After successful install - Error: no such device

from a post of member jatkins:ubuntuforums which seems to work
quote
There are a few solution that don't seem to work for getting rid of that "search" line.
Changing grub.cfg gets overwritten after the next update-grub.
Changing grub-mkconfig_lib is overwritten at some point too (if the package is updated I think).
Here's how I did it, it seem to work for now:

   1. Open a terminal (in Applications -> Accessories)
   2. cd /etc/grub.d/ #change folder
   3. sudo cp 10_linux 07_custom #we use a copy to keep the flags on the file
   4. sudo gedit 07_custom
   5. remove content and paste the content of the file attached to this reply (07_custom.txt) and save and close gedit
   6. sudo gedit /etc/default/grub
   7. uncomment the line GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true and save and close gedit
   8. sudo update-grub #updates grub.cfg with our changes

This should create two new entries in grub.cfg with exactly the same title as before preceeded with custom and no search line in the entry. The path /dev/sda* will be used instead of the UUID too.

If it doesn't work, you can still choose the old entries with search line in the grub menu at boot. Remove the 07_custom file and re-comment to undo.

As this is the proper way to configure, this won't be erased by future updates and this should update itself if the kernel version changes.
end quote

Are you sure this applies to my problem? I cannot even get into anything right now, not to mention use the terminal. Do I have any options? I didn't do an update or anything, i wiped out windows and installed the 9.10 directly from the CD.

In some cases Karmic doesn't 'remember' UUIDs correctly.
Notes.
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub/+question/96819
http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/releasenotes/910

However, you can try to fix it from Grub CLI.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2#Command%20Line%20&%20Rescue%20Mode

btw. it's a good choice to make a separate /home partition, in case of reinstallation or any corruptions one can at least keep it's personal files, beside the essential of having backups in the first place.

i'm lost on these instructions, is this just the version i downloaded and other versions have been fixed? other wise I need the copy/paste solution with every little baby step hopefully one that can get it running from a no cd boot up. the easier the better. After all i just started playing with this and its been 3 days and countless hours reading and everything still looks greek to me.

I did a first installation on a Compac Evo N600c notebook after replacing the harddrive and I am getting the same error. Is Ubuntu installable on such an old notebook ?