Downloaded Ubuntu alongside Windows Vista

It would have collapsed your system boot information and not the OS probably..

your vista is still intact. i see that you have installed ubuntu on another disk.
you can wait until delance sees your post. he is the master with booting problems.

From terminal, please run,

sudo update-grub

And post the output here.

If you see Windows Vista listed in the output, the problem is solved.

Thanks for the responses everybody, Sikander, here is the output from sudo update-grub:
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin
done

Thanks for the responses everybody, Sikander, here is the output from sudo update-grub:
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin
done

Windows Vista is installed in sdb1? I can see only one NTFS partition there.

We don't know where is Grub installed, and what does the MBR of sdb contain.

Grub doesn't seem to find the boot files for Vista.

I'll like to see the output of bootinfoscript. It will help us better understand your setup.

http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/

Download and run it from inside Ubuntu and post the output.

Here is the terminal output:

Identifying MBRs...
Computing Partition Table of /dev/sda...
Computing Partition Table of /dev/sdb...
Searching sda1 for information...
Searching sda2 for information...
Searching sda5 for information...
Searching sdb1 for information...

And here is the Boot Info Summary from the Results:

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

sda1:

Reinstall Grub following this link, on sda device (as like in example of this web page)
     https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20from%20LiveCD
Windows should be detected, and proposed at boot.

I don't know what I'm doing wrong this time... I went to the link you posted and followed their instructions. Upon reboot I was taken to the Grub terminal and from there I'm lost. Also, if I "exit" from that terminal it says there are no systems to boot so I have to boot from Live CD. Anyway, I'm back to square one with running Ubuntu without the CD. I really appreciate all the time you guys are taking to help me out.

I still want to see the complete output from bootinfoscript.

http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/

Grub is not detecting the Windows boot files. Might be you need to fixmbr from the Windows disc but that too, after we see the results from that script and know exactly what the problem is.

Here is the complete output from bootinfoscript:

 Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

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

sda1: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system: ext4
    Boot sector type: Grub 2
    Boot sector info: Grub 2 is installed in the boot sector of sda1 and
                       looks at sector 226892440 of the same hard drive for
                       core.img, but core.img can not be found at this
                       location.
    Operating System: Ubuntu 10.10
    Boot files/dirs: /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /grub/core.img
                       /boot/grub/core.img

sda2: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system: Extended Partition
    Boot sector type: Unknown
    Boot sector info:

sda5: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system: swap
    Boot sector type: -
    Boot sector info:

sdb1: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system: ntfs
    Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
    Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:
    Boot files/dirs:

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ _____________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 2,048 300,292,095 300,290,048 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 300,294,142 312,580,095 12,285,954 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 300,294,144 312,580,095 12,285,952 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Drive: sdb ___________________ _____________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdb: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdb1 2,048 312,578,047 312,576,000 7 HPFS/NTFS

blkid -c /dev/null: ____________________________________________________________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/sda1 8d53fff1-f27c-4e95-9143-d169102b17c6 ext4
/dev/sda2: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sda5 4cb1e5f5-8331-4e41-9bda-869470b7bd5b swap
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb1 6A92ACAA92AC7C67 ntfs DATAPART1
/dev/sdb: PTTYPE="dos"

============================ "mount | grep ^/dev output: ===========================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sda1 / ext4 (rw,errors=remount-ro,commit=0)

=========================== sda1/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

#
# 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,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8d53fff1-f27c-4e95-9143-d169102b17c6
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,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8d53fff1-f27c-4e95-9143-d169102b17c6
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,msdos1)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8d53fff1-f27c-4e95-9143-d169102b17c6
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=8d53fff1-f27c-4e95-9143-d169102b17c6 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,msdos1)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8d53fff1-f27c-4e95-9143-d169102b17c6
 echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.35-22-generic ...'
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=8d53fff1-f27c-4e95-9143-d169102b17c6 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,msdos1)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8d53fff1-f27c-4e95-9143-d169102b17c6
 linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ext2
 set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 8d53fff1-f27c-4e95-9143-d169102b17c6
 linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
if [ "x${timeout}" != "x-1" ]; then
  if keystatus; then
    if keystatus --shift; then
      set timeout=-1
    else
      set timeout=0
    fi
  else
    if sleep --interruptible 3 ; then
      set timeout=0
    fi
  fi
fi
### 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 ###

=============================== sda1/etc/fstab: ===============================

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s UUID' to print the universally unique identifier
# for a device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name
# devices that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc nodev,noexec,nosuid 0 0
/dev/sda1 / ext4 errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/sda5 none swap sw 0 0

=================== sda1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================

 124.6GB: boot/grub/core.img
  38.8GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
    .5GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
 124.6GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic
 133.2GB: grub/core.img
    .5GB: initrd.img
 124.6GB: vmlinuz
=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown BootLoader on sda2

