Quote from Inouva :

http://www.lfsforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=83

Thats the place for this th...

You're not seriously arguing software belongs under hardware.

Go away will you.

Quote from bunder9999 :

exactly. one of the last steps of the windows install installs the ntldr and configures it properly to boot windows (or whatever seven uses, because i believe it uses a new bootloader). i've done it a few times where doing fixboot/fixmbr didn't work because i changed the drive's position within the system.

Windows 7 uses a separate 100MB partition for the bootloader, if it's installed on an empty drive. Otherwise it resides under \boot folder in the system partition. In Jacks case it might be that the boot partition is wiped. There's no ntldr, fixboot and fixmbr in Windows 7.

Quote from arco :

Windows 7 uses a separate 100MB partition for the bootloader, if it's installed on an empty drive. Otherwise it resides under \boot folder in the system partition. In Jacks case it might be that the boot partition is wiped.

BRILLIANT! Exact problem...! Seems that Ubuntu's netbook installer is the shittest thing ever... now how do I fix it? :S

Just cloning the HDD to my Dad's PC so i'm ready to try drastic stuff.

Good question. Try this first: make sure the Windows partition is a primary one and set active. Then run the repair option from the Windows 7 install DVD. If this doesn't work you can try the following method I found on sevenforums.com.

Quote :

Use Gparted to make an ntfs primary partition - it doesn't need to be big 200mb will do. Mark it Active ( rt click and Flag On )

Boot 7 dvd go to command prompt, type diskpart, lis vol, select the new primary with sel vol, ass ( to assign next available drive letter). Exi ( to leave diskpart).

bcdboot <7volumeletter>:\windows /s <newprimaryletter>:

bootsect /nt60 <newprimaryletter>: /mbr

That should get you booting back into 7.

Quote from hyntty :

You're not seriously arguing software belongs under hardware.

Go away will you.

So computer SYSTEM is about Hardware, while the word itselt make reference to a COMPUTER SYSTEM?

Ok...

Go away will you.

You're in the wrong.

Operating system and boot loaders are software, thus it's a software issue.

Go away will you.

Inouva, i think you have lost this one in all honesty.

Hardware is a parent category for types of hardware (wheels and controllers, computer systems, video cards, monitors, other hardware). The way the categories are organized on LFSF, this thread would fit in computer systems, which is a sub-category of hardware.

Quote from arco :

Good question. Try this first: make sure the Windows partition is a primary one and set active. Then run the repair option from the Windows 7 install DVD. If this doesn't work you can try the following method I found on sevenforums.com.

I don't think that the boot partition is wiped, I don't see why would the Ubuntu installer do anything like that. But it's possible that the GRUB is incorrectly configured and it's trying to reach the Windows' bootloader on a wrong partition. If you installed Win7 on a clean HDD as your first OS, you have to tell GRUB to load Win7 from the "hd(0,0)" partition. Your GRUB config file will help a lot in this case...

Quote from arco :

Good question. Try this first: make sure the Windows partition is a primary one and set active. Then run the repair option from the Windows 7 install DVD. If this doesn't work you can try the following method I found on sevenforums.com.

Tried the steps you mentioned, SORTED!

Just logged in now, time to try to install Linux all over again

Wow nice one! Hope it goes better this time.

Quote from arco :

Windows 7 uses a separate 100MB partition for the bootloader, if it's installed on an empty drive. Otherwise it resides under \boot folder in the system partition. In Jacks case it might be that the boot partition is wiped. There's no ntldr, fixboot and fixmbr in Windows 7.

oh lovely... why do they keep changing stuff that worked perfectly fine?

well, i tried.

Quote from danthebangerboy :

Inouva, i think you have lost this one in all honesty.

http://itlaw.wikia.com/wiki/Computer_system



p.s : I never win

Well I got Windows booting again, and I've just installed Linux. Now i'm back to where i was before - I have Grub installed, and Linux booting, but Windows only goes to a flashing cursor.

Whats the next step to go for without breaking everything?

Quote from Jakg :

Well I got Windows booting again, and I've just installed Linux. Now i'm back to where i was before - I have Grub installed, and Linux booting, but Windows only goes to a flashing cursor.

