I can only successfully boot from Ubuntu, as my boot file was removed.

[mondair99]

There is a detailed version of this post below. For simplicity's sake I am making a shortened version. I installed Ubuntu, and ran into trouble. Like the kind that you can't boot your computer with. Because my computer is set to boot from the optical drive before the hard disk I was able to install Ubuntu to a disk and restart my computer to Ubuntu and Windows. During this process I had to do a system restore, which seems to have done nothing but uninstall the software for my external wireless antenna. I tried to reinstall the antenna, but it didn't work because I installed the hardware before the software. this led other users of the same computer t believe Ubuntu was the problem. Uninstalling it was easier said than done, and now instead of uninstalling it, I am only able to [successfully] boot from it.

Please try and solve this. -Miles Martin (MM)

I am currently running Ubuntu 12.04.1. I will further explain my predicament below. I realize not many people will want to read a post as long as that but please, for my sake, please do.

Edit: The post *will* be posted below. It apparently needs to be Moderated. Oh well.

 

[mondair99]

Here's my recount of the situation, from the top.

-I had downloaded Ubuntu as a .iso file; I intended on creating an installation CD from it.
-My first CD outright didn't work. It was just an .iso, unmounted. I didn't know this wouldn't work, so I went to check in the BIOS what the boot order was. I deduced that the file was unmountable from the fact that the CD was in pristine condition, and the optical drive containing the disk was first in the boot order.
-In essence, I did the same thing with the second CD, but I didn't know I was doing so. I learned this after I got the same results, but with a twist: it brought up the System Restore window, because I shut down the computer manually. I had no option but to restore the system to the last restore point. To my knowledge it had been fairly recent that we created a Point, but not recent enough. It kept our files, but not the information on how to run the wireless antenna.
-At this point I was frustrated: cursing under my own breath, etc. I realized I was down to one CD, and I didn't think it would work. I looked carefully and found I wasn't selecting the option which made the CD mountable. There. Problem solved, so I thought. I wrote the disk at 8x speed, as to ensure good quality.
-I used InfraRecorder to create the mountable CD. I forget the mode InfraRecorder was in, but anyone who can help me will know.
-From there I proceeded to install Ubuntu, but made the deadly error: I forgot to create a System Restore Point beforehand. This however was not the error in charge of preventing me from booting Windows 7.
-I chose to make my computer a dual-boot: running Windows 7 and Ubuntu 12.04.1 on the same disk, as different partitions obviously. I dedicated 104.6GB to Ubuntu, and the rest (590-odd gigabytes) to Windows 7
-At that point in time I could boot both operating systems without any problems, except the aforementioned (wireless antenna). I shut down the computer via the Start Menu, and proceeded to look for any problems in the antenna, and the PCI chip. We were using a Rosewill RNX-N150PCx antenna and chip. I see now that my only error was installing the physical pieces of hardware before the software.
-The other users of this computer believed the problem was the installation of Ubuntu, so it was to be removed. the only problem was there was no way of removing Ubuntu through a Canonical-supplied piece of hardware.
-I went through a third party, using a program called EasyBCD. This was, in theory, supposed to remove Ubuntu. I realize now I could have just deleted the partition containing Ubuntu, albeit an unprofessional move.
-I followed the steps from a guide at this location; The Non-Geek’s Guide To Safely Uninstall Ubuntu From A Dual-Booting Machine
-I got up to the "try to re-boot, etc" just before "Playing with the Partition", so, following the guide, I rebooted.
-Upon this reboot, (the error code upon which I neglected to record) I wasn't able to reboot Windows. What happened: it couldn't locate the boot file. Fortunately, I did record what EasyBCD said. It said the following, after I clicked "Install BCD":
"EasyBCD has successfully converted the selected disk [I chose C:/, that's where Windows was located] into a bootable drive. In order to configure the boot menu entries on the selected partition, you must use: File | Select BCD Store , and choose the \boot\BCD file on the partition you just prepped.
-I was then unable to reboot any OS. From here I figured it best to reinstall Ubuntu over the previous installation of Ubuntu, and the boot error screen would go away. This happened, and it by default will boot to a CD first then proceed to the GRUB menu of Ubuntu.
-The GRUB menu allows me to boot to these places:
Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-29-generic-pae
Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-29-generic-pae (recovery mode)
Memory test (memtest86+)
Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)
Windows Recovery Environment (loader) (on /dev/sda1)
Windows Vista (loader) (on /dev/sda2)

I booted from the first one, which is what I am writing this post from. I am having trouble accessing what seems to now be Windows Vista; it offers me what seems to be a prompt of sorts; something about a "grub rescue", then a blinking underscore.

