Vista won't boot after I installed Ubuntu + Grub

[theplague]

Hi guys,
I recently installed Ubuntu 9.04 on my laptop which had Windows Vista and now even though there is an entry on Grub to load Vista it won't work, when I try to load it, it will say "starting..." and then takes me back to the Grub screen. I´m posting my config here, do you think that you guys can help me?
Thanks a lot.

GRUB'S MENU.LST
=========================

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title        Windows Vista (loader)
rootnoverify    (hd0,0)
savedefault
chainloader    +1

MY PARTITION TABLE
=========================

Disk /dev/sda: 60.0 GB, 60011642880 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7296 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xd0f4738c

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1        3824    30716248+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2            3825        7296    27888840    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5            3825        6809    23976981    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6            6810        7267     3678853+  83  Linux
/dev/sda7            7268        7296      232911   82  Linux swap / Solaris

[Mark Phelps]

Did you use Ubuntu to shrink the Vista OS partition to make room? If so, you may need to boot from your Vista DVD and run Startup Repair several times to get Vista boot capability back?

[theplague]

I shrunk the secondary partition, not the primary Vista partition. I will use the DVD to see if it fixes it.
Thanks

[presence1960]

Let's get a better look at your setup. Boot into Ubuntu. Come back here and use the link in my signature to download the Boot Info Script 0.32 to the desktop. Once on desktop open a terminal and run this command

sudo bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script*.sh

This will create a RESULTS.txt file on the desktop. Paste the entire contents of that file back here. Once pasted highlight all text and click the # sign on the toolbar to place code tags around the text.

[theplague]

Using Vista's DVD and took care of it in less than 10 minutes, I think that I need to install easy BCD now to make sure I can boot both OS's now.
Thanks for the tip!

[presence1960]

You don't need to install Easy BCD, GRUB will boot both OSs. If you post the results of the boot info script I asked you to run I can show you how to configure GRUB. I boot 4 OSs off GRUB: Ubuntu 9.04, Sabayon 4.1. Masonux 9.04 and Windows XP.

Besides GRUB is way more configurable and can do a lot more than Easy BCD.

[theplague]

Here you go buddy...

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

=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows Vista
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /Windows/System32/winload.exe /grldr

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

sda5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sda5 starts
at sector 63.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sda6: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ext3
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System: Ubuntu 9.04
Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/menu.lst /etc/fstab

sda7: __________________________________________________ _______________________

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

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

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 60.0 GB, 60011642880 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7296 cylinders, total 117210240 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xd0f4738c

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 63 61,432,559 61,432,497 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 61,432,560 117,210,239 55,777,680 f W95 Ext d (LBA)
/dev/sda5 61,432,623 109,386,584 47,953,962 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6 109,386,648 116,744,354 7,357,707 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 116,744,418 117,210,239 465,822 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/sda1: UUID="64B4C8B6B4C88C4C" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda5: UUID="F4E8874BE8870AD6" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda6: UUID="503d0001-0b0f-4ec2-b116-f678d2beb5f0" SEC_TYPE="ext2" TYPE="ext3"
/dev/sda7: UUID="f8548ad3-677c-4dd6-b64e-e7fbe1e1e50c" TYPE="swap"

=============================== "mount" output: ===============================

proc on /proc type proc (rw)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw)
tmpfs on /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/volatile type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
tmpfs on /lib/modules/2.6.28-11-generic/volatile type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
tmpfs on /lib/init/rw type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,mode=0755)
varrun on /var/run type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,mode=0755)
varlock on /var/lock type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,mode=1777)
udev on /dev type tmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
tmpfs on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,noexec,nosuid,gid=5,mode=620)
rootfs on / type rootfs (rw)
/dev/sr0 on /cdrom type iso9660 (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0 on /rofs type squashfs (ro,noatime)
fusectl on /sys/fs/fuse/connections type fusectl (rw)
tmpfs on /tmp type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
binfmt_misc on /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc type binfmt_misc (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
gvfs-fuse-daemon on /home/ubuntu/.gvfs type fuse.gvfs-fuse-daemon (rw,nosuid,nodev,user=ubuntu)


=========================== sda6/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 6

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 5

## 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=503d0001-0b0f-4ec2-b116-f678d2beb5f0 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=503d0001-0b0f-4ec2-b116-f678d2beb5f0

## 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

## specify if running in Xen domU or have grub detect automatically
## update-grub will ignore non-xen kernels when running in domU and vice versa
## e.g. indomU=detect
## indomU=true
## indomU=false
# indomU=detect

## 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 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-15-generic
uuid 503d0001-0b0f-4ec2-b116-f678d2beb5f0
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-15-generic root=UUID=503d0001-0b0f-4ec2-b116-f678d2beb5f0 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-15-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-15-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 503d0001-0b0f-4ec2-b116-f678d2beb5f0
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-15-generic root=UUID=503d0001-0b0f-4ec2-b116-f678d2beb5f0 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-15-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
uuid 503d0001-0b0f-4ec2-b116-f678d2beb5f0
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=503d0001-0b0f-4ec2-b116-f678d2beb5f0 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 503d0001-0b0f-4ec2-b116-f678d2beb5f0
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=503d0001-0b0f-4ec2-b116-f678d2beb5f0 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+
uuid 503d0001-0b0f-4ec2-b116-f678d2beb5f0
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 Windows Vista (loader)
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
savedefault
chainloader +1


=============================== sda6/etc/fstab: ===============================

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'vol_id --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 defaults 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=503d0001-0b0f-4ec2-b116-f678d2beb5f0 / ext3 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda7 during installation
UUID=f8548ad3-677c-4dd6-b64e-e7fbe1e1e50c none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

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


56.5GB: boot/grub/menu.lst
56.6GB: boot/grub/stage2
56.6GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
56.8GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-15-generic
56.7GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic
56.8GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-15-generic
56.8GB: initrd.img
56.6GB: initrd.img.old
56.8GB: vmlinuz
56.7GB: vmlinuz.old

[baltadt]

GRUB'S MENU.LST
=========================

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title        Windows Vista (loader)
rootnoverify    (hd0,0)
savedefault
chainloader    +1

MY PARTITION TABLE

[/code]

I had the same problem when I was running ubuntu from a usb on a vista laptop. I don't no why it is giving you problems when booting from the HDD but this post solved my problem.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=282545

Although I am a noob so don't just take my word.

[presence1960]

you want to install GRUB to MBR of your disk. Do this:

1. Boot your computer up with Ubuntu CD
2. Open a terminal window or switch to a tty.
3. Type sudo grub. Should get text of which last line is grub>
4. Type "find /boot/grub/stage1". You'll get a response like "(hd0,5)". 
   Use whatever your computer spits out for the following lines.
5. Type "root (hd0,5)", or whatever your hard disk + boot partition 
   numbers are for Ubuntu.
6. Type "setup (hd0)", to install GRUB to MBR
7. Quit grub by typing "quit".
8. Reboot and remove the bootable CD.

Try booting Vista. It's entry in menu.lst looks good. When the GRUB menu comes up choose Vista.

[Arla]

I'm having similar issues, it's using the new Grub for 9.10 (which may or may not matter) after installing Ubuntu Vista wasn't on GRUB menu at all, running

sudo update-grub

Creates two Vista options (which makes sense, one for the actual Vista partition, and one for the recovery partition) the recovery one seems to work fine, the original just hangs with GRUB showing on the screen (top left corner).

I've attached the results of the boot script? Unfortunately trying to follow the instructions in the prior post (to reinstall/rerun grub) doesn't seem to work, probably due to the new version of grub.