Whats the next step to go for without breaking everything?

let's see your grub.conf... i wouldn't be surprised grub is trying to chainload the wrong partition...

Quote from Jakg :

Tried a dualboot of Ubuntu on my netbook, which in turn installed Grub - this worked fine for Ubuntu, but Windows refused to boot - using the CD on a memory stick I got into the recover console, but all it did was delete grub... so now I have no way of booting anything.

I've tried countless guides on the net suggesting I explore come commands but none seem to be working.

If I go "bootsect.exe /nt60 all /force" it picks up Windows is installed, and the HDD still has all the data on their. It's also marked as active.

Any suggestions?

That should keep you busy?

My suggestion..GET A LIFE

Quote from bunder9999 :

let's see your grub.conf... i wouldn't be surprised grub is trying to chainload the wrong partition...

The BARF Config.exe/ upchuck

Also the I'm a fat Kid at home eating Fat Space...I won't leave ever!

Ok so you're not fat

Weak..

Quote from bunder9999 :

let's see your grub.conf... i wouldn't be surprised grub is trying to chainload the wrong partition...

Yeah, we really need some more info about this. Output of "fdisk -l" and Windows 7 section of "/boot/grub/menu.lst" is essential.

Quote from bunder9999 :

you forgot fixboot. i'm not sure if there's a certain order they have to be in... but if those don't work, just do an overinstall... you won't lose anything except installed patches.

There's a similar command, that does all of those.

I had a similar problem, with no bootloader, fixed it sucessfully

Quote from Jakg :

Tried a dualboot of Ubuntu on my netbook, which in turn installed Grub - this worked fine for Ubuntu, but Windows refused to boot - using the CD on a memory stick I got into the recover console, but all it did was delete grub... so now I have no way of booting anything.

I've tried countless guides on the net suggesting I explore come commands but none seem to be working.

If I go "bootsect.exe /nt60 all /force" it picks up Windows is installed, and the HDD still has all the data on their. It's also marked as active.

Any suggestions?

You resolve this
?

Quote from MadCatX :

Yeah, we really need some more info about this. Output of "fdisk -l" and Windows 7 section of "/boot/grub/menu.lst" is essential.

Not quite sure how to use fdisk (as in, I dont know what the discs name is), but heres my grub.cfg (using Grub 2):

Quote from arco :

Rebuilding the BCD doesn't fix it? That's weird. Did partitions get moved around when you installed Ubuntu?

You Really think by having that pic...i should listen..you're still arco..or did you cross over?

Quote from Jakg :

Not quite sure how to use fdisk (as in, I dont know what the discs name is), but heres my grub.cfg (using Grub 2):

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
set have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}

function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}

function load_video {
insmod vbe
insmod vga
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 5f254468-696c-4228-944b-1640d041f728
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
load_video
insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 5f254468-696c-4228-944b-1640d041f728
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en
insmod gettext
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-22-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 5f254468-696c-4228-944b-1640d041f728
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=5f254468-696c-4228-944b-1640d041f728 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-22-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 5f254468-696c-4228-944b-1640d041f728
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.35-22-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=5f254468-696c-4228-944b-1640d041f728 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 5f254468-696c-4228-944b-1640d041f728
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 5f254468-696c-4228-944b-1640d041f728
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 5808acbc08ac9a90
chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda2)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,msdos2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 15a322de6b9a6ed8
chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

Stop it..you're 75 steps ahead.

And I admire the text moving screen..been there..done that

Jakg, when installing ubuntu, don't use automatic partitioning. Split a few tens of GB's from your windows partition using GParted, (but leave 100 MB NTFS partition intact!!!) and create single ext4 partition for / of your Ubuntu (you need no swap with your 8 GB of RAM, and separate /boot isn't needed cause GRUB2 supports ext4 fully). Also, make sure 100 MB NTFS partition has 'boot' flag (GParted can set it if it's not present).

Automatic partitioning works fine, I've installed Ubuntu 10.10 several times and never had a problem. I'm not really familiar with the GRUB2 messy config, but try changing last number in the the (hd0, msdos1) entry. Not sure what 'msdos0' would do, I'll do some testing in VirtualBox later today.