Ubuntu
ubiquity package

A question about windows booting..

Asked by juyoungli

Hello.

Please I really need help.

I have installed Kubuntu, but I can't --or don't know how to-- boot from my normal Windows 7 OS now.

I wondered if I did something wrong when I installed kubuntu, and I tracked back the installation process by re-running my bootable kubuntu install USB.

And now I'm suspicious about drive disk.
The following is exactly what I saw on my screen. When installing Kubuntu, there are three options for allocating drive space:
1) Guided - resize SCSI1 (0,0,0), partition #1 (sda) and use freed space
2) Guided - use entire disk
3) Manual

I chose the 2nd option when I was installing it. If that is the reason for not being able to boot Windows 7, is there any way to recover my Windows 7 "booter" (or whatever it may be called)?

I did some research and found an article about recovering Windows 7 with a bootable USB/DVD. I tried it, but could not do anything to fix my problem.

Also, I'm afraided if all my files in Windows 7 are deleted because I can't find or access to any Windows files/folders on Kubuntu.

To sum up my questions,
1) Did I make a mistake when choosing the above drive option?
2) Am I still able to boot frm Windows 7? If yes, how can I do it?
3) Are my Windows 7 and all the files that were contained in it deleted now?

I really need help. I will appreciate all answers. Thanks in advance!

*My English is poor, but I hope you understand. If something doesn't make sense to you I'll try my best to explain it furthur clearly.

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mycae
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Revision history for this message
mycae (mycae) said : 		#1

If you have chosen option 2, you have wiped your windows install. We can confirm that if you can open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T in ubuntu), then copy and paste this command into the terminal. Please post the results back here.

sudo fdisk -l
mount

You will need to resize your ubuntu partitions using a liveCD to create some free-space to which windows can install, and then reinstall windows from the windows recovery disk
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsDualBoot#Installing%20Windows%20After%20Ubuntu

When you install windows, windows will wipe the GRUB loader, and will only allow booting into windows. You have to re-instate the bootloader after installing windows, again using a liveCD.

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

Revision history for this message
Best mycae (mycae) said : 		#2

Oh, it may be possible to recover some of your data using tools like photorec, or foremost. Its unlikely, but possible.

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

Revision history for this message
juyoungli (gratoner) said : 		#3

Thanks mycae, that solved my question.

Revision history for this message
juyoungli (gratoner) said : 		#4

Unfortunately, Windows was all gone. :( I hope anyone in the future who installs kubuntu/ubuntu will be cautious about partitioning and not end up losing their important datas like I just did.