[Boot-Repair] Graphical tool to repair the PC boot in one click

[LightningHall]

Great Odin's Raven, I've really messed some things up.

I tried to dual boot Windows 8 and Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS and now I can't get into Windows! Grub loads up, and I can get into Ubuntu just nice and dandy, but just a black screen with Windows. I tried rEFIND, and easyBCD when I once got into Windows at the beginning of the expedition. I think I really messed something up with easyBCD. I disabled Secure Boot and Fast Boot in Windows.

I now have tried Boot Repair (great idea of a program by the way, I just really messed all things up me think), and here are the diagnostics http://paste.ubuntu.com/5682412/
I initially tried the automatic repair to no avail, and thus I am here.

I want Windows 8 and Ubuntu (probably not 12, typing on this site, there is some wonky stuff I'm going through). I also want the Windows 8 boot loader since it was really nice a purdy lookin' when I had it working 12 hours ago. But, if I have to settle for GRUB that's fine.

Right now, also, I have like 10 loaders in GRUB from all my failed attempts, I think.

Please I beg for some help. I've read so many forums my brain is fried. I can't seem to find my problem.

edit:
When I switched boot order to windows loader first it gave me the black screen loader and when I selected windows the screen goes like its about to load windows and just goes black. When I select Ubuntu it says "Windows failed to start... Insert your windows disk... Choose language... Click repair..." (I don't have a windows disk, although I see this as being the most feasible next step) File: \NST\AutoNeoGrub0.mbr. Status: 0x000007b Info: the OS couldn't load because a file is missing".

Switching boot order to Ubuntu first and grub (which there are 2 for some reason?) in BIOS. Loading "Windows Boot UEFI Loader" gives above windows loader black screen and results. "Windows 8 Loader on dev/sda4" yields "error unknown command 'drivemap' and error invalid EFI path". And the several other loaders that Boot Loader gave yields the same results.

My laptop is an ASUS A55V, intel core i5 3230M

[Oldpeter]

I downloaded the 64bit version on 8 May and was very disappointed with the result. Had been impressed by the old KDE version but this lubuntu version seemed something in development and not ready for release.

Grub was not appearing after an install so I still could only use W7. So I asked the Boot Repair disk o recctify and it presented me with a screen that terminal instructions with a request I copy and paste these instructions into a terminal which t also opened but the copy paste function did not work. So I tried to type in the instructions but it said it could not find something it was about to use (hope I had not made a typing mistake - couldn't pick one up but not sure. I opened up the web to email with my problem but could not see an option to email on the only page it would display and would not change to this forum, hotmail or yahoo. The only thing I was able to do was to use the web (pastebin) to record the situation on my machine

It was solved on a separate thread by using the following instructions


sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda

But will I have to repeat those instruction every time the kernal is updated?

Old Peter

[oldfred]

@LightningHall
It looks like you tried to install Wubi. Wubi does not work with gpt partitions, so any system with Windows pre-installed cannot use wubi as UEFI uses gpt.

Some Windows systems only boot with UEFI secure boot on. (All should work with it on or off).
Some Windows systems only boot the /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi (Not per UEFI standard).
Boot-Repair does a rename to make grub2's shim with the Microsoft signed key to be the bootmgfw.efi file and rename the original Windows file with bkp.. to chain load from grub menu.
menuentry "Windows UEFI bkpbootmgfw.efi" {

So with secure boot on both grub & Windows should boot.
Did you not turn off fast boot in UEFI?
And turn off quick boot or the always on hibernation in Windows? That often causes issues of trying to boot into Windows from grub.
Not sure if UEFI will let you directly boot the backed up Windows file, it it is only of the systems that only boots the Windows efi file. You can undo the rename function in Boot-Repair or restore the original Windows efi file to get back into Windows directly from UEFI menu.


To undo & to rename files to their original names, you just need to tick the "Restore EFI backups" option of Boot-Repair.
A user disabled secure boot, and unchecked it in boot-repair. It now bypasses Grub and goes straight in to Windows.


Windows UEFI install should have backup of bootmgfw.efi here:
C:\Windows\Boot\EFI\bootmgfw.efi from a working Windows x86_64 installation.

But if your system only boots bootmgrw.efi then you will not get grub menu.


