bootloader question.

wolfeking

wolfeking

banned
I have a issue with the bootloader on my lappy here. I installed vista SP2 home premium, and activated it, but it overwrote GRUB and install its own bootloader. This I have a issue with, because it is a microsoft product, it does not see the EXT4 partition housing Ubuntu. I need to get back into my ubuntu before I go apeshit crazy.

I tried the GRUB repair disk, and it sees the Ubuntu partition, as well as the EXT4 and SWAP space that is blank for Crunchbang (waiting for my camera before I reinstall it), but gives me an error when I try to fix GRUB. I have reburned the disk 3 times and checked the checksums to be sure it downloaded right.

So, is there any way, or a freeware tool or something that can reopen the EXT4 Ubuntu partition to bootability from within windows?
 
thanks. I will try that when I get home. I tried easyBCD, but managed to screw it up and now I am getting a error on boot that says insert install disk to repair. So i probably need to take care of that first.

Might just go ahead and install Crunchbang whil I am at it, as that would reinstall GRUB. Just delete it later and reinstall for the guide when I got a camera to do it with,
 
Last edited:
I also dual boot with Linux Ubuntu and Windows. I would get a different hard drive to install Linux on if I were you. If you want to switch operating systems just go into BIOS and switch the start up priority of your hard drives. No more messing with Grub and messing up master boot records if you use two different operating systems on two different hard drives.
 
I wish people would read more often.
I use a laptop, one with only 1 drive bay. Adding a second hard drive is not an option and will not fix my problem.
 
The grub issue is solved.

The question is now how to fetch a copy of the BCD data for vista/XP to fix that. I need those OSs to work, all I got now is crunchbang and Ubuntu LTS. I have tried easyBCD, but that killed the whole bootloader and didn't get me in windows. Reinstalling Crunchbang fixed the GRUB, but not the botched windows BCD file.

Is this something that I can access on the files in the XP/Vista partitions via ubuntu and just fix the file manually? If so, how do I do that.
 
The bcd shouldn't be damaged by your actions. If you have overwritten the old grub configuration then you just need to add windows to it.
 
I might be blind, I don't know, but what I do know is that reinstalling grub will not overwrite your bcd. Grub first line of installation is done in the mbr. It does not touch your Windows files.
 
wolfeking said:
thanks. I will try that when I get home. I tried easyBCD, but managed to screw it up and now I am getting a error on boot that says insert install disk to repair. So i probably need to take care of that first.

Might just go ahead and install Crunchbang whil I am at it, as that would reinstall GRUB. Just delete it later and reinstall for the guide when I got a camera to do it with,
Click to expand...

your blind and GRUB didn't do it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top