Ubuntu 11 no boot loader appears

If you hold shift at boot, do you see the boot loader?

Do this first
At ubuntu, check your /boot/grub/grub.cfg if there is an entry for windows
and get back to us

When I hold Shift key at startup, boot loader does not appear. I get the HP splash screen for the ESC, F9, F10. ESC key here just gives the choice of HDD or optical drive order.

The /boot/grub/grub.cfg entry is as follows>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

#
# 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='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 7e018724-b2ff-455b-9b59-48faaa2d75dd
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 7e018724-b2ff-455b-9b59-48faaa2d75dd
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en_US
insmod gettext
if [ "${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 ###
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 2.6.38-8-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
 recordfail
 set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ext2
 set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 7e018724-b2ff-455b-9b59-48faaa2d75dd
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=7e018724-b2ff-455b-9b59-48faaa2d75dd ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-8-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
 recordfail
 set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ext2
 set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 7e018724-b2ff-455b-9b59-48faaa2d75dd
 echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.38-8-generic ...'
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic root=UUID=7e018724-b2ff-455b-9b59-48faaa2d75dd ro single
 echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-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/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ext2
 set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 7e018724-b2ff-455b-9b59-48faaa2d75dd
 linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ext2
 set root='(/dev/sda,msdos5)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 7e018724-b2ff-455b-9b59-48faaa2d75dd
 linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)" --class windows --class os {
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ntfs
 set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root F454248B54245322
 chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Windows Recovery Environment (loader) (on /dev/sda3)" --class windows --class os {
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ntfs
 set root='(/dev/sda,msdos3)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 34E84441E8440418
 drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
 chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### 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 ###

end of code>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

See if this helps.
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/155990

It won't let me edit. It's read only.

In gnome, use "gksudo gedit...."
in kde , use "kdesudo kate....."

so at terminal,
gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub"

change the line from
#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480
to
GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

Save. (this is important)

Back at terminal,
sudo update-grub

Yes that worked great. Now I see why Linux is much more secure than Windows.

Good. Have a good weekend.