WARNING for Windows 8 Dual-Booters
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1953674
It defaults shutdown to a hybrid hibernation/off state for fast boot
http://www.kapilarya.com/how-to-enab...p-in-windows-8
But then files may be corrupted similar to Windows 7 Hibernation:
http://ubuntu-with-wubi.blogspot.ca/...rid-sleep.html
http://superuser.com/questions/14472...te-w-dual-boot
http://www.eightforums.com/

[oldfred]

@Oldpeter
You should not have to. But if grub was not correctly installed to MBR in the first place it may have remembered to reinstall in that same wrong place.

If this is not the MBR of the drive that is sda:
#To see what drive grub2 uses see this line - grub-pc/install_devices:
sudo debconf-show grub-pc
sudo grub-probe -t device /boot/grub

Run this to change to sda as default. Above command then should show the drive that is sda.

#to get grub2 to remember where to reinstall on updates:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure grub-pc
#Enter thru first pages,spacebar to choose/unchoose drive, enter to accept, do not choose partitions

[LightningHall]

@oldfred

I started from scratch and reinstalled Ubuntu 12.04.2 LTS (64-bit) from installation disk. I ran Boot-Repair a couple of times, and here are my results http://paste.ubuntu.com/5684516/

I followed instructions from here https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UE...or_Legacy_mode and it seems that I am in EFI but have a gpt partition?? I am by no means an expert on any of this stuff, but I'm competent enough to do it. I've dual booted before, but it seems W8 likes to make a mess of things.

I have CSM enabled which I understand is the ASUS Legacy and I can't get into Windows. I disabled and still can't get into Windows. All I get is a black screen after selecting windows in the windows boot screen. Also same error as before when I select Ubuntu.

I've run Boot-repair several times to no avail. Windows will still not load. Nothing. I've tried a recovery disk for Windows and get can't access partition it's locked jargon. I've tried these steps here http://www.techspot.com/guides/630-windows-8-boot-fix/

Wubi doesn't seem to be the issue? Ubuntu works wonderfully.

My system doesn't boot "Windows UEFI bkbootmgfw.efi". It takes me to windows boot loader, but gives me black screen when I select windows.

My problem is the step that the computer takes to go from boot loader to windows. I really don't want to resort to go to Best Buy and pay them money. I like figuring this stuff out and learning about it, but am stuck. Stuck stuck stuck, and frustrated.

I just want Windows 8 and Ubuntu using either GRUB or Windows 8 Boot Loader UEFI (I think).

Also secure boot on or off, still can't get Windows to load.

So with secure boot on both grub & Windows should boot.
Did you not turn off fast boot in UEFI?
And turn off quick boot or the always on hibernation in Windows? That often causes issues of trying to boot into Windows from grub.
Not sure if UEFI will let you directly boot the backed up Windows file, it it is only of the systems that only boots the Windows efi file. You can undo the rename function in Boot-Repair or restore the original Windows efi file to get back into Windows directly from UEFI menu.

fast boot is off.

To undo & to rename files to their original names, you just need to tick the "Restore EFI backups" option of Boot-Repair.
A user disabled secure boot, and unchecked it in boot-repair. It now bypasses Grub and goes straight in to Windows.

secure boot disabled, and unchecked in boot repair. Still no Windows start.

Windows UEFI install should have backup of bootmgfw.efi here:
C:\Windows\Boot\EFI\bootmgfw.efi from a working Windows x86_64 installation.

But if your system only boots bootmgrw.efi then you will not get grub menu.

tried restoring back to C:\Windows\Boot\EFI\bootmgfw.efi. And still no Windows start.

Thank you.

[LightningHall]

blargh

[oldfred]

@LightningHall
Because Boot-Repair renames files, that may be why you cannot boot Windows directly from UEFI menu. But some systems need Windows repairs as the hibernation causes a lock up.

Since you have a pre-installed Windows it is UEFI with gpt partitioning. It will only boot with UEFI. The questions then become, will it boot with secure boot off like it should and will it boot any efi file like it should or just the Windows efi file.

