Dual-boot: Windows 7 & Ubuntu - problem

[Hemulen]

I installed Ubuntu 10.04 earlier today.

I have 6 HDs, and I installed Ubuntu on a 400GB partition on one of my REGULAR HD'S. My Windows installation is on my SSD.

Now, when I turn on my computer my Windows bootloader is showing, not GRUB. And if I press the "Start Windows Nornally" option - my Ubuntu boots. How do I fix this ?

I tried to repair my startup (using the Windows CD) without luck.

Thanks in advance!

 

[whs]

Did you unplug the SSD when installing Ubuntu?

 

[SIW2]

Please post a screenie of windows disk management - not clear if you can get into it.

If not post a screenie from within Linux.

Also - how did you install Linux - where did you tell it to install grub?

 

[Hemulen]

Ssd was plugged in, and I cannot boot into Windows, only Ubuntu.

 

[gregrocker]

The cleanest way to Dual Boot with separate HD's is via the BIOS.

Unplug the one OS HD while you install the other HD OS.

After install, plug back in both OS HD's. Set preferred as first to boot in BIOS setup. Boot the other using the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key given on BIOS splash screen.

This keeps the HD's independent to come and go as you please.

 

[Hemulen]

So how do I fix this mess ? :/

The OSes are on different harddrives, but I can only boot into Ubuntu (yet, still I have the Windows bootloader which dosent work (when selecting Windows 7 - Ubuntu isn't even listed - it starts Ubuntu).

 

[Mike Connor]

Try this;

Removing Linux Grub & Restoring Windows 7 Boot GUI | Luke Addison dot com

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[theog]

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/116098-dual-boot-windows-7-ubuntu.html?ltr=D

 

[Hemulen]

If I run "bootsect /nt60 C:" in the guide you linked to I get "This tool can only be run on systems booted using PC/AT BIOS. This system was booted using EFI or some other firmware type."

 

[Mike Connor]

You have to do it on the drive with your "boot" partition. For me, the drive letter was G:. So I had to do. CD G: Then CD boot. Then enter the command. bootsect /nt60 SYS. Try changing to C, D, E, or whatever. Maybe just type DIR to see if you can find the "boot" directory.

You can also try this;
​

MbrFix - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

I also fixed the problem on one machine which would try to boot but not start at all, it just started the grub loader and stopped, ( because there was no longer a Linux partition on it).

I took out all the drives except one and tried to boot from each one. When I got the error ( on the third try), I formatted that drive on an XP machine, and then replaced it. Everything worked after that.

Just ideas which may or may not work with your specific problem.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[Hemulen]

Edit: So I managed to type the command successfully, but it still boots into Ubuntu.

 

[Mike Connor]

I have never seen "This tool can only be run on systems booted using PC/AT BIOS. This system was booted using EFI or some other firmware type." before.

In the last year or so I have had this problem on various machines with SATA drives, after various people installed Ubuntu, and once with Linux Mint.

Each time I had to try various things to get the machines running again.


Regards....Mike Connor

 

[Hemulen]

UPDATE

I unplugged ALL my harddrives except my SSD (with Windows 7 on it).
I managed to boot into Windows 7, and I now need a permanent fix.
What commands should I run to fix my bootloader, and removing my GRUB (for me it looked like it never was installed anyways..)?

And should I follow "gregrocker" idea ?
Unplug all harddrives except the one I want Ubuntu on
Install Ubuntu on the hole drive
Plug all drives back on
(Windows bootloader will still be installed instead of GRUB?
And if I want to boot into Ubuntu I simply hit F8 during BIOS and choose the drive with Ubuntu on it?

 

[Mike Connor]

Sorry, but I just don't know. This grub loader business caused me a lot of headaches. I managed to solve it every time, but I spent hours trying all sorts of things until it worked. No single fix worked every time.

The grub loader is in the MBR on one of those drives, and you have to find it and either edit it, or delete it, and set up your dual-boot again.

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[Mike Connor]

This might help you;

[ubuntu] Add Windows 7 to Grub Menu - Ubuntu Forums

Regards....Mike Connor

 

[fafhrd]

Sounds like the grub installation has been overwritten by the Windows repair, but not the MBR.

If you can boot into Ubuntu, are you happy to open a terminal console?

