I asked a question about fixing grub as I'd deleted a Linux partition which means I can't access windows now because I've deleted some of the grub files. I was given this link http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=622828 and told to follow those instructions however I open the console and it just says command not found when I enter the commands? I am connected to the Internet but the console just won't work.

I also see that in Linux mint now there is an application involving grub and I was wondering if it could've fixed through there?


I also wanted to know how I know for sure which partition is the windows one, I opened one "sda3" which had the windows files in, I.e. I found my user files etc. but it said that it couldn't be mounted because it was read only - is it supposed to be or do I need to change that and is that definitely the correct partition?

Please help soon, I'm very stressed out and I'm taking over the living room since in hooked directly into the router.

Are you booting Linux Mint from a cd or from the hard drive?

Live CD. Is that what causes it?

---------- Post added 08-13-13 at 12:58 PM ----------

If so, I'm kind of screwed. I can't access my hard drive because if grub being messed up.

Which commands give you a not found error? I see several listed there, some requiring installation of packages, and if you follow all directions you should be fine.

Judging from the age of that thread, and the utilities used, that may only work for Windows XP and older. For newer versions, you'll need a Windows CD and tell it fix a problem with booting. To restore GRUB and therefore access to both Windows and Linux, check this page: http://askubuntu.com/questions/13912...in-a-dual-boot

What linux partition did you delete? If your getting rid of your linux partitions and going back to just booting windows you should be able to fix things by booting into a windows recovery console either from a windows recovery cd or maybe by pressing one of the F keys when the computer first boots. When you get to a prompt type
and then reboot.

This is a case where you need to post more details as reading through part of the link, I see many pages starting with a problem someone had 6 years ago and going up to 2011. There are probably a dozen or more commands reported so, which commands? If you are indeed using a Linux Mint Live CD (which release, 15), you should be able to ascertain your windows partition by simply typing: gparted in a terminal. That is a partitioner and when it opens should tell you which partitions and filesystems it recognizes. You can also get this by typing in a terminal:
sudo fdisk -l(Lower Case Letter L in the command) and you will see a column labelled System. Below that, if you see a partition listed as HPFS/NTFS you can look to the column on the extreme left (Device) and below that will show the partition, such as /dev/sda1.

The link you referred to started in 2007 when Ubuntu and Mint were still using an earlier version of Grub which may be part of the problem as a number of Grub commands for the earlier version will not work on the newer version and vice versa.

Other pertinent information which would be needed; is your windows install the only operating system on the computer? and which windows are you using because the commands are different depending upon which windows you use. Do you have an installation CD/DVD for your version of windows? That would be the simplest way to repair.

For informational purposes, you have this problem because you were booting with Grub and most boot files are on the system or boot partition whether it is Linux or windows and when you delete that partition, they are gone. In your situation, you would first use your windows CD/DVD to repair the mbr with the windows bootloader and THEN delete the Linux partition. You could also just create a separate boot or grub partition without Mint to boot windows.

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Any command I try, it even says it doesn't recommend "sudo" etc. I tried to install the package via the first command, didn't even try the second one because I saw it didn't work. I tried it without sudo and then it said apt-get was an unknown command etc.

When I try to boot normally, I get an error - I struggle to recall now as I've been running the Linux Mint CD but it is "grub - unknown filesystem" or something along those lines? This means I can't boot to Windows. As I understand it, grub is the boot manager which provides the choice of what to boot to. I only had Ubuntu and Windows installed and because I'm a moron I just deleted the linux partition rather than removing it properly (which I still don't really know how to do) which contains some of the grub files but others are held in a different partition so grub is essentially corrupted and so can't be used. Ideally, I'd just like to get rid of grub and boot directly to Windows. I wish to use linux from a memory stick which I can deal with when I've sorted my boot problem (I've done that much before, I just haven't bought a memory stick).

My apologies, I struggle to know what is relevant and what isn't - I don't want to post tons of information if it will just make your task harder because you have to wade through to find the relevant stuff.

As I said above, no command seem to be recognised. I do not know which release, I got it recently so I'm assuming the latest. Thank-you for the gparted command, that worked but I don't know how to tell which is windows, also is it supposed to be read only as it said when I accessed it from the desk top icon? Yes, Windows is the only one left and as I said above the only one I want on the hard drive. I am using Windows 7 (don't like 8) and I don't have the recovery disk and it would be difficult to find (I don't have the money for it etc.) so I'm stuck doing it this way I think.

Yes, what you said there - I think that is the problem but I'm unsure exactly but yes that sounds right. As I said above, I deleted the partition instead of removing it properly... What is the best way to go about this? I have an Internet connection but only via direct ethernet which means the laptop is on the floor and so I'm trying to stay away from it to avoid hurting my back so any preparation work or whatever I have a different laptop for but I don't know how much use that will be.

Do you have Windows recovery cd or able to reach a recovery console by pressing one of the F keys?

I tried to go into the recovery (F4 on my laptop) but then I get the error I talked about
"error - unknown filesystem
grub-rescue: "

What do I do? Is that where I can enter fixmbr? Would that work? I dare not try it without confirmation but if so that would be amazing!

The old fixmbr will not work for Windows 7, it's for the old style booting scheme (well, technically it will likely work, just not fix your problem).

You'll need the CD, as Windows Vista and newer use a new booting system.

Do you have a friend with a Windows 7 PC? Try this: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...sc-create.html

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You can download wins 7 here to repair, but to reinstall you need to use your wins key. Also you have to download the actual version of wins that is on your system for it to work

Yes, I do! Even 64-bit to match my own, thank-you! Unfortunately, I do not have any CDs so I'll have to purchase some before I can try this. Will it definitely work?

This won't delete any of my files on my own system will it? It is just about the Windows not the content because I have lots of valuable work on my hard-drive. I also wonder what size discs will I need?

If you can, please respond quickly as I need to get the discs as soon as I can but I don't want to buy any that aren't big enough. Thank-you.