[SOLVED] Help! I can`t boot my laptop

guntaro · 09-02-2012, 12:10 PM

So, I deleted some program files and after restarting laptop it can not boot. I believe that only way is to reinstal program? But how can I get my data out of lap if it not booting???
P.S. I use ubuntu 10.04.4

albinard · 09-02-2012, 12:27 PM

You may just have lost the grub setup; try using a LiveCD (or USB installation) to boot from, then:
Mount the Ubuntu partition: sudo mount /dev/sdaX /mnt

Run grub-install: sudo grub-install –root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sda
(double hyphen before the word "root")

Reboot, then run sudo update-grub

TroN-0074 · 09-02-2012, 12:44 PM

While you are in the live session plug your external hard drive and copy all the files you want to save from the computer to your external. Or if you are in a network transfer the files to another computer until you fix the problem.

good luck to you!

guntaro · 09-03-2012, 05:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by albinard

You may just have lost the grub setup; try using a LiveCD (or USB installation) to boot from, then:
Mount the Ubuntu partition: sudo mount /dev/sdaX /mnt

Run grub-install: sudo grub-install –root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sda
(double hyphen before the word "root")

Reboot, then run sudo update-grub

Thank`s: but Terminal shows this: special device /dev/sdaX does not exsist
So what now?

guntaro · 09-03-2012, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TroN-0074

While you are in the live session plug your external hard drive and copy all the files you want to save from the computer to your external. Or if you are in a network transfer the files to another computer until you fix the problem.

good luck to you!

Thank`s for advice. Problem is that I cant move or copy folders and files because they are lock. I have no permission to open them. How can I fix that?

yancek · 09-03-2012, 08:50 AM

Boot your Linux Live CD or flash drive, open a terminal and type: sudo fdisk -l(lower case Letter L in the command) to see if sda shows up. If it is just a permissions issue, you may need to prefix your cp command with sudo.

guyonearth · 09-03-2012, 10:37 AM

If you deleted some "program files" and now the system won't boot, you deleted more than programs. Programs should be removed via your add-remove software applet or apt/synaptic, not by just deleting things. Removing software would not make the system fail to boot like that.

Wim Sturkenboom · 09-03-2012, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Thank`s: but Terminal shows this: special device /dev/sdaX does not exsist
So what now?

You were supposed to replace the X by a number; it depends on your partitioning where it is. Follow yancek's advice; your result will be like below

Code:

wim@i3-2120:~$ sudo fdisk -l
[sudo] password for wim: 

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xd2efff31

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048      206847      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2          206848   511999999   255896576    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3       512000000   528001023     8000512   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda4       528003070  1953523711   712760321    5  Extended
Partition 4 does not start on physical sector boundary.
/dev/sda5       528003072   820969471   146483200   83  Linux
/dev/sda6       820971520  1953523711   566276096   83  Linux

In this case it's a dual boot system, but you're looking for the lines that end with Linux.

TroN-0074 · 09-03-2012, 12:45 PM

Actually your GRUB will be installed in the partition that host the boot files you can identify it because it has the * on it. in the above picture is in /dev/sda1

and to copy out your files I think even if they show a lock on it you still can make copies to an external hard drive. you could also use the command cp and copy them out using the command line like

Code:

sudo cp /home/your_user /dev/sdaX

do see what that X should be you can run the command mount in terminal and it will list all devices attached to your computer then you can tell how the external is identified

Good luck to you

Wim Sturkenboom · 09-03-2012, 08:19 PM

A little off-topic:
The above example is not telling the whole story regarding Grub. Grub is not installed in /dev/sda1; it's installed in the MBR of /dev/sda

John VV · 09-03-2012, 08:36 PM

Quote:

So, I deleted some program files and after restarting laptop it can not boot.

I am very surprised that NO ONE has asked
" Just WHAT did you delete !!!! "

What is " some program files" ?????
Please DEFINE THAT!

if you removed the operating system then it will NEVER boot

with out knowing JUST WHAT YOU DID we can NOT help .

Wim Sturkenboom · 09-04-2012, 05:20 AM

Quote:

I am very surprised that NO ONE has asked
" Just WHAT did you delete !!!! "

Because the question in the opening post was about retrieving the data

Not about restoring the system.

guntaro · 09-04-2012, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wim Sturkenboom

Because the question in the opening post was about retrieving the data

Not about restoring the system.

Thank`s to everybody for help and good advices! So, I sucesfully boot engine and get all documents by Ubuntu Live CD!
So, thank`k once more

Wim Sturkenboom · 09-04-2012, 09:06 AM

Great!
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