Problem with Grub

Revo

Member
Hallo community

I have today added new partitions to my harddisk.
My Windows Vista still started well then.

But now I have installed Ubuntu and with it came the GRUB Bootloader.
Starting Ubuntu works fine,
but when I try to start Vista it get to the screen where it says:
(c) Microsoft Corparation
The progressbar animation goes then forever ...

How can I configure GRUB so, that it works,
or how can I replace GRUB by the Windows Bootloader?

If you need more information please ask.

Yours
Revo
 
Hi Revo. Welcome to NST.
Please post your Ubuntu menu.lst, located at /boot/grub/menu.lst on your Ubuntu partition, so we can take a look at it, and make sure its configured correctly.

-Coolname007
 
Sorry, I misread the post.

But Cool, how would the menu file help you? It sounds like the Vista partition was corrupted during the resizing to install Ubuntu....

So long as the Vista bootloader starts up, it's nothing to do with GRUB...
 
Sorry, I misread the post.

But Cool, how would the menu file help you? It sounds like the Vista partition was corrupted during the resizing to install Ubuntu....

So long as the Vista bootloader starts up, it's nothing to do with GRUB...

I thought there might be a missing line, such as "makeactive" or whatever, in the Windows entry. I'm thinking of the time when a user here had an issue with Win 98 not starting up from Grub, and it was because his Windows entry lacked a "makeactive" line. Anyhow, regardless, it would do no harm if he posts his menu.lst file...:wink:

If all else fails, Revo, you can simply download and burn to a CD our Recovery disk, use that to put Vista in the MBR, instead of Grub, repair Vista's boot (assuming there is nothing wrong with the bootsector or anything like that) and then use EasyBCD to add an entry for Ubuntu. :smile:

Here's the link to the Recovery disk:
Windows Vista Recovery Disc Download The NeoSmart Files

Cheers.

-Coolname007
 
Using the repair CD is a good idea, but reinstalling the bootloader likely won't fix the Vista booting problem.

My recommendation would be to use the recovery cd, enter a command prompt, and run
Code:
chkdsk.exe c: /f
to see if the disk was corrupted during the resize.
 
I was going to suggest that, but you beat me to it. :tongueout: I also thought bootsect might be able to fix the problem, but I seem to recall reading that bootsect is missing from the Recovery CD found on this site, and so I'm not sure how else he would use it...:wink:

-Coolname007
 
Cool, bootsect will only help if the MBR is OK and the bootsector has not been programmed to look for BOOTMGR.

In his case, bootrec (which is on the CD) is needed to re-write the MBR. This is all explained in detail in the wiki, of course, Revo, and you can see it here.

However, since the Vista bootloader is being started, neither bootrec nor bootsect will solve this problem.
 
Hi there and thanks for all your quick answers.

Here is my menu.lst - it was auto generated and everything should be allright.

menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=7f3b4434-b1bb-405c-aaac-1ea9fe47a4b9 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=7f3b4434-b1bb-405c-aaac-1ea9fe47a4b9

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-11-generic
uuid 7f3b4434-b1bb-405c-aaac-1ea9fe47a4b9
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-11-generic root=UUID=7f3b4434-b1bb-405c-aaac-1ea9fe47a4b9 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-11-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-11-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 7f3b4434-b1bb-405c-aaac-1ea9fe47a4b9
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-11-generic root=UUID=7f3b4434-b1bb-405c-aaac-1ea9fe47a4b9 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-11-generic

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic
uuid 7f3b4434-b1bb-405c-aaac-1ea9fe47a4b9
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=7f3b4434-b1bb-405c-aaac-1ea9fe47a4b9 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 7f3b4434-b1bb-405c-aaac-1ea9fe47a4b9
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.27-7-generic root=UUID=7f3b4434-b1bb-405c-aaac-1ea9fe47a4b9 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.27-7-generic

title Ubuntu 8.10, memtest86+
uuid 7f3b4434-b1bb-405c-aaac-1ea9fe47a4b9
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Windows Vista/Longhorn (loader)
root (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda4
title Microsoft Windows XP Embedded
root (hd0,3)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

I have now tried my recovery CD and wondered that it wont start like the other parts of the windows system.

Also I dont think that my partition table is broken. Because I first changed the partionons, then started Vista successfull and a bit later installed Ubuntu without changing any partitions.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Cool, bootsect will only help if the MBR is OK and the bootsector has not been programmed to look for BOOTMGR.

I was thinking the bootsector may have been corrupted, and he could use bootsect to repair it...but you're probably right. :wink: If it got up to where the Vista screen was loading, it is likely there is nothing wrong with the bootsector, since it would have probably stopped the boot process before even bootmgr began working, and before the screen would ever have had a chance to load...

-Coolname007

EDIT: Revo, please use [quote ] tags around here, and not [code ] ones, because as you can see it messes things up around here.

Addendum:

So, judging from your menu.lst, it looks like you have two Vistas (not one): one located at (hd0,0), first hard drive, first partition, and one located at (hd0,1) first hard drive, second partition. And you also appear to have a Windows XP installed as well, on (hd0,3)...:wink: So can you get into your other installed Vista, or XP? If so, then you can attempt the repairs from one of them.

-Coolname007
 
Last edited:
Yeah...in order to boot from the Recovery CD, you need to put your CD/DVD drive *first* in the boot order in your BIOS, which can be reached at startup by pushing F2 normally.

-Coolname007
 
The first Vista on partition 0 is a recovery version, that does not work.
The secound Vista is the true Vista, that does not work.

I have never installed Windows XP on 3 - grub must have taken the extended partition as Windows XP.

------

I have now managed to fix an error in the partition table.

On booting the true Vista version it does now say:
BOOTMGR NOT FOUND
PRESS STRG+ALT+DEL TO REBOOT
 
If there's no bootmgr, you will need to use Startup Repair on the Recovery CD to fix all of your Vista boot files, as has been previously stated. You may need to do it 2 or 3 times before eveything's fixed, though. But it seems strange you would be getting that message, since you were seeing the Vista screen just a few posts ago...

What exactly did you do to the partition table? !

-Coolname007
 
Last edited:
Back
Top