I can't boot windows after installing ubuntu

[rocktheartsm4l]

If you are having a similar issue I suggest you read through this thread to make sure you have the same issue as I did. Throughout the thread there are two working solutions; one that requires a win7 repair disk and one that can all be done from the linux terminal.

Thanks to darkod I was pointed to this link which fixed my problem in a very easy step by step manner.

http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawik...ms:Boot_Sector

MY ORIGINAL POST:
Hi,

I'm currently dual booting windows and linux.
When i first installed ubuntu (after windows 7) everything worked fine except I accidentally installed the boot files to my usb flash drive for ubuntu,
The only way i could boot ubuntu was to push f10 while my pc was starting up and select boot from my usb drive.
So i started the process of trying to get a grub menu when my pc powered on.
Now i got my grub working but the menu never popped up. So I used the repair tool and now a grub menu appears. However, it wont display a windows partition!
Here is the URL the repair tool gave me.

http://paste.ubuntu.com/1637400/


I need to be able to boot windows. I'm hoping I didn't somehow delete my boot partition.

[Bufeu]

Please post the output of following commands:

cat /boot/grub/grub.cfg

df -h

sudo fdisk -l

cat /proc/partitions

[rocktheartsm4l]

shane@SS-DeskTop:~$ cat /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 video_bochs
  insmod video_cirrus
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3240cac4-ed9e-4d8a-88b5-a6533dd8cd3d
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=640x480
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  insmod part_msdos
  insmod ext2
  set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3240cac4-ed9e-4d8a-88b5-a6533dd8cd3d
  set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
  set lang=en_US
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${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
if background_color 44,0,30; then
  clear
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
function gfxmode {
    set gfxpayload="${1}"
    if [ "${1}" = "keep" ]; then
        set vt_handoff=vt.handoff=7
    else
        set vt_handoff=
    fi
}
if [ "${recordfail}" != 1 ]; then
  if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
    if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
      if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
        set linux_gfx_mode=keep
      else
        set linux_gfx_mode=text
      fi
    else
      set linux_gfx_mode=text
    fi
  else
    set linux_gfx_mode=keep
  fi
else
  set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
if [ "${linux_gfx_mode}" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-32-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
    insmod gzio
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3240cac4-ed9e-4d8a-88b5-a6533dd8cd3d
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-32-generic root=UUID=3240cac4-ed9e-4d8a-88b5-a6533dd8cd3d ro   quiet splash $vt_handoff
    initrd    /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-32-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-32-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    insmod gzio
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3240cac4-ed9e-4d8a-88b5-a6533dd8cd3d
    echo    'Loading Linux 3.2.0-32-generic ...'
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-32-generic root=UUID=3240cac4-ed9e-4d8a-88b5-a6533dd8cd3d ro recovery nomodeset 
    echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
    initrd    /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-32-generic
}
submenu "Previous Linux versions" {
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-29-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
    insmod gzio
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3240cac4-ed9e-4d8a-88b5-a6533dd8cd3d
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-29-generic root=UUID=3240cac4-ed9e-4d8a-88b5-a6533dd8cd3d ro   quiet splash $vt_handoff
    initrd    /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-29-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-29-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    insmod gzio
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3240cac4-ed9e-4d8a-88b5-a6533dd8cd3d
    echo    'Loading Linux 3.2.0-29-generic ...'
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-29-generic root=UUID=3240cac4-ed9e-4d8a-88b5-a6533dd8cd3d ro recovery nomodeset 
    echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
    initrd    /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-29-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/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###

### 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 ###

shane@SS-DeskTop:~$ df -h
Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda5       317G  3.2G  298G   2% /
udev            2.0G  4.0K  2.0G   1% /dev
tmpfs           787M  920K  786M   1% /run
none            5.0M     0  5.0M   0% /run/lock
none            2.0G   80K  2.0G   1% /run/shm

shane@SS-DeskTop:~$ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for shane: 

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa239f0c9

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048      206847      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2          206848  1270138151   634965652    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3      1270138878  1953523711   341692417    5  Extended
/dev/sda5      1270138880  1945182207   337521664   83  Linux
/dev/sda6      1945184256  1953523711     4169728   82  Linux swap / Solaris

shane@SS-DeskTop:~$ cat /proc/partitions
major minor  #blocks  name

  11        0    1048575 sr0
   8        0  976762584 sda
   8        1     102400 sda1
   8        2  634965652 sda2
   8        3          1 sda3
   8        5  337521664 sda5
   8        6    4169728 sda6

