10.10 Maverick - Grub won't recognize my Windows partition

**Buecai9ahd** · October 17th, 2010

Hi guys, n00b here.

I had Windows 7 ultimate installed on my netbook and installed Ubuntu 10.10 using the 'Install alongside other OS's' option which put windows onto another partition and created one for ubuntu.

Anyway I've tried reinstalling the grub but I never get a grub boot menu when I boot it up and the grub won't recognize the windows install

I've attached the results from the boot info tool erm don't know if I should be posting anything else but if anyone can help me it would be much appreciated

**Rubi1200** · October 17th, 2010

It looks like GRUB managed to get some files onto sda1; this is probably the cause of your troubles. I recommend you use a LiveCD and delete this from sda1:

/boot/grub/core.img

Windows does not like seeing 2 sets of files that begin with boot.

Then, reinstall GRUB:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Gr...0from%20LiveCD

Make sure you mount sda5 (the Ubuntu partition) and install GRUB to the MBR of sda.

Code:

                Boot Info Script 0.55    dated February 15th, 2010                    

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

 => Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the same drive in 
    partition #5 for (,msdos5)/boot/grub.

sda1: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files/dirs:   /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /boot/grub/core.img

sda2: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  Windows 7
    Boot files/dirs:   /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda3: _________________________________________________________________________

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

sda5: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Operating System:  Ubuntu 10.10
    Boot files/dirs:   /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda6: _________________________________________________________________________

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

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

Drive: sda ___________________ _____________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot         Start           End          Size  Id System

/dev/sda1    *          2,048       206,847       204,800   7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2             206,848   180,728,498   180,521,651   7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3         180,729,854   312,580,095   131,850,242   5 Extended
/dev/sda5         180,729,856   307,111,935   126,382,080  83 Linux
/dev/sda6         307,113,984   312,580,095     5,466,112  82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: ____________________________________________________________

Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL                         

/dev/sda1        78AE271DAE26D402                       ntfs       System Reserved               
/dev/sda2        78502F7F502F42EC                       ntfs                                     
/dev/sda3: PTTYPE="dos" 
/dev/sda5        12fdf0b1-fdb4-418f-8e26-1369be50413f   ext4                                     
/dev/sda6        d01c0778-8a17-4cda-b716-41dd16980609   swap                                     
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos" 
error: /dev/sdb: No medium found

============================ "mount | grep ^/dev  output: ===========================

Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options

/dev/sda5        /                        ext4       (rw,errors=remount-ro,commit=600)


=================== sda1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


    ??GB: boot/grub/core.img

=========================== 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 part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 12fdf0b1-fdb4-418f-8e26-1369be50413f
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=640x480
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 12fdf0b1-fdb4-418f-8e26-1369be50413f
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en
insmod gettext
if [ "${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
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-22-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 12fdf0b1-fdb4-418f-8e26-1369be50413f
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=12fdf0b1-fdb4-418f-8e26-1369be50413f ro   quiet splash
    initrd    /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-22-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 12fdf0b1-fdb4-418f-8e26-1369be50413f
    echo    'Loading Linux 2.6.35-22-generic ...'
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=12fdf0b1-fdb4-418f-8e26-1369be50413f ro single 
    echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
    initrd    /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
### 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 12fdf0b1-fdb4-418f-8e26-1369be50413f
    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 12fdf0b1-fdb4-418f-8e26-1369be50413f
    linux16    /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
if [ "x${timeout}" != "x-1" ]; then
  if keystatus; then
    if keystatus --shift; then
      set timeout=-1
    else
      set timeout=0
    fi
  else
    if sleep --interruptible 3 ; then
      set timeout=0
    fi
  fi
fi
### 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 -o value -s 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    nodev,noexec,nosuid 0       0
# / was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=12fdf0b1-fdb4-418f-8e26-1369be50413f /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# swap was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=d01c0778-8a17-4cda-b716-41dd16980609 none            swap    sw              0       0

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


 137.7GB: boot/grub/core.img
 127.2GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
  93.4GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
 137.7GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic
  93.4GB: initrd.img
 137.7GB: vmlinuz
=======Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive==============

sdb

**kansasnoob** · October 17th, 2010

Rubi1200 is correct:

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /boot/grub/core.img

Meierfra wrote a good explanation here:

http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawik...ore_On_Windows

Once you've done that simply running "sudo update-grub" should find Windows.