12.04 Grub Problem

[oldfred]

Most prefer Boot-Repair as if it is just repair the MBR, all you have to do is click on the automatic repair. All the other options are for more complicated issues.

I may have posted before a dd way of copying the MBR, but find dd so dangerous that I will not suggest that. It is just too easy to repair. If you do not want to use Boot-Repair you can type two lines from a current version Ubuntu liveCD if you know the partition you have grub installed into. If you have a separate /boot you have to also mount that first. Example below uses sda5, change to your partition.

#Comments are anything after the #, enter commands in terminal session
#Install MBR from LiveCD/usb, Ubuntu install on sda5 and want grub2's bootloader in drive sda's MBR:
#Find linux partition, change sda5 if not correct:
sudo fdisk -l
#confirm that linux is sda5
sudo mount /dev/sda5 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sda
# The above command should work but they now suggest this command for grub 1.99 with Natty 11.04 or later - uses boot not root.:
sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda


# If no errors on previous commands reboot into working system and run this:
sudo update-grub

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Gr..._Broken_System
#How to restore the Ubuntu/XP/Vista/7 bootloader (Updated for Ubuntu 9.10)
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708
#Reinstall grub2 - Short version
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Gr...ing%20GRUB%202

[YannBuntu]

Hello


Tutorial: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Info

This tutorial will not change your boot.
It will just create a report , so that we can advise you correctly.

[3dmatrix]

Starting Status :

http://paste.ubuntu.com/1215562/
------------------------------------
After Xp ruined grub :

http://paste.debian.net/191515/
------------------------------------
After Boot Repair successfully repaired.

http://paste.debian.net/191518/
------------------------------------

[YannBuntu]

Is your problem solved now?
If yes, please use the thread tools to mark it as [Solved].

[oldfred]

I do not see any real difference in boot script reports. Often the issue was Windows writing into the sectors after the MBR but before the first partition. Grub2's core image is in that area and then they conflict.

[3dmatrix]

Of course the problem is not solved and that is why i am still here
So what can be done for this problem ? I do not wish to use an Xp or Boot Repair Cd every time i have to change from Linux 2 Xp.

[YannBuntu]

ok.
Your boot.ini file (in sda1) is strange. Try to remove '/numproc=502' in it, and tell us if that fixes the problem.

[3dmatrix]

ok.
Your boot.ini file (in sda1) is strange. Try to remove '/numproc=502' in it, and tell us if that fixes the problem.

That did not help.
Had to again use boot repair CD to to repair grub and then come back to Ununtu.

One very strange behaviour that i have been seeing since a very lang time, when ever i kept booting and rebooting in to Linux partition the boot menu was displayed once. But when i used to boot from Linux to Xp or the other way the boot menu used to be displayed twice but the booting used to suceed. But that was before i upgraded to 12.04. After that it could not boot in to Xp at all.

Even now when i try to boot in to Xp and it corrupts Grub and i have to use boot repair cd, the boot repair cd also displays the boot menu TWICE. I opt for 32 bit and then the screen goes blank and then it again shows the boot menu and i again opt for 32 bit ! And then it boots in to the Cd.

[oldfred]

What system is this?

There just about has to be some program in the back ground in Windows that is checking MBR or writing into the few sectors just after the MBR.

[3dmatrix]

What system is this?

There just about has to be some program in the back ground in Windows that is checking MBR or writing into the few sectors just after the MBR.

Well, its a simple Xp install. Earlier there were many more applications but after i formated it last now i just have an antivirus (avg), phone manager, etc. In fact i visit xp just for that phone manager and such applications. And all these applications were present earlier also when there was no problem except grub menu being displayed twice. But since i upgraded to 12.04 it had all this problem. I was advised to have a clean install of 12.04 i did that too but the problem did not get solved. I formated the xp partition and installed xp and then Ubuntu 12.04 again but the problem remained.

In fact when the windows starts it just says somthing like - last shutdown was improper and so do you wish to boot in safe mode / commad prompt / normal boot . . . . what ever i choose (i do not even see the Xp logo) the booting gets ruined. And every boot after that the screen just flickers as if looking for somthing . . . till i reinstall grub with a boot repair disk.