[Bufeu]

Tried run grub-update?
On startup, hold SHIFT from when you see the BIOS load screen to bring the GRUB menu up.
To make GRUB show at booot: http://askubuntu.com/questions/87409.../106706#106706

[rocktheartsm4l]

I've tried update-grub. I already got the grub menu to display using the repair-tool. So that isn't my issue. My issue is that in the grub menu there is no windows boot. only 2 ubuntu option and a previous ubuntu version option.

Just trying to track down the issue so that I can ask the question or search forums for the right topic: Is there a way to verify that my windows 7 boot is still intact? Or is that part of the results you had me post above?

If my windows 7 boot is still intact I won't need a recovery disk, correct?

and if it's not this is going to be much more complicated?

I've been browsing forums but I'm scared to try things because I dont want to mess my system up worst.

[Bufeu]

I've tried update-grub. I already got the grub menu to display using the repair-tool. So that isn't my issue. My issue is that in the grub menu there is no windows boot. only 2 ubuntu option and a previous ubuntu version option.

Just trying to track down the issue so that I can ask the question or search forums for the right topic: Is there a way to verify that my windows 7 boot is still intact? Or is that part of the results you had me post above?

If my windows 7 boot is still intact I won't need a recovery disk, correct?

and if it's not this is going to be much more complicated?

I've been browsing forums but I'm scared to try things because I dont want to mess my system up worst.

Run update-grub, then use the solution I linked to get the GRUB menu appear at boot.

[rocktheartsm4l]

Run update-grub, then use the solution I linked to get the GRUB menu appear at boot.

As I just stated. My issue is not getting the grub menu to run at boot. It does. When i start my computer the grub menu pops up. I get the options: Ubuntu, Ubuntu (recovery), and previous versions of ubuntu. There is no option to run windows 7. I can run update-grub all day and nothing is going to change.

and by the way thank you for trying to help me I really appreciate this.

[Bufeu]

As I just stated. My issue is not getting the grub menu to run at boot. It does. When i start my computer the grub menu pops up. I get the options: Ubuntu, Ubuntu (recovery), and previous versions of ubuntu. There is no option to run windows 7. I can run update-grub all day and nothing is going to change.

and by the way thank you for trying to help me I really appreciate this.

Hmm... so there's no different after running grub-update? Strange.... According to your outputs, Ubuntu finds the Windows partitions, so GRUB should do the same. Can you mount the Windows partition?

sudo -s
cd /
mkdir win_partition
mount /dev/sda2 win_partition
cd win_partition

Can you see your files?

[arpanaut]

I looks to me that something has overwritten essential boot files that are usually in the first partition of Win 7 installations. ( see: pastbin link /dev/sda1) which shows grub legacy there. So grub-prober does not see the files it is looking for to make a proper entry for win7

I think that you will need to repair the windows boot files, then probably reinstall grub into the mbr of your drive.

Sorry I do not run win7 or 8 so I can't be much help with fixing there.

[rocktheartsm4l]

shane@SS-DeskTop:~$ sudo -s
[sudo] password for shane: 
root@SS-DeskTop:~# cd /
root@SS-DeskTop:/# mkdir win_partition
root@SS-DeskTop:/# mount /dev/sda2 win_partition
root@SS-DeskTop:/# cd win_partition
root@SS-DeskTop:/win_partition# ls
BnetLog.txt              masm32               Recovery
comcastrelease.log       Nexon                $Recycle.Bin
D2XP_IX86_112a_113c.mpq  NVIDIA               RHDSetup.log
Documents and Settings   pagefile.sys         Riot Games
extensions               PerfLogs             System Volume Information
hiberfil.sys             ProgramData          TempEI4
hla                      Program Files        user.js
Intel                    Program Files (x86)  Users
IRST.log                 realtek.log          Windows
root@SS-DeskTop:/win_partition#

I noticed as I was looking at the outputs you asked me for a comment that said, the grub boot menu was easy to edit. Do you think I need to add the option to boot from my windows partition to the menu? and if so how would I go about doing this?