This is all the data I have been able to gather. I hope it is useful.

Sincerely,
-MM

 

[mondair99]

Here's my recount of the situation, from the top.

-I had downloaded Ubuntu as a .iso file; I intended on creating an installation CD from it.
-My first CD outright didn't work. It was just an .iso, unmounted. I didn't know this wouldn't work, so I went to check in the BIOS what the boot order was. I deduced that the file was unmountable from the fact that the CD was in pristine condition, and the optical drive containing the disk was first in the boot order.
-In essence, I did the same thing with the second CD, but I didn't know I was doing so. I learned this after I got the same results, but with a twist: it brought up the System Restore window, because I shut down the computer manually. I had no option but to restore the system to the last restore point. To my knowledge it had been fairly recent that we created a Point, but not recent enough. It kept our files, but not the information on how to run the wireless antenna.
-At this point I was frustrated: cursing under my own breath, etc. I realized I was down to one CD, and I didn't think it would work. I looked carefully and found I wasn't selecting the option which made the CD mountable. There. Problem solved, so I thought. I wrote the disk at 8x speed, as to ensure good quality.
-I used InfraRecorder to create the mountable CD. I forget the mode InfraRecorder was in, but anyone who can help me will know.
-From there I proceeded to install Ubuntu, but made the deadly error: I forgot to create a System Restore Point beforehand. This however was not the error in charge of preventing me from booting Windows 7.
-I chose to make my computer a dual-boot: running Windows 7 and Ubuntu 12.04.1 on the same disk, as different partitions obviously. I dedicated 104.6GB to Ubuntu, and the rest (590-odd gigabytes) to Windows 7
-At that point in time I could boot both operating systems without any problems, except the aforementioned (wireless antenna). I shut down the computer via the Start Menu, and proceeded to look for any problems in the antenna, and the PCI chip. We were using a Rosewill RNX-N150PCx antenna and chip. I see now that my only error was installing the physical pieces of hardware before the software.
-The other users of this computer believed the problem was the installation of Ubuntu, so it was to be removed. the only problem was there was no way of removing Ubuntu through a Canonical-supplied piece of hardware.
-I went through a third party, using a program called EasyBCD. This was, in theory, supposed to remove Ubuntu. I realize now I could have just deleted the partition containing Ubuntu, albeit an unprofessional move.
-I followed the steps from a guide at this location; The Non-Geek’s Guide To Safely Uninstall Ubuntu From A Dual-Booting Machine
-I got up to the "try to re-boot, etc" just before "Playing with the Partition", so, following the guide, I rebooted.
-Upon this reboot, (the error code upon which I neglected to record) I wasn't able to reboot Windows. What happened: it couldn't locate the boot file. Fortunately, I did record what EasyBCD said. It said the following, after I clicked "Install BCD":
"EasyBCD has successfully converted the selected disk [I chose C:/, that's where Windows was located] into a bootable drive. In order to configure the boot menu entries on the selected partition, you must use: File | Select BCD Store , and choose the \boot\BCD file on the partition you just prepped.
-I was then unable to reboot any OS. From here I figured it best to reinstall Ubuntu over the previous installation of Ubuntu, and the boot error screen would go away. This happened, and it by default will boot to a CD first then proceed to the GRUB menu of Ubuntu.
-The GRUB menu allows me to boot to these places:
Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-29-generic-pae
Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-29-generic-pae (recovery mode)
Memory test (memtest86+)
Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)
Windows Recovery Environment (loader) (on /dev/sda1)
Windows Vista (loader) (on /dev/sda2)

I booted from the first one, which is what I am wrtiting this post from. I am having trouble accessing what seems to now be Windows Vista; it offers me what seems to be a prompt of sorts; something about a "grub rescue", then a blinking underscore.

This is all the data I have been able to gather. I hope it is useful.

Sincerely,
-MM

 

[gregrocker]

To restart Win7, Mark Active Win7 or it's System Reserved boot (preferred if you have it) Partition.

Then boot into the Win7 DVD System Recovery Options or System Repair Disk to run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times until Win7 starts and again holds the System Active flags.

 

[TJG]

When I did this, I had to repair the MBR with the cmd: bootsect /nt60 sys /mbr (enter) because the grub loader
had changed it. Then do what greg told you to do.

TJG

 

[mondair99]

Thank you both very much. All help is appreciated. I have yet to try these solutions. Thanks!
-MM