Grun Loading stage 1.5, Grub loading - Error 22, won't boot from bootdisk
 

Hello,

I am new to Linux and have to admit I know nothing. My ex was trying to convert me to Linux and installed Ubuntu on my laptop + partitioned it. He never finished it and he's not around now.

So thought (here's where my in experience comes in!) how hard can it be to just remove the partition! Well using his partition wizard I was able to delete the partition, but didn't realise it would just flip back to auto loading windows (I've had a grub to use for the past I don't know how many months and it auto loaded Ubuntu after about 15 secs).

How wrong was I (I see you shake your head!) Now I get the following error on screen

GRUB Loading Stage 1.5.

GRUB Loading, please wait...
Error 22

I've searched for the error and found loads of stuff and instructions on what to do, only issue is I've downloaded a bootdisk (I'm using Vista 32 bit) but I can't boot from it. I can't get into my BIOS, a vista CD didn't come with my Laptop and I really don't know what to do next.

I'm using a SONY Vaio VGN-NR38M

Can anyone help?

Sometimes the factory restore software is on the internal disk drive. I found this possibility at
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...5101308AANqIjU
If that doesn't work then you could call their technical support and ask if they will sell you a factory restore CD. Here is the Sony support page.
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/mod...denav:esupport

Here is the Sony support page for your computer.
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu...5ES#div_pos_98

I looked there and did not find an option to purchase a factory restore CD. Most computer manufacturers will sell these for about US$15.

If these avenues fail then you could purchase a full Windows installation kit. The full Windows 7 Home Premium kit is currently selling for about US$200.

If that does not appeal to you then you could install Linux for free! There are several distributions available. Ubuntu is a good one but if the reminds you of your ex then you might want to try Linux Mint 10.

In summary:

Turn on your computer and press the F7 key repeatedly while the Sony logo is on the screen. That may start a system restore utility.

If that doesn't work then find out if Sony will sell you a factory restore disk.

If they won't then you can either purchase Windows at great expense or you could install Linux.

If you decide to install Linux then come back here for assistance.

In your first paragraph you indicate your ex installed Ubuntu but never finished "it" and in the second paragraph you refer to booting Ubuntu for several months?? Were you ever able to boot Ubuntu? If you deleted the Ubuntu partition, you will not be able to boot Ubuntu with the Grub bootloader because most of its files are on the partition you deleted.
Did this computer originally have vista pre-installed?
If it did, it probably had a Recovery partition, your ex may have deleted it?? Easy enough to check if you still have the Ubuntu installation CD or any Linux Live CD to get partition information?? You can do that in Ubuntu from a terminal with the command: sudo fdisk -l (lower case Letter L in the command) or just logging in as root with a non-Ubuntu CD and running the command.
Are you still able to boot vista?
What exactly do you want to do? just use vista? just use Ubuntu? dual-boot?

She said that she is getting the GRUB boot loader error. That error indicates that the rest of the GRUB files that were in the Ubuntu partition are now gone. She will not be able to boot Vista even if it is still on the disk. She doesn't have a Windows rescue disk with the Recovery Console to perform the fixmbr command that would make Vista boot again, if it is still on the disk.

Hi there

Yes Ubuntu does boot, my ex didn't manage to get things like Wireless working and hadn't transfered files and programs over,

yes it had Vista pre installed, I don't have an Ubuntu install cd, but guess I can prob download one easy enough,

Nope can't boot vista, and yep for now just want to use Vista - I'm clearly not techy enough to switch myself over so best wait till I can find someone else to do it for me!!

Let me go off and see what I can do from this.

Thanks
Susan

This may help you:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5847948_rest...partition.html

Check out the tips and warnings section. Maybe someone else can comment on that link.

You don't need an Ubuntu install CD if you can boot Ubuntu. Just boot Ubuntu, open a terminal and run the command I suggested in my earlier post to get partition information to post here. Someone here should be able to tell you if you have a Recovery Partition. If it looks like you have the partition, you can download a Recovery Disk for Vista from neosmart technologies and it should allow you to boot and Recover vista, assuming it hasn't been messed up beyond repair.

http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/window...disc-download/

If you get to the point where you download this recovery CD, make sure to follow instructions on how to burn it to CD.

That presumes the Microsoft loader is in the MBR and will react to F8 - no use in this case.
As yancek indicated, open a terminal (under the Applications menu at the top left) and enter these commands - paste all the output here. That's ell (for list), and you'll need your password you logon with.As an aside I've used the Neosmart recovery CD for Win7 (without any M$oft CD/DVD), and it worked fine.