Ubuntu 10.04 won't boot after installing updates

S

-Silent-

New Member
I am dual booting Vista and Ubuntu 10.04 on my laptop using wubi. A couple days ago it said there were updates available so I installed them like usual. Now when I select Ubuntu from the boot menu, the next screen says "unable to load font" or something to that nature. Then it restarts back to menu to select which operating system to choose.

How do I fix this? There are files in Ubuntu I would rather not lose. I am not super tech savy by any means but can handle anything that isn't real complicated.

Any help would be appreciated.
 
I know nothing about Linux; BUT, if you have enough space on your HDD, you could create a new, (2nd), Linux partition and install Ubuntu on it without those latest updates, then use that Linux boot to try to repair your first one. i.e. Remove those "Updates".
 
Do you have multiple kernels installed? If you do you can try to see if one of the previous instillations still works. If it does you can just remove the bad kernel.

Edit: what JHM said is a good idea but you can do that by booting the live cd and editing your files that way.
 
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My laptop doesn't have a very big hard drive and it is almost full so I think making another partition won't work.

After I select Ubuntu, is says "unknown command 'loadfont'". I also cannot select one of the previous kernels because the error message comes up right before that and it restarts.

I appreciate the ideas, anymore?

Maybe if I download it to a flash drive and boot from that? Will my files still be there?
 
your are getting the error before your grub loader?

Oh and did you use the Wubi installer or did you did you install them side by side with the live cd?
 
Not sure what the grub loader is. Remember I installed it using the Wubi installer, not manually creating different partitions.

After pushing power on my laptop, first screen that appears lets me pick between vista and ubuntu. Next screen normally lets me pick which version of ubuntu. Error message comes right after the first screen.
 
Sorry about that. I must have read the first post too quickly and missed it.

Well since you used the wubi installer it looks like your files and folders are hidden a bit in a virtual disk. I heard that you can access it by booting the Ubuntu live cd and mounting your windows instillation.

at the bottom this thread there are instructions on how this might work. I have never done this before, so sorry if this does not work perfectly.

Edit: the second menu that you choose what version of ubuntu to use (like Generic 2.6.13-24) is the grub loader. Wubi uses an extra menu before the grub menu.
 
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...Fail. I am an idiot. I forgot to post you the link. I'll search for it again. Sorry about that.

from what I remember it was in your windows instillation under something like windows/wubi/ubuntu
 
ok here is the part that I was refrencing from the other post

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WubiGuide#H...stall and repair my install if it won't boot?

How can I access my Wubi install and repair my install if it won't boot?

Boot the Ubuntu Desktop CD, or another LiveCD, then mount the windows partition:

sudo mkdir /win
sudo mount /dev/sda1 /win

Replace sda1 with the appropriate device (a = disk, 1 = partition number), then mount the virtual disk therein

sudo mkdir /vdisk
sudo mount -o loop /win/ubuntu/disks/root.disk /vdisk

Now the content of the virtual disk will be visible under /vdisk. 7.04 users will have to install ntfs-3g first and specify it as fstype to gain r/w access.

To check the filesystem you can use:

sudo fsck /win/ubuntu/disks/root.disk
Click to expand...


That is instructions from a booted live cd.
 
salvage-this said:
Sorry about that. I must have read the first post too quickly and missed it.

Well since you used the wubi installer it looks like your files and folders are hidden a bit in a virtual disk. I heard that you can access it by booting the Ubuntu live cd and mounting your windows instillation.

at the bottom this thread there are instructions on how this might work. I have never done this before, so sorry if this does not work perfectly.

Edit: the second menu that you choose what version of ubuntu to use (like Generic 2.6.13-24) is the grub loader. Wubi uses an extra menu before the grub menu.
Click to expand...

Thanks for explaining the grub loader.

Seems your solution is correct. I found this:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1639198

which basically says the same thing you did. Sounds a little complicated though. The root of my problem was installing the updates...seems to be a no-no when using Wubi.
 
Woah we posted at about the same time with the same info. That is perfect I appreciate the effort. I will try to work it out with those instructions.
 
Happy to explain anything that I can.

Yeah it seems that Wubi has a bit of trouble with updates. I would get rid of wubi and install Ubuntu with the live cd. That seems to have a lot less problems.

once you get into the virtual drive you should be able to copy any of the files that you need over to your documents folder in windows. your documents should be under something like windows/users/(your username)/documents

One more thing. If you do get rid of Ubuntu and Wubi, be sure to uninstall Ubuntu first then Wubi.


Good Luck! Let me know if you have any problems/questions
 
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