db e0 3d |.1G.....?/.....=|
000000c0 dc 6f 2b 49 2f ac 95 d4 4b f5 b6 45 5f e4 b2 fe |.o+I/...K..E_...|
000000d0 62 f7 6f ea 2a 42 bc 78 14 cd 4a 25 15 8f b7 37 |b.o.*B.x..J%...7|
000000e0 b0 7a 07 01 51 fd 93 51 5f 58 7e d6 fe aa 50 3e |.z..Q..Q_X~...P>|
000000f0 25 45 25 cd 54 da 3c 7a bf ab a5 e5 d1 4d bf 03 |%E%.T.<z.....M..|
00000100 db ff 49 79 e6 bd 93 d5 34 86 a8 eb 28 ef de 1e |..Iy....4...(...|
00000110 2b 50 a6 c6 3d 76 ce 76 6f f2 2d 8e b8 73 0e 01 |+P..=v.vo.-..s..|
00000120 4d 3e d1 d4 b4 7d 27 e2 bf 97 36 c2 bb 2c 51 3f |M>...}'...6..,Q?|
00000130 6c 5c 14 a4 4a d5 62 98 0a 3f 48 5d 77 dd 06 6e |l\..J.b..?H]w..n|
00000140 66 17 97 25 54 c6 e5 23 57 54 4c b4 bb 2f 95 df |f..%T..#WTL../..|
00000150 fb f3 e3 cd 12 b9 4b b6 33 53 12 0f c4 a1 f0 90 |......K.3S......|
00000160 3f c9 55 0e a8 41 df 7f 32 0f a4 fe f2 4e 0f 3e |?.U..A..2....N.>|
00000170 c3 fa 77 ee 03 60 bf 2f c2 ff ee e2 6d 6b cd 33 |..w..`./....mk.3|
00000180 aa 4b 1b 9d bf 9b ce d0 d8 c9 cd 08 5e 4c 96 37 |.K..........^L.7|
00000190 3d f9 bb eb 55 ea af c8 a0 d5 e7 1f 51 5e c1 1f |=...U.......Q^..|
000001a0 85 eb 08 37 62 6f 40 e3 d2 de cf a0 88 5e 4b 44 |...7bo@......^KD|
000001b0 18 9b 6d 81 e8 fd 9a b8 10 48 81 e2 90 a8 00 fe |..m......H......|
000001c0 ff ff 83 fe ff ff 02 00 00 00 b0 a3 20 03 00 fe |............ ...|
000001d0 ff ff 05 fe ff ff b2 a3 20 03 50 d4 5f 00 00 00 |........ .P._...|
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


========= Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive: =========

sdb

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

xz: (stdin): Compressed data is corrupt
xz: (stdin): Compressed data is corrupt
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in

[oldfred]

Added code tags to make it easier to review. You highlight the code and then click on the # in the edit panel above your message to auto add code tags.

You still have grub in sda2. All NTFS partitions have to have a NTFS pbr or partition boot sector.


sda2: _____________________________________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Grub2 (v1.99)
Boot sector info: Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the boot sector of sda2
and looks at sector 456380520 of the same hard drive
for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
for (,msdos5)/boot/grub on this drive. No errors found
in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /Windows/System32/winload.exe
/ubuntu/winboot/wubildr /ubuntu/winboot/wubildr.mbr
Even though partition table still says it is NTFS, Windows will often not see the partition to even repair it with grub installed to the PBR.

Did you try testdisk on sda2?

Fix for most, a few have other issues, better than windows fix in many cases as it also fixes other parameters:

This has instructions on using testdisk to repair the install of grub to the boot sector for windows from Ubuntu or Linux LiveCD.
http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/bootinfoscript/index.php?title=Boot_Problems:Boot_Sector
You want to get to this screen:
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step#NTFS_Boot_sector_recovery
[HowTo] Repair the bootsector of a Windows partition - YannBuntu
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1926510
Also check for /boot/grub in addition to /Boot

If not you have to use the Windows repairs to fix sda2 also, as that is your main c:.

[TheFlanman91]

Yeah unfortunately I've been to most of those links and used testdisk on sda2. This is what I get after following the testdisk instructions. It says that my boot sector is ok and not bad? So I'm confused as to what it is reading as "ok"? Any ideas how I can remove GRUB from sda2 while leaving the Windows boot loader there? Or is what I'm saying even possible. I'm a Linux newbie btw, not only that but I haven't done a lot of dabbling in OS's before either. Thanks a mil for the help! :)

http://i50.tinypic.com/29dx087.png

[oldfred]

It says it is ok because it is a valid grub boot entry, but it still is not a valid NTFS boot. You can look at the dump which compares current & backup. A Windows PBR has reference to ntldr if XP or bootmgr if Vista/7, most of it is boot related code.

Testdisk also has the Rebuild BS which will recreate a NTFS Partition Boot sector. But it is a XP type. That then let you repair it with a Windows repair CD where as long as it is grub, Window does not like it and repairs do not seem to work.

[TheFlanman91]

Ok so I used testdisk on sda2 to RebuildBCD and then wrote the BCD to sda2. I then used a Win7 Startup Recovery Disk and used


bootrec.exe /FixMbr

from the command prompt and ran startup repair to fix the Windows 7 boot. Now I'm booting Windows 7 but can't boot Ubuntu.. presumably because grub has been deleted or corrupted? Any ideas how to reinstall grub and what partition to install it to?

[drs305]

Since the Windows partition has been repaired, you should be able to install GRUB back to the drives's MBR.

From a LiveCD, mount the Ubuntu partition. Do not use the partition number in the second command, only the drive letter.


sudo mount /dev/sda5 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda

When you reboot you should see both Windows and Ubuntu items. If it only boots directly into Ubuntu, run this after it boots:

sudo update-grub
Watch the terminal output to see if Windows was located.

OR

Just use Boot Repair > Recommended button. Link in my signature line.

[TheFlanman91]

Excellent. Installed grub onto my ubuntu partition and everything solved. Used easyBCD to add the Windows 7 boot loader onto the MBR and added my Ubuntu boot to the boot loader. Set the grub timeout to 0 and the default boot to my Ubuntu boot to effectively get rid of having to use two boot loaders! :)

Thanks for the help!

[drs305]

Excellent. Installed grub onto my ubuntu partition and everything solved. Used easyBCD to add the Windows 7 boot loader onto the MBR and added my Ubuntu boot to the boot loader. Set the grub timeout to 0 and the default boot to my Ubuntu boot to effectively get rid of having to use two boot loaders! :)

Thanks for the help!

Glad it's now working. If you wouldn't mind please mark the therad SOLVED via the 'Thread Tools' link near the top right of the original post.

[darkod]

Excellent. Installed grub onto my ubuntu partition and everything solved. Used easyBCD to add the Windows 7 boot loader onto the MBR and added my Ubuntu boot to the boot loader. Set the grub timeout to 0 and the default boot to my Ubuntu boot to effectively get rid of having to use two boot loaders! :)

Thanks for the help!

Just a note, if you installed grub2 to the MBR you would have one bootloader also. In fact that's the preferred way to use it since grub2 doesn't fit onto a partition, it needs to be installed by forcing it with -f, and it can break during some updates later.

Unless you have a really valid reason to keep windows bootloader on the MBR, this solution is not really preferred.