kubuntu won't boot....

paolaccio · 05-19-2007, 05:23 AM

i installed kubuntu feisty yesterday...i made 4 partitions on my hd, swap, home and / and one for windows...i was working fine in kubuntu but after installing windows now i don't get the boot screen where to select the os i want to run...it runs windows automatically...any help??

lein · 05-19-2007, 08:47 AM

Windows has stolen your master boot record (MBR) from you and over written grub (the boot selection screen).

What you have to do is restore grub to the MBR.

Code:

root (hd0,x)
setup (hd0)

where x = the partition where Kubuntu installed /boot/grub.

note: partitions and disks are numbered from 0. So sda1 = hd0 in grub.

Chances are that you will have to then edit the selection screen list once you are booted back into Kubuntu. In /boot/grub you will find menu.lst you will have to amend Windows back in there. Because you'll need root privileges I'd recommend opening a terminal and using pico/vi/emacs. To open a terminal press Alt+F2 and type 'konsole'

So to edit i will

Code:

sudo pico /boot/grub/menu.lst

Ctrl+O to save and exit.

There will be an example windows boot option in there, so you can copy that and tack it to the bottom of the menu.lst file and edit it to match you computer. Save and try. Should look like this (modifyed for your windows install):

Code:

# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title		Microsoft Windows XP Professional
root		(hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader	+1

Good Luck

P.S. Some good reading/tutorials can be found:
GNU Grub Manual
saikee's 'Just booting tips'
and of course LQ's own wiki.

bigjohn · 05-20-2007, 11:03 AM

erm, have you tried just booting the Kubuntu disc and then at the first prompt typing "rescue" (without the quotes of course)? because lots of distros then offer you the choice of "re-installing the linux bootloader", which you select and just make sure it's being re-installed to the MBR as lein already suggested ?

regards

John