Win XP lost:(

[Liliabl]

I just installed Ubuntu 8.04.1, earlier today and it let me see both Windows XP and Ubuntu in the demo from the live disk. I think I selected Ubuntu as the only OS by mistake because I can no longer see anything for windows XP. I used the second guided version, and later read that one replaces one OS for the other >.< Only Unbuntu is displaying. I tried to use the Microsoft Windows XP home CD that came with my computer, to get it back, but it is not reading it at all. I tried the recovery CD and it went straight to Ubuntu as well:(

I tried the terminal and the only thing that it gave a response to was the command df -h. fdisk -l is just blank, waiting for another command.

1. Can anyone help me get XP back so I can have both Please?!?!?!?!??!?

2. In Ubuntu I can't get any audio or video from imeem, or youtube,
which is why I wanted to use XP. Does anyone know what is up with
that? I downloaded all three of the drivers listed.

3. How do I uninstall Ubuntu? I was thinking that if I took it off and
there was no OS then my PC would have to read my reboot disks, I
could get XP back, and then I could install Ubuntu again...

4. What happened with all the space I left partitioned for XP? I know I
left 90% to XP and gave 10% to Ubuntu.


Thanks in advance:)

[bulldog]

Can you post the output of
sudo fdisk -lu from a terminal?

[Liliabl]

It asks for a sudo password...is that my Ubuntu password?

[Liliabl]

wow it is!! here is the reply:

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19452 cylinders, total 312500000 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe686f016

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 63 80324 40131 de Dell Utility
/dev/sda2 * 80325 271321784 135620730 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 302760990 312496379 4867695 db CP/M / CTOS / ...
/dev/sda4 271321785 302760989 15719602+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 271321848 301347269 15012711 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 301347333 302760989 706828+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order
lilia@FreeMangos-desktop:~$

[bulldog]

It seems there's a windows environment on sda2 and a Dell partition on sda1,on sda3 I'm not sure what's there,maybe you know what it means.

To try to start your windows,you'll have to create an entry in your menu.lst.
If there's no damage done to your windows partition it should work.
If you can boot ubuntu,post your menu.lst.

cat /boot/grub/menu.lst then we can have a look if there's a windows entry,and if not,we ,make one.:)

[Liliabl]

I will write the windows environment stuff down and check it later...I can't get into windows at all now...But ur advice seems to be working!!!!Here is what I got:
lilia@FreeMangos-desktop:~$ cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=fce7f751-52ac-443c-828c-a245b308fabc ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,4)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=fce7f751-52ac-443c-828c-a245b308fabc ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, kernel 2.6.24-19-generic (recovery mode)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-19-generic root=UUID=fce7f751-52ac-443c-828c-a245b308fabc ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-19-generic

title Ubuntu 8.04.1, memtest86+
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Dell Utility Partition
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Windows XP Media Center Edition
root (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

lilia@FreeMangos-desktop:~$

[bulldog]

Don't understand your problem I think.
I see a windows entry in your menu.lst,so it should be in GRUB as well.
In my opinion you can start windows from GRUB,did you try that?
Maybe you have to scroll down a little in GRUB in order to see your windows entry.
If you want to boot windows by default,instead of ubuntu,it can be done by changing a little thing in menu.lst.

[Liliabl]

I see it in what I sent u as well, so thank god it is there! But I can't get to it. When I turn on my computer it only lets me select from 3 options of Ubuntu generic, reboot mode, and something else, but it does not list Windows XP. Can u please tell me how to start windows from GRUB and maybe that will do it!:)

[bulldog]

Well it should be there,because GRUB reads your menu.lst and let you choose from all the entry's in menu.lst.
Take a closer look at GRUB,is there a scroll-bar at the right side?
If so,use your up and down arrow keys to scroll down.

If not,try to change this part in menu.lst
## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0
Change the zero into a four.
In order do to so,you need to open your menu.lst as root.

gksu gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst
Save the file and reboot, and see if GRUB will start your windows,you'll have to wait 10 seconds though.

If that won't work we can reinstall GRUB and see if it will find your menu.lst and your windows entry at all.

[Liliabl]

Ok so I tried the code, changed the number to a 4 and rebooted. I choose the "e" to edit the command line and somehow it took me to (hd0, 1) and it did testing for windows xp completed 3 out of 3 tests and then took me to Ubuntu. I rebooted again and it will just take me to (hdo, 4) and nothing appears for XP...I guess we can reinstall the GRUB like u said b4, how do I do that? Im kinda clueless about it...

[caljohnsmith]

So on start up, you don't see the option to boot either "Dell Utility Partition" or "Windows XP Media Center Edition" at all? How about moving those entries just above the line in your menu.lst that says:

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
Reboot, and let me know if you see either entry in your Grub menu. Also, I wouldn't recommend booting the "Dell Utility Partition", because that is your recovery partition; if you boot that and go through all the steps, it will likely erase Ubuntu and restore just Windows to your computer.