GRUB and dual boot.

[Kashic]

First off, I am not too skilled with unix/linux OS, but I know some stuff. I have a laptop with W7 and Mandriva on it. It had GRUB from the mandriva install I guess. Anyways, i deleted that partition, and made a new one getting ready for a new ubuntu install.

Whenever I turn on the laptop, it gets a GRUB Loading .... Error 17. And it wont do anything.

I read somewhere to try to use a live usb to be able to change the HDA? When I did this with my W7 Desktop (other PC completely) the flash drive didn't do anything, it said there was no bootable OS. I had used http://www.pendrivelinux.com/univers...easy-as-1-2-3/ Pendrives usb installer. I put the USB back into my desktop, and it won't read, I assume since the MBR changed? I tried to use another flash drive, and it got errors during the process, 202 errors in pendrive. Then it wouldnt recognize that now. I have no access to my laptop. How can I fix my GRUB or get past it? Now I can't read either USB device on my desktop.

Thank you in advance for any and all help!

[Jacob-Gates]

can you go into the motherboard bios at all? if so, set it to boot with a cd/dvd first and put a live cd in. When you install ubuntu with dual boot it will create a new grub.

[Kashic]

I was able to load a dvd ubuntu, and am installing it to see if it reloads a GRUb. Thanks for the info. Will come back with updates if it doesnt work.

[Kashic]

Awesome Jacob!! I now have a new grub menu.

One last question, how can I make the USB drives readable on Windows again? Changing the MBR?

[oldfred]

Installer flash drives are usually formatted FAT32. Windows should read that without issue. But do not use FAT32 on large drives or newer larger flash drives as NTFS is better as it has journal.

Windows only reads first partition on flash drives.