grub rescue/acting like no operating system

[jwolfe]

I have a Toshiba laptop with an amd a8 processor, 64 bit. I have linux mint 18.2 installed with cinnamon. I have used it fine for several months. (I do not know much about what I'm doing, so forgive me if I say things incorrectly). Now it boots to error:unknown filesystem. entering rescue mode... grub rescue. I read about finding grub by entering ls to determine the partitions, then search each of them, but each come back with file unknown. When I boot linux from a flashdrive, my home, documents, and downloads files are all empty, though there are other files still on the hard drive. When I click to install linux mint on the desktop, it tells me there is no operating system installed on the computer. Are the files I had on home, documents, and downloads gone forever? If not, any suggestions on retrieving them?

[deepakdeshp]

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair
Please try
Post output of

Code: Select all

 sudo fdisk -l

[fabien85]

Looks like the root filesystem got corrupted. Do you dual-boot with windows ? If so, that was probably a windows update that screwed your linux.
For recovering your files, I would try photorec, unless someone else has a better option.

[jwolfe]

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair
Please try
Post output of

Code: Select all

 sudo fdisk -l

Thank you for your response and trying to help. Unfortunately, my knowldedge of computers is not like many on these forums. When I boot the computer using linux mint on the usb, I do not know how to connect to wi-fi. I then thought that to run boot-repair-disk, what I needed was to have it on a usb. On another computer, I downloaded boot-repair-disk. I then installed unetbootin. I ran unitbootin and told it to install boot-repair-disk on a usb. It ran through the steps, to step 4, reboot. When I clicked the reboot now button, nothing happened. When I exit and reboot, F12 and select usb, linux mint opens like normal rather than boot-repair-disk. The same is true on the computer that is not working - when I put the usb in it and reboot, F12 and select usb, the same grub rescue screen appears like a reboot without the disk.

[jwolfe]

Looks like the root filesystem got corrupted. Do you dual-boot with windows ? If so, that was probably a windows update that screwed your linux.
For recovering your files, I would try photorec, unless someone else has a better option.

I am not duel booting with windows. Linux Mint 18.2 is the only operating system I have on the computer. Unfortunately, it seems I have a large gap in my knowledge of computers. On another computer, I downloaded photorec along with testdisk on a usb. I started the troubled computer with the usb I have with linux on it. I put in the 2nd usb that has testdisk with photorec, but I can't figure out how to get it to run.

[fabien85]

You can run photorec from the Linux live USB that you already have and apparently know how to boot.
Indeed testdisk is available from the Mint repositories, so you can install it with the software manager. You will need to be connected to internet for that. If you have trouble with the wifi, try to go to Menu > Administration > Driver Manager and see whether there is a driver for your wifi. Otherwise, connect through an ethernet cable (optionally with a ethernet to USB adaptor if you dont have an ethernet port).
For using photorec itself, I cannot help you because I never had to use for the moment (and cross my fingers I wont need it in future). But you should find plenty of tutorials and videos online.

[kukamuumuka]

But you should find plenty of tutorials and videos online.

TestDisk Step By Step -> https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step
PhotoRec Step By Step -> https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec_Step_By_Step