what is this?

it tells you where grub is installed - in this case is on hd0 partition 4 IN GRUB language or /dev/sda5

peter b

k but my problem is i am not able to install windows after i installed ubuntu. it gives no hard disk error.
It seems that by using partition magic software can v install windows as dual.
any idea?

.......'but my problem is i am not able to install windows after i installed ubuntu'.....

pls run in a terminal

sudo fdisk -l

command (l is lower L) and post output here; we'll see how your HDD is set up then we can advise what's the best way to install win also (after ubuntu). in the meantime take a look at

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsDualBoot
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows

peter b

First install Windows and then Ubuntu. Regarding this, read the following site:

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/dualboot

Hope it helps.
Peter

pls help me to install windows.........
these are my partitions.......

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe2e8e2e8

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 19456 156280288+ f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 1 4012 32226327 e W95 FAT16 (LBA)
/dev/sda6 4013 9178 41495863+ e W95 FAT16 (LBA)
/dev/sda7 9179 14277 40957686 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda8 14278 19456 41600286 7 HPFS/NTFS

Sree,

Looking at fdisk -l command output above there is no indication that ubuntu/linux is installed on sda HDD.

all partitions listed are windows partitions - linux is installed on, usually, ext3 fs partitions and identified as Linux;

secondly, there is present on your sda HDD an extended partition sda1 that in turn has volumes/logical partitions sda5-sda8 all win partitions as you could see; there is no linux partition.

if you want to install win I must tell you that win requires/must be installed on the first primary partition of first HDD that is to say sda1, that partition must be a primary partition which as it stands now it is not. I must also tell you that win can be installed on other partitions but those are special cases and require special knowledge of win install procedure;

this site is dedicated to ubuntu so if you want to pursue installing win on the current HDD configuration I'd suggest to find answers on win dedicated sites.

after you installed windows (your desire) and decide that you'd like to have ubuntu installed too then we'll be more than happy to assist you;

regards,
peter b

I think poor peter is manic depressive. I bet he means well, but instead he tends to insult people. I truly don't know what the deal is with your hard drive, because like peter states it doesn't show a linux partition. I admit peter may know more than me, but I would like to know a few things like.

1. You sound like you have installed Ubuntu, but am I understanding you right?
2. If you have are you 100 percent sure you have and your not booting from a live cd?
3. Do you have more than one physical hard drive in your machine?

Like peter said, if you want to dual boot it is much easier to start with windows and then install unbuntu. I use to triple boot my comps with two versions of xp and 1 ubuntu. Ubuntu really should be installed last if you have the option. As a side note the reason I don't any more is, because VirtualBox works rather well at running xp under ubuntu.

Hi.

I am not sure what has happened since but it seems that you had Ubuntu installed on a Windows fat16 Partition. This may well have been able to boot properly. Ubuntu does prefer being on proper linux partitions such as ext3 such as the Ubuntu installer can set-up but i don't think Partition Magic can do so. Most linux's can cope with being installed in many different ways.

If you already had Windows installed on your drive but just can't access it at the moment then we might be able to help you fix it so that you get a menu (when you boot your machine up) that gives an option of booting into Windows or Ubuntu. Please let us know if this is the case.

Otherwise ...
If i were trying to install Windows and Ubuntu on this drive i would read through these guides.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootFromCD
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsDualBoot
Then i would
 1. Copy all the data from the different partitions onto a separate physical drive
 2. Unplug the separate drive so i couldn't accidentally damage my data.
 3. Install Windows to take up the whole drive
 4. Boot up from the Ubuntu Cd and install, letting it sort out the partitions
 5. plug my data drive back in and enjoy.