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Posted: **Fri Apr 23, 2010 4:47 pm**

Thanks for the reply!
I did instruct LM to install itself alongside Windows, and I still see Windows as an option on the grub screen and on gparted when I re-install LM, shouldn't that mean that the system still exists?

I can't access the Recovery system (the key should be F4, but nothing happens).

Couldn't be it be just a MBR or Grub problem?

Thanks again for your patience!

Edit/ some boot info, if it helps!

Code: Select all

 Boot Info Script 0.55    dated February 15th, 2010                    

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

 => Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the same drive in 
    partition #5 for /boot/grub.
 => Syslinux is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb

sda1: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files/dirs:   /bootmgr /boot/bcd

sda2: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files/dirs:   /bootmgr /Boot/BCD

sda3: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext3
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Operating System:  
    Boot files/dirs:   

sda4: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       Extended Partition
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sda5: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext3
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Operating System:  Linux Mint 8 Helena - Fluxbox CE
    Boot files/dirs:   /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda6: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sdb1: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type:  Fat32
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files/dirs:   /boot/grub/menu.lst

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ _____________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488397168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x9d97ba08

Partition  Boot         Start           End          Size  Id System

/dev/sda1               2,048    31,459,327    31,457,280  27 Hidden HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2          31,459,328    31,664,127       204,800   7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3          31,664,128   273,248,112   241,583,985  83 Linux
/dev/sda4         273,249,585   488,392,064   215,142,480   5 Extended
/dev/sda5    *    273,249,648   331,854,704    58,605,057  83 Linux
/dev/sda6         482,432,013   488,392,064     5,960,052  82 Linux swap / Solaris


Drive: sdb ___________________ _____________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdb: 2026 MB, 2026373120 bytes
2 heads, 32 sectors/track, 61840 cylinders, total 3957760 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

Partition  Boot         Start           End          Size  Id System

/dev/sdb1    *             32     3,957,695     3,957,664   6 FAT16


blkid -c /dev/null: ____________________________________________________________

Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL                         

/dev/loop0                                              squashfs                                 
/dev/sda1        BCB21DF0B21DAFBE                       ntfs       RECOVERY                      
/dev/sda2        5A561EE9561EC623                       ntfs       SYSTEM                        
/dev/sda3        2a615b1a-4f2d-412e-a3da-55d565786824   ext3                                     
/dev/sda5        48b3419a-8925-45e3-95f5-e4e9e0ea6212   ext3                                     
/dev/sda6        4f43d660-f10e-4964-8d3b-30866fca4047   swap                                     
/dev/sdb1        0265-41FD                              vfat                                     

============================ "mount | grep ^/dev  output: ===========================

Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options

aufs             /                        aufs       (rw)
/dev/sdb1        /cdrom                   vfat       (rw)
/dev/loop0       /rofs                    squashfs   (rw)


=========================== sda5/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by /usr/sbin/grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s /boot/grub/grubenv ]; then
  have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ ${prev_saved_entry} ]; then
  saved_entry=${prev_saved_entry}
  save_env saved_entry
  prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
fi
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 48b3419a-8925-45e3-95f5-e4e9e0ea6212
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=640x480
  insmod gfxterm
  insmod vbe
  if terminal_output gfxterm ; then true ; else
    # For backward compatibility with versions of terminal.mod that don't
    # understand terminal_output
    terminal gfxterm
  fi
fi
if [ ${recordfail} = 1 ]; then
  set timeout=-1
else
  set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/white
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,5)
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 48b3419a-8925-45e3-95f5-e4e9e0ea6212
insmod png
if background_image /boot/grub/linuxmint.png ; then
  set color_normal=white/black
  set color_highlight=white/light-gray
else
  set menu_color_normal=white/black
  set menu_color_highlight=white/light-gray
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry "Linux Mint 8 Helena - Fluxbox CE, linux 2.6.31-14-generic (/dev/sda5)" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
	set quiet=1
	insmod ext2
	set root=(hd0,5)
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 48b3419a-8925-45e3-95f5-e4e9e0ea6212
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=48b3419a-8925-45e3-95f5-e4e9e0ea6212 ro   quiet splash
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
menuentry "Linux Mint 8 Helena - Fluxbox CE, linux 2.6.31-14-generic (recovery mode)" {
        recordfail=1
        if [ -n ${have_grubenv} ]; then save_env recordfail; fi
	insmod ext2
	set root=(hd0,5)
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 48b3419a-8925-45e3-95f5-e4e9e0ea6212
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic root=UUID=48b3419a-8925-45e3-95f5-e4e9e0ea6212 ro single 
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows Vista (loader) (on /dev/sda1)" {
	insmod ntfs
	set root=(hd0,1)
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set bcb21df0b21dafbe
	chainloader +1
}
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda2)" {
	insmod ntfs
	set root=(hd0,2)
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 5a561ee9561ec623
	chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

