Need help starting Windows 7 on boot up.

gregrocker said:

wee: Please continue to monitor and help with this OP and other Linux issues as they are constant - 3 today!

Many of us avoid them because we are more Windows 7 focused, so your help will be greatly appreciated by all.

No problem but I am a pseudo geek, compared to the average user I am a full geek but to the ones that really know I am a poser. The problems people have with dual booting are one of the areas I work on, as at the Ubuntu Forums we have lots of people with identical problems. My first concern always is do no harm, so I try to be very careful when helping others.

wee said:

Just for the record here I am able to switch from a ms bootloader or grub in the MBR easily. The grub corruption is probably not in the Linux partitions it is in the MBR. I also have never gotten a ms bootloader restored in the MBR with the 3 repair clicks, with grub in the MBR I have to use this to restore MS. How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows

Thanks for stepping in and helping Greg, a MS pro is what this needs to get things back in order. The only problem I am seeing here is that yes grub is the problem but it is the MBR not the Linux Partitions. These partitions can be deleted easily with a Ubuntu live cd using gparted, you just have to turn off swap with a right click on it to delete them. Also you can make them NTFS partitions with gparted. When I install W7 I use gparted to build the partition 1st.
It's been discussed before, but probably needs repeating. I cannot boot to the LiveCD. I've tried a number of times. Cold and hot boots always take me to the GRUB. I no longer have Linux installed. That is probably why GRUB freezes. It does not know what to do since there is no Linux installed. That is why I am trying to get rid of GRUB...without reinstalling Windows 7.
So Greg you can confirm this but the commands from a recovery disc that fixes the MBR for me are 1st Bootrec.exe then Bootrec.exe /FixMbr this should reload MS to the MBR, and wipe away grub. In the link are other commands that may be needed, we know grub is the problem but not to the extent of anything on the partitions but in the MBR.

I would get a oem install DVD so that in the end you have a way to reinstall in the future if needed, in a manner that is legitimate with the manufacturer and MS. And you will have all the tools on one DVD that will make recovery if needed easy.
I now have a legit oem install DVD. Can I use it to repair the MBR?
Hope this all gets fixed, it will, the manufacturer will provide or MS a DVD for little cost maybe even free to reload W7 if it comes to that. MS wants you to keep using MS and are easily dealt with if shown respect, when contacted.

Also if you do a system restore with the key prompt at boot, grub will not be back it is wiped away.
Can you elaborate on this? Where do I find system restore on bootup? Edit: I am off to see if I can find it. Edit: Grub will not let me get to it. I am going to use my oem. Looks like my only choice. I have not deleted the four partitions yet. That may help. I just deleted them. Waiting for an iso to burn and then I wil reboot and see what happens.
I think a little to much focus on grub here is causing some problems, it is quite easy to manipulate especially grub .97 which Ubuntu 7.10 came with. It is the barrier but not to the extent I think is believed here, this is I think from not understanding how it works.
I am sure you're right. I has been a long time since I used Linux.
I apologize, but I thought it was Ubuntu 7.10. I had installed an earlier version 6.06.1 LTS.

Thanks wee for your input.

Well, I deleted the four partitions that gregrocker told me to. I rebooted and GRUB is still there. I can still boot to Windows 7 using my Super GRUB CD disk. That suggests to me that GRUB must be in the MBR. I pressed F8 on bootup when suggested but it still went to GRUB, so I inserted the Windows OEM and booted to it. I got to the part about doing a system restore and it stopped with a warning. Have you recently attached a camera or some other device, detach and restart...or something to that effect? I had a joy stick that has been attached since last year. I pulled it from the USB and re-ran system restore. I got the same warning. There is nothing attached to the computer except my broadband modem. Could that be the culprit it wants me to detach? It looks like a fresh install is fast approaching. I hate doing that, but it may be the only alternative. Any other suggestions? Did I read somewhere that I can do an MBR recovery from inside Windows 7?