Updated to Ubuntu 10.04 and can't boot into windows 7 (test disk)

telestrial · 06-05-2010, 05:59 PM

I am DYING for an answer to this issue. I updated from Karmic to Lucid and now I can't boot into Windows 7. I've tried testdisk, and I've tried the windows repair disc bootrec.exe thing.

I would be willing to try those things again in a new order..or something.

I really would like to get to the bottom of this.

Basically:

Every time I try to boot windows 7 from grub I either get a sudden reboot or a blinking cursor in the upper left corner. The cursor never goes away no matter how long I wait.

Sorry..I'm sure you're dealing with many of these issues, but I've searched and tried many things.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

brucehinrichs · 06-05-2010, 07:22 PM

Can you boot into Ubuntu? If so, open a terminal and do

Code:

cat /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Please post the results.

telestrial · 06-05-2010, 08:25 PM

Quote:

john@laptop:~$ cat /boot/grub/grub.cfg
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/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
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 ${boot_once} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=640x480
insmod gfxterm
insmod vbe
if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
# For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
# understand terminal_output
terminal gfxterm
fi
fi
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729
set locale_dir=($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 2.6.32-22-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=UUID=8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-22-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-22-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-22-generic root=UUID=8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-22-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.32-21-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.32-21-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-21-generic root=UUID=8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-21-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.31-20-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic root=UUID=8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.31-20-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.31-20-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-20-generic root=UUID=8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-20-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.28-14-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-14-generic root=UUID=8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-14-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.28-14-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729
echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.28-14-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-14-generic root=UUID=8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729 ro single
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-14-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8f45b3cf-2e1e-4647-8a2d-5001ac882729
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/sda2)" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set ac1c474e1c4712ae
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 ###

Thanks

brucehinrichs · 06-05-2010, 08:56 PM

Quote:

menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda2)" {
insmod ntfs
set root='(hd0,2)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set ac1c474e1c4712ae
chainloader +1

I'm curious if the bolded number may have changed.

Can you run

Code:

sudo blkid /dev/sda2

and post the results?

telestrial · 06-05-2010, 09:28 PM

Afraid not..

Code:

/dev/sda2: UUID="AC1C474E1C4712AE" TYPE="ntfs"

syg00 · 06-05-2010, 10:38 PM

If you upgraded, how did you wind up with grub2 ?. And what sort of "windows repair disc bootrec.exe thing." did you do ?.
Let's see "sudo fdisk -l" (lower case ell).

telestrial · 06-05-2010, 10:52 PM

I installed grub2 on my own. The install worked absolutely fine. I tested out all the options before running the "legacy-grub" command thing. I can't recall the exact syntax. I hope that was hopeful in describing what I did. I know for a fact all the options worked. After 10.04 something fubar'd and here I am. I saw something using the Windows 7 repair disc to get to the command prompt:

BootRec.exe /fixmbr #updates MBR master boot record do not run if you still want grub
chkdsk /r
BootRec.exe /FixBoot #updates PBR partition boot
BootRec.exe /ScanOs
BootRec.exe /RebuildBcd

My computer simply won't load anything if I do this. Black screen with a blinking cursor one line down from the one I get with grub installed. I realize that may indicate it is a Window's issue. However, Ubuntu updating grub is the only thing that has occurred. It has to be something the grub update did, so that's why I'm here.

sudo fdisk -l:

Code:

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0f7f14c6

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda2   *           1       24625   197800281    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3           24626       30401    46395720    5  Extended
/dev/sda5           24626       25371     5992213+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6           25372       30401    40403443+  83  Linux

syg00 · 06-05-2010, 11:24 PM

After "BootRec.exe /fixmbr" (as the comment suggests) I wouldn't expect you to see grub at all.
Do those bootrec commands come back with anything, or just a prompt ?. Have you tried the repair option rather than dropping to the command window ?.

Try this as root from a linux terminal to see if that boot sector record is o.k.

Code:

dd if=/dev/sda2 count=1 2> /dev/null | strings | grep -Ei "(ntfs|grub)"

telestrial · 06-06-2010, 09:47 AM

That command does nothing. It just brings up another command line.

Sorry, but I think I must have explained improperly. Once I do the bootrec.exe stuff my laptop literally becomes a brick. I just get a black screen with a blinking cursor that is one line down from the one I get when grub is installed.

syg00 · 06-06-2010, 05:02 PM

My concern would be that you may have installed grub to the partition rather than the MBR at some point. If so, the /fixboot may not be sufficient to repair it, and you may be up for a (Win7) reinstall.
Try that command (as root) I gave you with count=3.

dudeman41465 · 06-06-2010, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by telestrial

I can't boot into Windows 7.

Not sure why you'd want to,

. On a serious note, can you mount the Windows partition and see your files?

telestrial · 06-07-2010, 09:55 AM

Bootrec doesn't just come back with another prompt. It says things like "Command Success"...the
"bootup repair" windows application says it can't find anything wrong, I can mount the partition and look at the files...and the output of that commmand you told me to run again is:

Code:

3+0 records in
3+0 records out
1536 bytes (1.5 kB) copied, 0.0350573 s, 43.8 kB/s

I hope that was everything.