=============================== sda5/etc/fstab: ===============================

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s UUID' to print the universally unique identifier
# for a device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name
# devices that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
proc            /proc           proc    defaults        0       0
# / was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=48b3419a-8925-45e3-95f5-e4e9e0ea6212 /               ext3    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# /home was on /dev/sda3 during installation
UUID=2a615b1a-4f2d-412e-a3da-55d565786824 /home           ext3    defaults        0       2
# swap was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=4f43d660-f10e-4964-8d3b-30866fca4047 none            swap    sw              0       0

=================== sda5: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


 160.6GB: boot/grub/core.img
 160.6GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
 160.6GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.31-14-generic
 160.6GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.31-14-generic
 160.6GB: initrd.img
 160.6GB: vmlinuz

=========================== sdb1/boot/grub/menu.lst: ===========================

timeout 300
default 0
color light-blue/blue black/light-grey
splashimage=/boot/splash.xpm.gz

title  Boot Arch Linux Live CD
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 lang=en locale=en_US.UTF-8 archisolabel=ARCHISO_EIYOHPO3 ramdisk_size=75%
initrd /boot/archiso_pata.img

title  Boot Arch Linux Live CD [Legacy IDE, no SATA]
kernel /boot/vmlinuz26 lang=en locale=en_US.UTF-8 archisolabel=ARCHISO_EIYOHPO3 ramdisk_size=75%
initrd /boot/archiso_ide.img


title Tools...
configfile /boot/grub/tools.lst

title Grub Settings...
configfile /boot/grub/settings.lst

title View Help...
configfile /boot/grub/help.lst

title More Options...
configfile /boot/grub/more.lst

title  Shutdown the Computer
halt

title  Reboot the Computer
reboot


=================== sdb1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


    ??GB: boot/grub/menu.lst
    ??GB: boot/grub/stage2
    ??GB: boot/vmlinuz26

Posted: **Fri Apr 23, 2010 5:38 pm**

Sorry if I keep posting - just thought it might help someone with the same issues:

Apparently it is a bootloader problem - I solved the "can't boot into LM" problem by fixing the grub (much quicker than re-installing the entire OS, I guess

) but I'm still trying to find a way to fix the Windows issue.

Posted: **Sat Apr 24, 2010 8:40 am**

I'm just not seeing the Windows system partition in your partition list. All I see is a recovery partition and a boot partition...
Maybe try

Code: Select all

sudo fdisk -l

to see if that list concurs with what you've posted.

I myself am very new to dualbooting Windows and Linux, so take whatever I say with a grain of salt. I was a Windows user for a very long time, though. Usually most Windows-related boot problems were solved with the fixmbr command run from the command prompt of a recovery disc. There are ways to fix a Windows MBR from Linux, typically requiring that you can boot from a live cd... But those might also work for a USB boot. I've never booted anything via USB so I can't help you there. Worth looking into... The problem still being, in my opinion, that I don't see the system partition.

It's weird, though. I've installed Mint after Windows many times and it's never touched the Windows partition(s) at all.

I'd like to see someone more knowledgeable confirm this, but I would assume that as long as Mint can detect the small boot partition, it might continue to think Windows is there, even if the actual system itself wasn't.

As a side note, here's a link to a page on how to install Windows 7 without ending up with that pesky boot partition.

Posted: **Sat Apr 24, 2010 9:11 am**

To see if Windows partition still exists, go to Computer in the Mint menu and you should see the partitions with files on them. One will be called "Filesystem" and then for example on mine I have "320 GB Hard Disk: Packard Bell" which has the whole Windows 7 OS and files in it and "320 GB Hard Disk: SYSTEM RESERVED" which is a 100MB partition which only has Boot stuff from Windows 7 on it (I'd imagine you have this one too from the looks of your info). If there is another partition with files in like mine, then your Windows partition still exists and can probably be rescued by editing grub. If not then you may have accidentally deleted it.

