Wubi

Ubuntu will not re-boot

Asked by jim smith

I recently had a problem with Windows (XP) not re-booting after a software update - it would get as far as the windows icon page and then switch off and start up again. Over and over. Eventually I reinstalled windows, rescued files, formatted the drive, and installed from my product cd that came with my laptop (toshiba).

Seeing this as a great opportunity I installed Ubuntu alongside windows, and have been slowly getting my head round it...

And then today Ubuntu decided to update a load of files, which i let it do, and told me it needed to reboot to complete the procedure. Now when I select to boot ubuntu it just switched off and gives me the option again. Windows boots ok.

I've searched through forum etc, but I'm new to this and don't understand those solutions which seem might fit my dilemma.

If I need to re-install, could I at least rescue my thunderbird file?

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Sai Manoj Kumar Yadlapati
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Revision history for this message
Eliah Kagan (degeneracypressure) said : 		#1

If you boot off the Ubuntu Desktop Install CD and select Try Ubuntu, then when the desktop comes up, you have a fully functional live CD system, which you can use to back up files from your installed Ubuntu system. (You can use it to access files on your Windows system too.)

In the GRUB menu (which is the menu that lets you choose between Ubuntu and Windows), try to select Ubuntu rescue mode. If you're able to do that, then when you get a blinking text cursor immediately to the right of a # character, run the command:

update-grub

You run a command by typing it in and pressing Enter.

When that command is finished, reboot your computer. (Don't just hard-reset it. Instead, press Ctrl+Alt+Del, or run the command "reboot", without the quotes.)

Please post again if that doesn't work.

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jim smith (jamesmith) said : 		#2

Ok, I've rescued files using Ubuntu from cd (usb actually), but I don't get the Ubuntu Rescue Mode option GRUB menu....

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Eliah Kagan (degeneracypressure) said : 		#3

What are all the options you *do* get in the GRUB menu?

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jim smith (jamesmith) said : 		#4

Simply:
Ubuntu
Windows XP etc

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Eliah Kagan (degeneracypressure) said : 		#5

If you hold down the shift key while starting up your computer, do you get an option for rescue mode?

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jim smith (jamesmith) said : 		#6

Holding shift does nothing. The only way i get any sort of Ubuntu menu prior to booting, is if I boot from the usb. The only reference to Rescue in this menu is if I go into help and press F4 - I then get a prompt and the suggestion to type "Rescue" or similar. Both this or if I type "update-grub" returns the message "k image not found" or something.....

Maybe I'd be better re-installing? Must I un-install first? Anything I need to know about that?

One other thing - if I look at my drive partitioning (in windows or Ubuntu), there is only 1 partition... Is this right?

Revision history for this message
Eliah Kagan (degeneracypressure) said : 		#7

Reinstalling is an option. It is probably slower than the method that I was going to recommend you use next. But when you add the time associated with communicating between us, reinstalling might be faster. As for uninstalling, that depends on your answer to the next question.

"One other thing - if I look at my drive partitioning (in windows or Ubuntu), there is only 1 partition... Is this right?"

What kind of partition does it say it is? Do you have other drives, too? Perhaps your Windows system is installed on one physical drive and your Ubuntu system on another. (Typically an Ubuntu system uses two partitions though -- a root partition of type ext4, and a swap partition of type linux-swap.)

When you installed Ubuntu, did you install normally by booting off the Ubuntu install CD? Or did you install inside Windows, with Wubi? If the latter, that changes everything. ;-)

You said you installed Ubuntu "alongside" Windows so I assumed the former...but now is a good time to be sure.

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jim smith (jamesmith) said : 		#8

The latter!

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Best Sai Manoj Kumar Yadlapati (ysaimanojkumar) said : 		#9

If you installed Ubuntu using Wubi then you should uninstall Ubuntu using the Ubuntu uninstaller placed in the installed folder. The installed folder is located in the drive which you are asked to select while installed Ubuntu inside Windows. It just uninstalls like a normal software and doesnot make you panic.

Then reinstall Ubuntu.
You have not mentioned which version of Ubuntu you are using.
Please try to give as much information as you can while you are in some trouble.

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jim smith (jamesmith) said : 		#10

Thanks Sai Manoj Kumar Y, that solved my question.

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Eliah Kagan (degeneracypressure) said : 		#11

Please note that if you uninstall Ubuntu with Wubi (in Add/Remove Programs) you *will* lose all your documents inside the Ubuntu system. So you should back those up first.

If you're going to get rid of your present Ubuntu installation and reinstall, I recommend installing Ubuntu so that it is *really* alongside your Windows system. (Currently, you have it installed in a virtual disk file *inside* your Windows system.) It will run faster, and you'll probably have far fewer problems with it.

Revision history for this message
Eliah Kagan (degeneracypressure) said : 		#12

If you need help accessing files inside your Wubi system (like your Thunderbird profile), please feel free to post again (or, if you prefer, to start a separate Question).

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Sai Manoj Kumar Yadlapati (ysaimanojkumar) said : 		#13

You are welcome.

I too suggest you to install it alongside windows(dual boot) not inside windows. So, the Ubuntu can use separate partition(in ext2 or ext3 or ext4 file system) for working.

You may ask any queries regarding the new installation of Ubuntu.
I advise you to read the manual for Ubuntu if you are using the version 10.04 (Lucid Lynx). Download it here http://ubuntu-manual.org/downloads. Even if you are using a slight different version, it may help you.

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jim smith (jamesmith) said : 		#14

Many thanks both, I've installed Ubuntu alongside windows this time - there weren't too many files in my previous installation so i grabbed what i needed before uninstalling it.

Cheers