I can't boot Windows after installing Ubuntu 8.04

sure you can mount windows volumes read-write under Ubuntu concerning grub can you post your grub menu list?

please paste the output of

sudo fdisk -l (small L)
sudo cat /etc/fstab

Hi, Melzy,

i think it is better to use a windows installation cd, to remove the grub. and use a grub recoverer to solv u r problem.
u can download it from this http://supergrub.forjamari.linex.org/?section=download

Karthik

This is my menu.lst:

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=a09576a6-4308-47da-9572-a186fa0b8de8 ro

## Setup crashdump menu entries
## e.g. crashdump=1
# crashdump=0

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd1,0)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-generic root=UUID=a09576a6-4308-47da-9572-a186fa0b8de8 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-16-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu (recovery mode)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24-16-generic root=UUID=a09576a6-4308-47da-9572-a186fa0b8de8 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.24-16-generic

title Ubuntu (memtest86+)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Windows
root (hd1,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

Here is the output of
"sudo fdisk -l (small L)":
Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x3be20cf7

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 11279 90598536 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 11280 30401 153597465 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 41.1 GB, 41110142976 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4998 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe4eae4ea

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 4787 38451546 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 4788 4998 1694857+ 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 4788 4998 1694826 82 Linux swap / Solaris

This is the output of "sudo cat /etc/fstab":
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# /dev/sdb1
UUID=a09576a6-4308-47da-9572-a186fa0b8de8 / ext3 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# /dev/sdb5
UUID=f603266a-b017-478a-9806-3435e3304e41 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0

About the "use windows installation cd, to remove the grub", how do I do this without damaging my windows? Do I choose the setup (which I think will wipe my Windows) or the repair mode (and what I do in the repair console)?

"sure you can mount windows volumes read-write under Ubuntu?"

Yes. I absolutely can.

Reinstall grub from live CD

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=224351

or change

title Windows
root (hd1,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

to

title Windows
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

and try...

OMG!! I can't do it?! O_O? I followed the thread. Entered grub and attempted to enter root(hd0,0). The terminal responded and said that it didn't exist. I tried changing the numbers but to no avail. Isn't that same as saying that my disks are not available? O_O

By the way, I haven't told the full details on my harddisks. I'm not sure if their history matters:

I have two harddisks: 1 for Windows and 1 for Ubuntu (Feisty Fawn). Way, way back the two OS coexisted harmoniously in my PC. Every time I reformat Windows, I can fix the grub eventually. But then I decided to have a new PC. Everything in my new PC is new except for the Ubuntu harddisk which I transferred from my old one. As expected my grub wouldn't work. I tried doing what I used to do but just couldn't fix it. For months it was left like that with my Windows the only one working. Recently, I learned I will be needing Ubuntu again and so just decided to reinstall Ubuntu (Hardy Heron this time). And here we are now, the reverse: with only my Ubuntu working.

Am I hopeless? Should I just reinstall both OS? T_T

Thanks for all the suggestions guys.

I have a two disk setup, with Ubuntu on /dev/sda and Windows on /dev/sdb
Grub is installed on /dev/sda
My grub entry to boot windows is :

title Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root (hd1,0)
savedefault
makeactive
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1

Melzy wrote:
> Question #40026 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/40026
>
> Melzy gave more information on the question:
> About the "use windows installation cd, to remove the grub", how do I do
> this without damaging my windows? Do I choose the setup (which I think
> will wipe my Windows) or the repair mode (and what I do in the repair
> console)?
>
> Dear Mezly,
you just start the normal installation from u r windows xp cd and then
go till partition manager, the windows installation will remove the GRUB
and restores the Windosws BOOT LOADER. then use the link and download
the grub resotrer to restore the grub from the linux partition.

Thank you guys for all your suggestions. Both my Ubuntu and Windows are now back to normal. I tried so many things but I think what helped me was to a) make windows' hd as the 1st hd and b) fix grub using live cd.

I had about 150 GB of free space on my laptop before I installed Ubuntu, however, after installation was complete I couldn't log back into windows. I get the 'error 13' message that says windows vista/longhorn is not there or it has been corrupted. Also, in Ubuntu, I'm showing only 5GB of free space available. What happened to windows and the rest of the free space. Please help?

<email address hidden>

my version of Ubuntu is 8.10