You could also see what there is in the disk utility. Looking at mine suggests you may have deleted Windows as I have 3 Windows partitions, one 105MB, one 13GB and the other 178GB which is the OS which seems to be the one you lack.

Posted: **Sat Apr 24, 2010 5:39 pm**

Thank you for your answers, both of you!

Unhyper wrote:It's weird, though. I've installed Mint after Windows many times and it's never touched the Windows partition(s) at all.

That's why I refused to believe my windows partition had gone, but it looks like it did after all

I fixed mbr via Live USB but now I just get a "no OS found" message.
I'm pretty sure it wasn't an error from my part, I did nothing out of the ordinary, so I wonder what happened?

I guess there's no legit way to get my already-paid-for Win7 back then? (Well, I've lived without it for a long time now and haven't missed it, but this is the first time I unintentionally delete it so it irks me a bit

)

Posted: **Sun Apr 25, 2010 7:11 pm**

lumi wrote:I'm pretty sure it wasn't an error from my part, I did nothing out of the ordinary, so I wonder what happened?

Not sure... I would recommend that you partition the whole drive (as in, plan the partitions and set them, not leaving unclaimed space) before reinstalling Windows. Not only should it stop Win7 from creating that pesky 100 MB boot partition, but I think the odds of writing over an existing OS when you install Linux again are greatly diminished.

I guess there's no legit way to get my already-paid-for Win7 back then? (Well, I've lived without it for a long time now and haven't missed it, but this is the first time I unintentionally delete it so it irks me a bit )

There very well might be, since the recovery partition is there. You may be able to boot from it by using a disk partitioning tool (booted off USB stick or something) to set the RECOVERY partition as "Active", saving changes and rebooting. Just be careful not to do anything else to it... I'd google that first but it should be a pretty straight-forward procedure.

I don't know if you're new to Linux, like I am, or if you're fairly seasoned, but I hope you'll still give Mint a chance, even if your first installation didn't go as smoothly as you had hoped. It really is a remarkable operating system, and much much much more reliable than your first encounter might have you believe.

Posted: **Mon Apr 26, 2010 4:49 am**

Oh, don't worry about that, I've been a happy Linux Mint-only user for more than a year and I have no intention of ever going back!

I just wanted to try out Win7 as there's a slight chance that I might need Windows for work.
I think I'll just dual boot XP and a pre-grub 2 distro on my oldish laptop instead, and spare myself a headache.

Posted: **Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:55 am**

n the beginning of this month, two prominent Operating System distributions released their Release Candidates – Popular Microsoft Windows and Linux Mint. I had a chance to try both of them out in my Dell 6400 Laptop. Here is how the things appeared to me:

Windows 7 RC1

Microsoft released first Release Candidate of their brand new Operating System Windows 7, in the beginning of this month. The RC1 will not expire for an entire year! Yes, Microsoft is in Damage Control Mode after bad reviews it got for Windows Vista! Even my laptop came with Windows Vista pre-installed. I used it for one year, till the warranty expired and then switched to Linux. This time around, I heard very good reviews of Windows 7 and decided to give it a try.

Linux Mint 7 RC

When Linux Mint 7 Gloria (Release Candidate) was announced, I downloaded it immediately. After I installed Windows 7, I decided to remove it and installed Linux Mint 7 RC. The download size of ISO is 686M. I made a boot able USB with UNetBootin. I restarted the system and bootted from USB disk. The Live CD (rather USB), was very quick and I was presented with a very smooth looking desktop in minutes. I started the installer, which asked me a few questions. I selected custom disk partitioning and ext4 is the default file system in this release. The installation completed in 3-4 minutes and I restarted the PC.

Posted: **Tue Apr 27, 2010 1:00 am**

And your point is? Cutting and pasting nonsense doesn't really do much around here.

Posted: **Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:30 pm**

Biker wrote:And your point is? Cutting and pasting nonsense doesn't really do much around here.

Well, nuts. And I was just about to post the first chapter of "A Tale Of Two Cities" by Dickens.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

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