Grub error 18

cha_indian · 04-12-2010, 06:13 AM

i am experiencing another variation of the this problem. I have Win XP SP2 installed on my machine. I wanted to try Ubuntu and i created a CD an and wanted to install the OS. The CD booted and i selected the option of "using The OS together and selecting which one to boot" or something similar to that. Ubuntu and changed MBR and installed itself. However on restarting I am getting Error 18. Now i am unable to use my computer at all.

I need your help in recover my XP at the moment and how to install Linux so that it does not mess around with any other OS ??

deadeyes · 04-13-2010, 10:45 AM

Normally the ubuntu installer tries to detect your Windows installation.

You can probably still boot both linux and windows. You will have to pass some commands.
Can you get a grub prompt?
Then type this:

Code:

title Windows Vista
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

The hd0,0 says windows is on your first hdd and the first partition.
The title does not matter.

Otherwhise you will have to bootup your system again using the Ubuntu live cd.
If your harddrive is /dev/sda, then you need to do
[code]
grub-install /dev/sda
[/codde]

Please let us know from the moment you can get in an operating system. Be clear in what is happening.
To make these changes permanent you should first be able to boot into linux succesfully.

cha_indian · 04-14-2010, 12:27 AM

Thanks deadeyes for your reply.

I want to update you about my machine: My machine is Pentium4 1.5GHz i bought in year 2000. The motherboard limit of HDD is 136GB but i have 160GB HDD installed. I read it somewhere that if the HDD is more than 6GB, Ubuntu cannot load itself ??

Regarding the current state of my machine, unfortunately while i was at work my brother tried to install Ubuntu again on another NTFS partition! Now the system is completely dead. Due to this, I fomatted the HDD completely and now i am ready to install Linux again. This time i dont want to make any mistakes!

Now i want Linux to keep to itself and not do anything to Windows XP. Currently there are four NTFS partition C, D, E, F of 40GB each. Windows XP SP2 is installed on C: drive and it is the OS that is there on my machine now. I want to use F: drive for Linux. Now guys, i just want to install Linux on this F: partition. While booting I just want to select which OS to boot. Can you help me in this ?

mandars · 04-14-2010, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cha_indian

Thanks deadeyes for your reply.

Unfortunately while i was at work my brother tried to install Ubuntu again on another NTFS partition! Now the system is completely dead. Due to this, I fomatted the HDD completely and now i am ready to install Linux again. This time i dont want to make any mistakes!

Now i want Linux to keep to itself and not do anything to Windows XP. Currently there are four NTFS partition C, D, E, F of 40GB each. Windows XP SP2 is installed on C: drive and it is the OS that is there on my machine now. I want to use F: drive for Linux. Now guys, i just want to install Linux on this F: partition. While booting I just want to select which OS to boot. Can you help me in this ?

dont worry,
make u r f drive as linux ext3 formated.at time installing at one stage u ask for chosing partition for ubuntu. that time chose f drive and edit that partition. and now u can format thar partition by ext3 file system. and perform furthr instructions given on scren

cha_indian · 04-14-2010, 02:07 AM

thanks mandars.

That is what i did when i installed Ubuntu for the first time. Everthing went fine during the installation but when the time came to boot, i got Error 18.

The LBA of my HDD in my BIOS is set to Auto.

deadeyes · 04-15-2010, 02:42 AM

In case this problem is due to the issue you mention there is a stage1.5
However I would think this is not the case.
LBA can be set to on.