Ubuntu
grub2 package

dual boot system - cant install ubuntu - grub rescue

Asked by nick n

I have dual OS system, windows 7 and xubuntu 11.10

windows hard drive 60gb SSD, not touching sda

2nd Hard drive sdb (500gb) 250 gb ntfs storeage partition

rest of 2nd hard drive using for Linux, I have installed linux 10 times over the last month (new to linux, I break stuff, another story)

method of load grub, boot windows, partition 2nd hard drive linux partition, reinstalll linux after I break it was working fine, now I can not get passed grub rescue, cant find (long number, assume MBR)

no physical issues with drive, tested using live cd, windows OS and xubuntu install are fine, just can't mount, load grub, uggg

sorry, now the questions,

1) how can I get fresh ubuntu install to correctly install bootable grub? I have read 25 articles and they all give different answers and I just don't want to start typing sudo commands without understanding what is happening

2) Is there a way to have a grub partition that will always work regardless of how many 100 times I have to reinstall linux?

Ive spent 6 hours trying to get to work, ready to pull hair out of head, thank you for your help!

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nick n
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Revision history for this message
nick n (nnorthway99) said : 		#1

Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x872cfc36

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 2048 514719584 257358768+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb2 514719744 746362503 115821380 83 Linux
/dev/sdb3 746362878 976771071 115204097 5 Extended
Partition 3 does not start on physical sector boundary.
/dev/sdb5 746362880 960186367 106911744 83 Linux
/dev/sdb6 960188416 976771071 8291328 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#2

www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2011/09/live-usb-sticking-grub-2-video/

You can reinstate grub to the MBR

Revision history for this message
nick n (nnorthway99) said : 		#3

I really really thank you for your time and help..

I don't understand if I should be editing my 60GD windows drive or 500 gd drive where ubuntu resides?

sda is 60gd windows (fdisk lists sda1 as *), sdb is ubuntu drive, how does my system know to look at sdb for mbr?

On the video she mounts partition sda5 but the * is next to sda1 partition?

Sorry for being so slow.. I went and bought a 3rd harddrive, ill use entire disk for linux, hopefully this will solve my issues until I get a grip on linux

----
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 2048 206847 102400 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2 206848 117227519 58510336 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x872cfc36

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 2048 514719584 257358768+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb2 514719744 746362503 115821380 83 Linux
/dev/sdb3 746362878 976771071 115204097 5 Extended
Partition 3 does not start on physical sector boundary.
/dev/sdb5 746362880 960186367 106911744 83 Linux
/dev/sdb6 960188416 976771071 8291328 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdc: 4040 MB, 4040724480 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 491 cylinders, total 7892040 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00060efe

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 * 16065 7887914 3935925 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sdc5 16128 7887914 3935893+ b W95 FAT32

Revision history for this message
Chris (fabricator4) said : 		#4

The grub bootloader needs to go on /dev/sda since that is where the BIOS will look to boot from first. If you're doing a fresh install just put the Linux / partition where it needs to go, but specify /dev/sda for grub to be installed to.

If you always leave the grub isntall set to /dev/sda when you do a fresh intall you will never have a problem with grub.

Chris

Revision history for this message
nick n (nnorthway99) said : 		#5

You guys are so awesome! I appreciate your time responding to posts from new users, such as myself. Linux can be so confusing because of the endless possible custom configurations. All corrected now, I'm back up!

I'd send you a pizza and a beer if I could!