Ubuntu
grub2 package

Ubuntu 11.04 on 2 separate partitions running along side windows 7 nothing working

Asked by Cary Devlin

Dell 1520 lap top with Windows 7 premium on main partition and Ubuntu 11.04 running on separate partitions as a dual boot.
   I had natty on one partition and had major problems with wireless and wired connections.
Downloaded Natty again and with hekp from you all, I got the wired and wireless connection working correctly.
System still seemed a little buggy, (the Natty version that worked), I decided to delete the duplicate partition that had no network connection.
  When I did that, I lost all computer functionality except for "grub error" coming up on the screen when I rebooted the computer.
   I tried re-downloading Natty and Lucid witn no luck.
I cannot access windows at all.
When I put an IsO disk to do a fresh download, it wants to install and inevitably I get error messages like basic packages cannot be installed, installation aborted.
  I am an idiot!
  I can only hope my windows partition is still there somewhere as is the version of Natty that worked.
  I am going to burn an ISO using a windows computer and see if that helps.
i am also getting messages telling me the disk may be corrupted.
  i am lost and frustrated to say the least.
  I need my lap top functiional even if it is only with Ubuntu right now and I do not have a Windows repair disk, it is in storage.
The other downloads I have done on my computer were burned using windows so I am going to do that and see if that helps.
  Again, it seems any partitions labelled sda are gone or gone hiding.
Please get back to me ASAP!
  I appreciate what you all do.
When you get back to me, if the instructions could be a little simpler.
  I know how to use ubuntu and sometimes, the answers I have gotten seem to assume I know more than I do.
  Just reply like I am an idiot who did something really stupid and I would like answers that do not entail spending a fortune on a computer repair person.
There are not that many in our area that know Linux any way.
  Thanks,
Cary Devlin

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Ubuntu grub2 Edit question
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delance
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Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

You can boot to the live CD and reinstate grub2 using this:
http://ubuntuguide.net/how-to-restore-grub-2-after-reinstalling-windows-xpvistawin7

Revision history for this message
Jeruvy (jeruvy) said : 		#2

Sorry to hear about your troubles, but rest assured there is a wealth of support online. From the official documentation to the forums, to the wiki, to the community documentation, to IRC, and of course launchpad you are never far from assistance.

Grub errors happen when you blow up your booting process so don't get too excited when you see these errors as they are typically easy to fix. You don't want to nuke partitions or reinstall in an attempt to fix it as that is serious overkill.

Refer to this documentation on fixing broken Grub2:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2

Specifically:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20GRUB2

Good luck.

Revision history for this message
delance (olivier-delance) said : 		#3

Please provide partition table, and after I could provide some guidance.
How to provide partition table https://answers.launchpad.net/grub/+faq/1678

You should avoid to have many Linuces on a PC, it makes boot configuration complex and hard to manage.

Revision history for this message
Cary Devlin (crdevlin1) said : 		#4

I finally to get a live ubuntu CD to boot and in the process my system told
me I had no operating system on my computer.
  I do not have access to the Windows install disc (in storage) and I had to
have some kind of working os.
  I downloaded Ubuntu 10.10 and the only workable option it gave me was to
use the whole partition.
  I did, I am probably screwed as far windows until I can get my original
install disk and even then there were third party programs i am not sure I
have the install discs. for.
  A computer tech may be able to go into my system and recover windows and
it looks like I wiped it out.
  I doubt reinstalling grub 2 will fix anything and since I know little
about it I do not want to mess my system further.
  Any further suggestions would be appreciated.

On Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 4:15 PM, Jeruvy <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #164592 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/164592
>
> Jeruvy proposed the following answer:
> Sorry to hear about your troubles, but rest assured there is a wealth of
> support online. From the official documentation to the forums, to the
> wiki, to the community documentation, to IRC, and of course launchpad
> you are never far from assistance.
>
> Grub errors happen when you blow up your booting process so don't get
> too excited when you see these errors as they are typically easy to fix.
> You don't want to nuke partitions or reinstall in an attempt to fix it
> as that is serious overkill.
>
> Refer to this documentation on fixing broken Grub2:
>
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2
>
> Specifically:
>
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20GRUB2
>
> Good luck.
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/164592/+confirm?answer_id=1
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/164592
>
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>

Revision history for this message
delance (olivier-delance) said : 		#5

If you can't get partition table of disk, nothing can be done, exception trying an extraneously tedious job of recovering files.
You can only install a new system on disk.
After this, think to make periodic backup of valuable data...
Even if you was told there is no operating system, please provide result of command "sudo fdisk -l"?

Revision history for this message
Cary Devlin (crdevlin1) said : 		#6

gary@gary-laptop:~$ "sudo fdisk -l"?
gary@gary-laptop:~$ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for gary:

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000e7e0e

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 18711 150289408 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 18711 19458 5998593 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 18711 19458 5998592 82 Linux swap / Solaris
gary@gary-laptop:~$

Terminal readout
On Thu, Jul 21, 2011 at 11:31 AM, delance <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #164592 on grub2 in Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+question/164592
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> delance proposed the following answer:
> If you can't get partition table of disk, nothing can be done, exception
> trying an extraneously tedious job of recovering files.
> You can only install a new system on disk.
> After this, think to make periodic backup of valuable data...
> Even if you was told there is no operating system, please provide result of
> command "sudo fdisk -l"?
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
>
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+question/164592/+confirm?answer_id=4
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+question/164592
>
> You received this question notification because you asked the question.
>

Revision history for this message
Best delance (olivier-delance) said : 		#7

"I can only hope my windows partition is still there somewhere ": sorry, no hope!
Except if you are very motivated and have a lot of times, don't expect to recover data from Windows.
You can either reinstall Windows or use Ubuntu now.

Revision history for this message
Cary Devlin (crdevlin1) said : 		#8

Thanks for the truthful yet painful answer.