Both Ubuntu & Windows have to be booted in the same mode either UEFI or BIOS. And with Windows in UEFI mode you really need Ubuntu in UEFI mode. CSM is legacy or BIOS boot which will not work for Windows at all, unless you want to buy a new copy and install in BIOS/MBR mode. UEFI has your Windows license number in UEFI not on bottom of computer, so you have no BIOS license.
Compatibility Support Module (CSM), which emulates a BIOS mode

This file is your Windows boot file renamed. If you cannot boot it directly from Windows then you have a system that only boots. bootmgfw.efi. You can use Boot-Repairs unrename or restore function to see if then you can boot Windows in UEFI mode.
/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bkpbootmgfw.efi

I think your hibernation may have locked up system if you had not turned it off. You need to be in UEFI mode, and see if it then will boot the Windows efi or if you then can do repairs.
Do you have a backup of the efi partition and your Windows install? Or do you have one of the systems with a one key restore?

[LightningHall]

Both Ubuntu & Windows have to be booted in the same mode either UEFI or BIOS. And with Windows in UEFI mode you really need Ubuntu in UEFI mode. CSM is legacy or BIOS boot which will not work for Windows at all, unless you want to buy a new copy and install in BIOS/MBR mode. UEFI has your Windows license number in UEFI not on bottom of computer, so you have no BIOS license.
Compatibility Support Module (CSM), which emulates a BIOS mode

Disabled CSM
Tried to boot Windows with system boot override "Windows Boot Manager": black screen. Ubuntu option still gives "required file is missing or contains errors".

This file is your Windows boot file renamed. If you cannot boot it directly from Windows then you have a system that only boots. bootmgfw.efi. You can use Boot-Repairs unrename or restore function to see if then you can boot Windows in UEFI mode.
/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bkpbootmgfw.efi

I can't find "unrename (or similar)" option. Repair Windows Boot files option is blurred out under Other Options tab, as well as MBR options tab.

I think your hibernation may have locked up system if you had not turned it off. You need to be in UEFI mode, and see if it then will boot the Windows efi or if you then can do repairs.
Do you have a backup of the efi partition and your Windows install? Or do you have one of the systems with a one key restore?

I don't think I've hibernated ever. There is a 20 gb pre-installed Windows backup partition.

With all that being said...
SUCCESS (kind of) I finally got Windows to boot on "Windows Boot UEFI Recovery" option in GRUB.

Now, how do I get rid of all the extra boot things? Do I always have to use grub or can I use Windows UEFI?

Putting Windows Boot Loader first in boot order yields all results previous. Black screen and Ubuntu error in windows black booter screen.

Once windows was started, I did the "shift + restart" option in charm bar and selected option start other OS, and selected Ubuntu which led me to GRUB. So windows and grub communicate, but not windows and windows when using windows.

Here are the results of the (successful?) boot repair http://paste.ubuntu.com/5684702/

[oldfred]

So it looks like you can boot without secure boot and either Windows or ubuntu from UEFI directly.

Windows 8 is always hibernated. See my post above.


efi Menu cleanup (# is comment)
Grub menu

# I add this line to grub configuration or turn off the execute bit on 30_os-prober
gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub
GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=true
#or turn off executable bit
sudo chmod a-x /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober
# Then do:
sudo update-grub
#Or one liner
sudo echo GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=true >> /etc/default/grub
sudo update-grub
# Edit descriptions used by Boot-Repair or remove entire boot stanza
sudo cp -a /etc/grub.d/25_custom /etc/grub.d/bkup25_custom
gksudo gedit /etc/grub.d/25_custom
#Then do:
sudo update-grub

[LightningHall]

So it looks like you can boot without secure boot and either Windows or ubuntu from UEFI directly.

Windows 8 is always hibernated. See my post above.

Yes, sorry.

efi Menu cleanup (# is comment)
Grub menu

# I add this line to grub configuration or turn off the execute bit on 30_os-prober
gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub
GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=true
#or turn off executable bit
sudo chmod a-x /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober
# Then do:
sudo update-grub
#Or one liner
sudo echo GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=true >> /etc/default/grub
sudo update-grub
# Edit descriptions used by Boot-Repair or remove entire boot stanza
sudo cp -a /etc/grub.d/25_custom /etc/grub.d/bkup25_custom
gksudo gedit /etc/grub.d/25_custom
#Then do:
sudo update-grub

I went into grub.cfg and commented out unwanted loaders. Safe work around? Or should I do your method?

This is so wonderful! Thank you so much for your help. I am truly grateful.

However,

When (if?) I want to remove the Ubuntu partition and just have Windows 8, will I run into the problem of not being able to boot Windows? Or we'll just cross that bridge when we get there scenario? this would be with grub and everything removed.