error: unknown filesystem. grub rescue> _
 

Hi, I a have dual boot with Linux Mint and Windows 7. Today, after using Partition Wizard on Windows to extend its partition, I got the following message when rebooting:

error: unknown filesystem. grub rescue> _

I was trying to delete linux be extending the Windows partition over it. I had been playing around with Linux just for fun, but I was running out of space for windows. (I allocated 60 out of 300 GB for Linux) I have no experience with Linux at all, and this is a family computer so I would really appreciate any easy to understand replies. Thanks!

I also have a windows recovery disk that I booted to. When this finally finished loading, it came up with a box that gave the error code, "0x4001100200001012" I'm not sure what to do about all this.

Well, you've removed the partition which contained the stage-2 for your GRUB bootloader, so I believe that error message is from grub stage 1 complaining it can't read stage 2.

Assuming you didn't damage your windows parititon, you need to restore your windows MBR to be able to boot windows again (since grub is toast) - which you should be able to do using the recovery disk... however I know that Windows does NOT like having its parition changed without using the microsoft parition tools...

Did the recovery disk notify you that it found your windows installation?

It only loaded the windows files, and popped up a box that had the error code in it. It didn't give me anything else to work with. After I clicked "ok" It just restarted the computer. I've done that multiple times now.

(I did make a recovery disk before this error started happening, because it was in the instructions)I was using this link to uninstall Linux, but it wouldn't let me delete the partition a second time to make it unallocated space. It would give me this error message,"There is not enough space available on the disk(s) to perform this operation." So I went to this link and used Gregrocker's suggestion of Partition Wizard, a bootable disc to edit the partition. When I booted off the disc, I extended the Windows OS partition over the 60GB Linux Partition. That's when all my trouble began.

What exactly do you mean "loaded all the windows files"? You mean it crashes once the disk is finished loading, and before it gives you the option of providing any input, or it found your windows installation and crashed afterward?

Also, did you make this recovery disk yourself, and have you ever used it before?

It loaded all the files off the disk, did not give me a chance to input, and did not find a windows installation. I made the recovery disk by going to Control Panel>System and Security>Backup and Restore>Create a system repair disc. I have not used it except after I used partition wizard. I was hoping that after using partition wizard, it would let me enter the recovery menu, where I could use the command "bootrec.exe /fixmbr" to delete the linux bootloader, so it would boot straight into Windows.

It sounds to me like there's something wrong the the recovery disk its self - you should be able to boot into the disk regardless of the state of the hard drive, so if it's crashing before you can even do anything, it's probably messed up - maybe the disk was scratched or dirty when you burned it, or something may have gone wrong.

I'd reccomend trying another recovery disk if you can get one, or double check by attempting to use the disk on another computer and see if it crashes there as well (my guess is it will).

So I can make another recovery disk on another computer, and use it with the one having the problem? In this thread they've said the same thing you did, that it might be made corrupted as it goes. Also, would this command, "bootrec.exe /fixmbr" that I mentioned earlier, make my computer boot to windows if I got the recovery disk working?

You may not even need to use the console, the recovery disk may find it on it's own. You should be able to boot back into windows once it's done, however you'll very likely find that your system is broken and unusable, and probably will tell you that your windows is not genuine. If you get that far, post back here and I can give you something to try which should fix it. (I know because I recently moved my windows parition and broke it in a similar way, but I knew it was going to break and was prepared to fix it before I began)

So, I was able to make a windows recovery disc on another computer. I then booted to that disk and tried using system repair. That didn't find anything that wasn't normal, so I opened the command prompt. I then typed in the command that I mentioned earlier, "bootrec.exe /fixmbr," which completed successfully. I then rebooted the computer, and it booted straight into windows, without any error messages. My Windows 7 OS is working exactly as it did when it was dual-booting linux, except that the Windows partition is now extended over it. Thanks for all you help jms89! I really appreciated your advice. I'm so glad I was able to save this computer, even though it's pretty old.