Mint 14 Failed Installation - Cannot boot to Windows/Linux

[donoskaro]

Hey Guys, I'm new with linux so please forgive me if I don't understand something.

I have a computer (I don't think the specs matter but here are the basics: Quad Core Processor, 8GB Ram, 2 HDDs - one with 7 and one with Linux ).
I had Linux Mint 14 when I couldn't get my 7 to install and I thought it would be nice to have this system again (using dual boot) but after the installer told me I should restart I got an error that a device can't be found and the grube 'command line' popped up. I've deleted the partitions with Linux and Grube from the boot section on my main HDD but still I had the same thing. So I went onto re-installing Mint again but the same thing.

My question is: how do I recover my 7 installation or make it so I have both because I couldn't find a solution on Google (I don't have the 7 install disc)

Thanks,
Oskar

[kc1di]

Hi donoskaro and welcome to Mint,

Go to this page and download and run boot-repair it should restore your grub boot loader.
Good luck
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair

[donoskaro]

Hi donoskaro and welcome to Mint,

Go to this page and download and run boot-repair it should restore your grub boot loader.
Good luck
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair

Thanks for your quick reply, I followed the instructions and the same error is occuring. Here is the Paste2 code if you need it:
http://paste2.org/p/2570472

[kc1di]

hi again sorry for the delay,

your log file shows that you two windows boot files one on sda1 and one on sda2 Grub won't like that but still should work.
I believe the problem may be that you Mint install is on sdb1 and as such grub is not finding it.
here's what to try
put the livedvd in when it boots up go to a terminal and type the following

Code: Select all

sudo grub-install /dev/sdb

when that is finished type this command

Code: Select all

sudo update-grub

when that is finished
reboot
see if it works.

[donoskaro]

Hey when I type in "sudo grub-install /dev/sdb" it says grub-probe: error: failed to get canonical path of /cow and then it says Path '/boot/grub' is not readable by GRUB on boot. Installation is impossible. Aborting.

Is there something I'm not doing correctly?

[kc1di]

Hi Sorry that didn't work
could you go to a terminal and type the following command and post the output here ?

Code: Select all

grep menuentry /boot/grub/grub.cfg

[donoskaro]

The outputs of the terminal are still surpising me:

Code: Select all

grep: /boot/grub/grub.cfg: No such file or directory



Edit:

However /grub/ exists

Code: Select all

grep: /boot/grub/: Is a directory



[kc1di]

That tells me grub has not been installed.

here is a page that will tell you how to reinstall it.
http://linuxpoison.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-restore-grub-2-after.html
This is for Ubuntu but will work for Mint also.

[donoskaro]

Hey, the problem still exists but here is what I did:

"sudo fdisk -l" (Linux - sdb1)
"sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt" Succesfull
"sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sdb" This is the confusing one to me. First of all it says that It failed to get canonical path of /cow and then the Installation is succesfull without any errors.
"sudo update-grub" This does not work (Tried after installing grub and after restarting live dvd):

/usr/sbin/grub-probe: error: failed to get canonical path of /cow

[beriaanirudh]

hey ,
i had similar problem of grub today . I did as stated in the following link and my system has started working fine
"http://askubuntu.com/questions/134124/why-do-i-get-no-root-file-system-is-defined-when-i-try-install-in-one-partitio"

PS: Plz mind the "boot loader install" option ( should be "/dev/sda" and not "/dev/sda*" )
hope it helps.

[donoskaro]

Hey guys, I think I found the solution to my unusual problem. My Linux drive (Seagate Barracuda 7300.12) is not detected by the BIOS therefore GRUB can't find it. I will just make a new partition on my WD and post the results on here.

[donoskaro]

The problem was with the HDD after installing Linux on my WD, everything is ok. [Solved]

[kc1di]

The problem was with the HDD after installing Linux on my WD, everything is ok. [Solved]

Glad you got it all fixed enjoy