If you are, type

[FONT="Book Antiqua"][B]sudo fdisk -l[/B][/FONT]

(that is SUDO FDISK -L, but in lowercase)

the output will have lines like this (among many others if you have 6 hard disks plus a ssd):

[FONT="Courier New"][B]device		boot	start	end	blocks	id	system
/dev/sda1 	*	nnnnn	nnnnn	nnnnn	7	HPFS.NTFS[/B] [/FONT]---BOOT DISK sda

[FONT="Courier New"][B]/dev/sdb5 		nnnnn	nnnnn	nnnnn	83	LINUX[/B][/FONT]     ---FIRST LINUX PARTITION

Main interest is the device mapping where the boot partition is and where any NTFS partitions reside - there are no drive letters in Linux, only Windows/dos use those, and inconsistently, too.

In this case the Boot disk is /dev/sda, which is where the grub installation should be.

In this case, you would need to type

sudo grub-install /dev/sda

(/dev/sda1 is the partition numbered 1 on the disk /dev/sda)

You may get error messages, but the last line should indicate success or failure.

Lastly, you need to reboot, and the grub menu should not only list your Ubuntu installation, but should list windows 7 (loader) at the bottom, unless something has overwritten your Windows 7 winload command.

 

[gregrocker]

If you unplug all but Win7 HD and it boots no problem then your Win7 is good.

What I would do next is unplug Win7 HD, plug in Ubuntu then uninstall GRUB and see if you can boot Ubuntu HD by itself the same way. If not I would reinstall Linux with all other HD's unplugged.

Then set the preferred OS HD as first to boot in BIOS setup, when you need to boot the other one use the one-time BIOS Boot Menu key which is F8 on most Asus'.

fafhrd: if he wants to uninstall GRUB, can you help there?

 

[Hemulen]

I recently installed Ubuntu on one of my other HD's (Windows 7 on SSD).
I ran into problems right after install with GRUB (Linux bootloader), and I could only enter Ubuntu.

I fixed the problem by disconnecting my HD with Ubuntu, and now I cannot boot proberly with the HD with Ubuntu unless I disconnect it.
I tried to boot into Ubuntu LiveCD and formated the drive (the drive have several different partitions - and I just formated the partitions with Ubuntu on it, because I have some file I need on the other partition) but it dosen't seem to help my problem. I cannot boot into Windows with the drive unless I disconnect it.

I tried to fix the problem with my Windows 7 DVD, but I get an error message saying "bla bla bla... Not compatiable with your version of Windows"..

 

[fafhrd]

BCD is the easiest way to get rid of the problem - it is a problem from the Windows pov - but if hemulen installs grub properly, it should make Windows available to do that.

He has started a new thread - having formatted the Ubuntu partitions - thus stuffed. Ubuntu could have rewritten the Windows MBR, now only a live linux hard disk could do it. Here's an untested (by me) solution:

How to fix your Windows MBR with an Ubuntu liveCD*|*ArsGeek

Here's the crib I use when Windows repair/install has wiped out Grub:

When windows reinstallation wipes out grub, boot into a live Linux installation either on CD or USB - I use Mint 8 Helena,

These instructions were found at

Fix / Restore GRUB Boot Loader ~ Web Upd8: Ubuntu / Linux blog



$ sudo fdisk -l ----------------------------list the storage volumes

The output should have several lines like this:

device boot start end blocks id system
/dev/sda1 * nnnnn nnnnn nnnnn 7 HPFS.NTFS ---------------BOOT DISK sda
etc
/dev/sdb5 nnnnn nnnnn nnnnn 83 LINUX ---------------FIRST LINUX PARTITION

$ sudo mkdir /mnt/system ------------------make a directory for the system

$ sudo mount /dev/sdb5 /mnt/system ---------mount the linux volume there

$ sudo -i ----------------------------------elevate permissions to root

you are now root, the prompt has changed

# mount -o bind /dev /mnt/system/dev -------to get inside the device so that changes can be made

# chroot /mnt/system -----------------------become root of the installed system

# grub-install /dev/sda --------------------install grub to the boot record on the boot disk


I often see a load of failure errors, but it says grub installed successfully at the end!

ignore $ and # - these just indicate how the terminal prompt changes for me

Official Windows solution is:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392

 

[windrider]

I had to learn the hard way as I have 6 hdd on my computer, so when installing Linux along with my Windows 7, the best way is too only have the two drives attached.

I never used to have any problem with older linux versions, but the last few I sure did.

For some reason Grub always installed to wrong drive, and then my Windows 7 would not say C: anymore, but something like F: or G:

Nothing helped me, none of the sudo commands recommended, nor bcdedit.

The only thing I could do was wipe Linux , then only have my Windows 7 hdd attached to computer and reboot with the repair disc in.
Had to run it like three times to fix it.

I am sure this doesn't help you, but just wanted to put my two cents in.