00000000 98 9b 9c 99 9c 9d 97 9c 9d 97 9c 9d 96 9e 9e 98 |................|
00000010 a0 a0 93 9d 9d 8e 98 98 85 8d 8d 85 8d 8d 86 8e |................|
00000020 8e 8a 92 92 8f 97 97 93 9b 9b 92 9c 9c 92 9c 9c |................|
00000030 90 9a 9a 90 9a 9a 8f 9a 9a 90 9b 9b 90 9b 9b 90 |................|
00000040 9b 9b 90 9b 9b 90 9b 9b 8e 9b 97 8e 9b 97 8e 9a |................|
00000050 98 8e 9a 98 8e 99 99 8d 98 98 8d 98 9a 8d 98 9a |................|
00000060 89 94 96 81 8c 8e 7b 85 85 79 83 83 7e 89 87 84 |......{..y..~...|
00000070 8f 8d 88 93 90 89 94 91 89 92 8f 88 91 8e 85 90 |................|
00000080 8d 84 8f 8c 84 91 8b 85 92 8c 85 95 8e 87 97 90 |................|
00000090 8a 9c 95 8d 9f 98 8f a2 9d 90 a3 9e 8f a3 a1 8f |................|
000000a0 a3 a1 8d a3 a1 8e a4 a2 8c a1 a2 8c a1 a2 8c a1 |................|
000000b0 a2 8c a1 a2 8c a1 a2 8c a1 a2 8c a1 a2 8c a1 a2 |................|
000000c0 8a 9f a0 8a 9f a0 8b a0 a1 8b a0 a1 8b a0 a1 8b |................|
000000d0 a0 a1 8a 9f a0 8a 9f a0 8f a0 9d 8f a0 9d 8f a0 |................|
000000e0 9d 8f a0 9d 8f a0 9d 8f a0 9d 8f a0 9d 8f a0 9d |................|
000000f0 8f a0 9d 8f a0 9d 8f a0 9d 8f a0 9d 8f a0 9d 8f |................|
00000100 a0 9d 8f a0 9d 8f a0 9d 8e a0 9d 8e a0 9d 8f a1 |................|
00000110 9e 8f a1 9e 8f a1 9e 8f a1 9e 8e a0 9d 8e a0 9d |................|
00000120 8f a1 9e 8f a1 9e 8f a1 9e 8f a1 9e 8f a1 9e 8f |................|
00000130 a1 9e 8f a1 9e 8f a1 9e 8c a1 9c 8c a1 9c 8c a1 |................|
00000140 9c 8c a1 9c 8f a0 9c 90 a1 9d 90 a1 9d 90 a1 9d |................|
00000150 8f a0 9c 90 a1 9d 90 a1 9d 90 a1 9d 8d a2 9d 8c |................|
00000160 a1 9c 8c a1 9c 8b a0 9b 93 a0 9c 92 9f 9b 92 9e |................|
00000170 98 90 9c 96 92 9a 93 8f 97 90 90 96 8b 8e 94 89 |................|
00000180 9c a0 94 a3 a7 9b ae b4 a3 bc c2 b1 c7 cd ba cb |................|
00000190 d1 be cb d2 bd c9 d0 bb c4 ce ba c5 cf bb c3 cf |................|
000001a0 bb c3 cf bb c4 d2 c0 c3 d1 bf b3 c2 b4 a2 b1 a3 |................|
000001b0 8c 9c 8f 88 98 8b 86 94 89 84 92 87 87 92 00 fe |................|
000001c0 ff ff 82 fe ff ff 02 00 00 00 00 78 bb 00 00 00 |...........x....|
000001d0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
*
000001f0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 55 aa |..............U.|
00000200

Boot on Ubuntu CD, and choose "Try without install". You are not supposed to see a text grub menu, but a graphical screen.
Reinstall Grub following this link, on sda device (as like in example of this web page)
     https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Reinstalling%20from%20LiveCD
Windows should be detected, and proposed at boot.

Hey delance, still no luck. I'm just going to give up with it and reinstall windows vista when this semester is over. I really appreciate you trying to help me out though, thanks again.

Sorry I am a bit late on this.

The problem lies on sdb1. No Operating System, Boot files/dirs at all.

If you've not reinstalled WIndows yet, you can boot from a Windows 7 installation or Recovery disc and perform startup repair at least 3 times. Once successful, you'll be able to boot into Windows. Then follow the link provided by delance and re-install Grub and your PC will be ready to dual boot.

Don't worry about late response, I'm still running Ubuntu, I'll see if I can get my hands on a Windows 7 disc and try a recovery. I tried recovering with the Windows Vista disc I have but nothing major happened, however upon reboot I was taken to a screen I never saw before. It had GNU and Grub I think and it allowed me to choose how I boot my system, but Windows wasn't listed. I'll keep trying for now, I've gotten used to this operating system haha, but if I don't figure anything out by mid December, I'll just reinstall Windows like I said, it'll be nice having a fresh computer. Thanks again for all the help.