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Old 03-14-2008, 12:35 AM   #1
jadehe
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Error Loading Operating System--Linux Ubuntu--Help


I am very new to Linux, heard it was pretty good from a friend. So I downloaded Linux Ubuntu and burned it to a CD and installed it. Now everytime I turn on my computer I get "Error loading operating system". I can boot from the Ubuntu CD, but I cant boot to my old disk drive. I try installing Ubuntu again and I get the error "The test of the file system with type ext3 i partition #1 of SCS13(0,0,0)(sda) found uncorrected errors. I was running windows XP before trying to install Ubuntu. My labtop is a Sony VAIO VGN-FE660G. I didn't get any start up CD's with my labtop because the files are supposed to be located on my hard drive. So if I ever needed to I could press F10 when loading to reinstall Windows. But now I can't even get there! So I guess I just need some help on what I should do. Thanks in advance!
 
Old 03-14-2008, 09:46 AM   #2
jadehe
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I forgot to add that I have 3 partitions, one being the 'ext3', another the 'extended' and the third 'linux-swap'. I would like to have both my Windows XP and Linux, and I don't have anything important on my drive so I don't care about loosing info.
 
Old 03-14-2008, 11:10 AM   #3
bigrigdriver
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We need some information from you.

When you turn on the computer, do you get a menu offering the choice of two operating systems to boot: win xp and Ubuntu?

Boot the Ubuntu cd. Open a console and enter the command 'fdisk -l' without quotes. Write down the output and post it here. It will show us the arrangement of partitions.

Also open the file /boot/grub/menu.lst (have to be root to open it) and copy the contents of the menu (just the parts that show win xp and Ubuntu information, including the kernel and initrd lines).

Do it this way:
mount the partition in which ext3 is found: sudo mount /dev/sda2 (or whatever the correct partition is).
Then 'cd /mnt/sda2' (check the /mnt/and /media directories for the correct mount point).
Then cd to /mnt/sda2/boot/grub, and open menu.lst.

You can open the file this way: sudo vim /boot/grub/menu.lst. To scroll up and down, use the arrow keys. To close the file: press the Escape key, then enter :q! (colon q exclamation mark) and press enter.
 
Old 03-14-2008, 11:25 AM   #4
Duck2006
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Quote:
Open a console and enter the command 'fdisk -l'
Sudo fdisk -l
 
Old 03-14-2008, 11:57 AM   #5
jadehe
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When I start up my system I do not a menu offering two choices. So I booted with the Ubuntu live CD and went to the command menu and entered 'sudo fdisk -l'. This is what I got

Disk /dev/sda: 100.0 GB, 100030242816 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 12161 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa17fead9

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 11787 94679046 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 11788 12161 3004155 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 11788 12161 3004123+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Last edited by jadehe; 03-14-2008 at 01:35 PM.
 
Old 03-14-2008, 01:36 PM   #6
jadehe
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Now when I entered 'sudo vim /boot/grub/menu.lst' I just got a bunch of '~'
I couldn't scroll and at the bottom was "/boot/grub/menu.lst" [New DIRECTORY]
 
Old 03-14-2008, 01:59 PM   #7
jadehe
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I tried to find '/boot/grub/menu.lst' but all I got were 6 files in the /boot folder named

abi-2.6.22-14-generic
config-2.6.22-14-generic
initrd.img-2.6.22-14-generic.bak
memtest86+.bin
System.map-2.6.22-14-generic
vmlinuz-2.6.22-14-generic

Hope this can help! Thanks again!
 
Old 03-14-2008, 03:10 PM   #8
jadehe
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Would downloading and using a Windows XP Emergency Boot CD help at all?
 
Old 03-14-2008, 04:56 PM   #9
aidave
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Hi I was having this very problem. In fact it was a real pain to get rid of it. I tried a few things:

- SuperGRUB boot CD (works)
- Ubuntu Server boot CD (has a GRUB install feature via repair)
- Linux System Rescue boot CD (has a GParted partition manager)
- Ubuntu Hardy Alpha CD

I am running on the Hardy Alpha Desktop. It did not work, but for some reason the SuperGRUB fixed it somehow. I cant tell how why. But try those first three tools. I think they will help you, they helped me. It is very frustrating tho.

Also, Ubuntu did not correctly identify which partitions were which. So from the GRUB menu I had to press "e" to edit, then switch (hd1,1) to (hd0,1) for example. You may have to play around with those once you get GRUB to work. I never did get XP to dual boot. I deleted it. *shrug*

good luck
 
Old 03-14-2008, 05:38 PM   #10
jadehe
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Well, I finally got it to work. I started with the Ubuntu Live CD as usual, and again I tried installing it for the um.... I lost count... number of times! But for some reason I got it to go through this time. Even though I couldn't dual boot it.
 
Old 03-15-2008, 08:08 PM   #11
handydan
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No dual-boot, and no wonder!

Quote:
Originally Posted by jadehe View Post
Well, I finally got it to work. I started with the Ubuntu Live CD as usual, and again I tried installing it for the um.... I lost count... number of times! But for some reason I got it to go through this time. Even though I couldn't dual boot it.
I can see why...

Quote:
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 11787 94679046 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 11788 12161 3004155 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 11788 12161 3004123+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
You don't have windows on that drive.
Maybe you used to....but that was then. This is now.
 
  


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