double boot windows/debian problem

[BootCat]

Hello!
I have the same problem as one described here Win 7 won;t boot after installing Ubuntu dual boot (the last problem), excepting for having another linux distribution. So I won't describe it in more details. I've tried fixmbr and automatic repair, but it did't have any effect.

I stress that the purpose is to make BOTH windows and linux run, not just windows.


Has somebody any ideas?

 

[Hipster Doofus]

I've used Boot Repair Disk to recover my windows mbr afetr Ubuntu grub messed it up.

It is suppose to recover all systems especially Linux. From memory sometimes grub would stick other times it would not.

 

[Night Hawk]

I can give you a quote of something I posted back in late 2009 that will explain how to fix an mbr trashed by the GRUB installer. That is from: "Oh No GRUB Trashed My Windows 7 MBR!" - Windows - Digg

Here I ended up simply unplugging the Host drive with 7 on it for a custom install on a second and later decided to install Linux on a usb flash drive and simply opt to press the F12 key at post time to either select the second HD or flash drive to boot into the other OS(Knoppix Live, ubuntu, Linux Mint Debian)'.

By isolation of the main drive you serve two purposes of 1) preserving the Windows mbr and 2) have each OS running as a stand alone. A third option is running any Linux distro on a VM.

Running the Startup Repair from the 7 dvd a few times(2-3 tiimes) while booted live from that can also correct a trashed mbr.

So what are the actual options to see Grub removed once and for all to see 7 startup normally once again after a Grub install has been seen? When booting from the 7 dvd we take a look at a different option also seen in the repair tools section seen under the large "Install Now" button following the initial language selection screen as the installer's setup options are first appearing. The command prompt is where you proceed to rather then the startup repair to open that up and enter these two commands at the command prompt itself.

First:type "bootsect /nt60 C:" just the way you see it typed there only without the quotation marks.

(Note the "bootsect" is followed by a space so you don't end up with "bootsect/nt60 C:" or two spaces instead seeing "bootsect /nt60 C:".)

Once you see the "successfull written" message appear onscreen you know that was entered in correctly.

The second command is one even more familiar: "bootrec /fixmbr".

This can also be followed with the second command: "bootrec /fixboot".

Upon seeing the "sucessfully written" message one more or two more times if you enter both commands following the first you should see a normal 7 startup return. You may also now start seeing "Windows 7(recovered)" as a start up item. That however can be renamed with another free tool available which we will come to in a minute.

 

[BootCat]

I can give you a quote of something I posted back in late 2009 that will explain how to fix an mbr trashed by the GRUB installer. That is from: "Oh No GRUB Trashed My Windows 7 MBR!" - Windows - Digg

Here I ended up simply unplugging the Host drive with 7 on it for a custom install on a second and later decided to install Linux on a usb flash drive and simply opt to press the F12 key at post time to either select the second HD or flash drive to boot into the other OS(Knoppix Live, ubuntu, Linux Mint Debian)'.

By isolation of the main drive you serve two purposes of 1) preserving the Windows mbr and 2) have each OS running as a stand alone. A third option is running any Linux distro on a VM.

Running the Startup Repair from the 7 dvd a few times(2-3 tiimes) while booted live from that can also correct a trashed mbr.

So what are the actual options to see Grub removed once and for all to see 7 startup normally once again after a Grub install has been seen? When booting from the 7 dvd we take a look at a different option also seen in the repair tools section seen under the large "Install Now" button following the initial language selection screen as the installer's setup options are first appearing. The command prompt is where you proceed to rather then the startup repair to open that up and enter these two commands at the command prompt itself.

First:type "bootsect /nt60 C:" just the way you see it typed there only without the quotation marks.

(Note the "bootsect" is followed by a space so you don't end up with "bootsect/nt60 C:" or two spaces instead seeing "bootsect /nt60 C:".)

Once you see the "successfull written" message appear onscreen you know that was entered in correctly.

The second command is one even more familiar: "bootrec /fixmbr".

This can also be followed with the second command: "bootrec /fixboot".

Upon seeing the "sucessfully written" message one more or two more times if you enter both commands following the first you should see a normal 7 startup return. You may also now start seeing "Windows 7(recovered)" as a start up item. That however can be renamed with another free tool available which we will come to in a minute.

I've done what you suggested. The situation became even worse. Now when trying to boot I have my computer continuously beeping and random simbols blinking all the time.

Here is a part from boot info script:

=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda
 => Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks on the same drive in 
    partition #1 for (,msdos1)/boot/grub.

sda1: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Vista: Fat 32
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  Windows 7
    Boot files/dirs:   /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /Windows/System32/winload.exe /grldr

I'm confused by the line "Boot sector type: Vista: Fat 32".

 

[Night Hawk]

The boot sector is at the very front of the drive and not part of the first partition where any OS is installed with the Vista reference indicating the type of boot loader and Fat 32 for the MS Dos for the front of the drive where the mbr is found.

The continuous beeping and randon symbols on the screen points to a hardware problem of some type! I think the method for correcting one thing uncovered the actual problem you are running into since the boot record shows everything to be correct. The sda1 sees Windows and sdb1 shows Linux indicating the Grub install went well.

The other thing you may have run into however is losing the boot entry for 7 with the distro ending up the default OS. First you have to identify the audio alert code by how many and how long the beeps are like one long two short or just steady beeping a short sound spells a real problem that needs to be solved.

Typically a constant beeping is either the cpu or bad ram being indicated. But knowing which bios is used(Award, Phoenix< AMI, or other) and what the code represents is the first thing you need to find out. A major fault would explain why none of the steps taken to correct the boot sector are working. Something was failing?!