Unable to access Windows partition, instead boots directly into Ubuntu

simoncm7 · 07-06-2012, 04:08 PM

Hello,

The Problem: Though I briefly (a couple days) had the windows boot manager provide the option to boot into either Ubuntu 12.04 or Windows 7, now my computer boots directly into Ubuntu 12.04, without the option to choose between the two.

Notes:

I was advised (here: http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2012/03/10...ng-with-linux/)

to use the windows boot loader rather than GRUB, so I set up the windows bootloader and got it working, much like it is displayed in that link. Unfortunately, what seemed to happen was similar to what using the windows boot loader was trying to prevent: the computer boots directly to ubuntu without showing any boot menu.

I checked to see if I simply deleted my windows partition, but upon checking the Disk Utility I see the NTFS Filesystem alongside my Ext4 Filesystem. So, to my (very) limited knowledge, it seems like it's there.

This (http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/33433...ubuntu-update/) seemed like it would be a relevant course of action, but when I entered the command into the terminal to rebuildbcd, the "total number of identified windows installations" was 0, rather than 1. This made me wonder again what the state of windows was.

My Specs:

I'm using an HP Pavilion g7-1167dx Notebook PC,

Ubuntu 12.04 64-bit
Kernel Linux 3.2.0-25-generic
GNOME 3.4.1

3.6GB RAM
AMD Phenom II P960 Quad-Core Processor x4

***

I'd be happy to clarify more, and I'd really appreciate the help in figuring this out. Thanks!

bigrigdriver · 07-08-2012, 02:50 PM

Boot into Ubuntu, then, as root, run usr/sbin/update-grub. It will call a script named os-prober. Hopefully, that will pick up the windows installation, and rewrite the grub config to show windows in the boot menu. It will probably show windows by the partition (e.g. /dev/sda?) rather than by the name Windows.

syg00 · 07-08-2012, 06:56 PM

Sounds ominous - to avoid a lot of guessing, go here, do as it says and post the RESULTS.txt it generates.

guyonearth · 07-08-2012, 07:26 PM

There's nothing wrong with your Windows installation, as long as that partition is there. You said you didn't install Grub, but it acts like you did. I'd reccommend using Grub and setting it up from within Ubuntu, which is easy to do. Using the Windows bootloader is much harder, it is not designed to multiboot non-MS OSes. If you want to, it's easy to restore the Windows bootloader, just boot up the Windows install CD, choose "repair your computer", then choose the advanced options to get a command line. Run "bootrec /fixboot" and then "bootrec /fixmbr" (no quotes, of course), and Windows will be back, and you can set it up the way you did in the first place, if that's what you want to do.

simoncm7 · 07-11-2012, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

Sounds ominous - to avoid a lot of guessing, go here, do as it says and post the RESULTS.txt it generates.

Thanks for the help thus far

.

Note: When running the script, on the terminal, it read: "gawk" could not be found, using "busybox awk" instead.

OK, here's what RESULTS.txt said:

Code:

                  Boot Info Script 0.61      [1 April 2012]


============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================

 => Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 1 of 
    the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks 
    for (,msdos5)/boot/grub on this drive.

sda1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7: NTFS
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        /bootmgr /Boot/BCD

sda2: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7: NTFS
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  Windows 7
    Boot files:        /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda3: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       Extended Partition
    Boot sector type:  Unknown
    Boot sector info: 

sda5: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info: 
    Operating System:  Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
    Boot files:        /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda6: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info: 

sda4: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type:  Windows 7: FAT32
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        

============================ Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sda1    *          2,048       409,599       407,552   7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda2             409,600   303,704,521   303,294,922   7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda3         303,706,110   976,560,127   672,854,018   5 Extended
/dev/sda5         303,706,112   968,706,047   664,999,936  83 Linux
/dev/sda6         968,708,096   976,560,127     7,852,032  82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda4         976,560,128   976,771,119       210,992   c W95 FAT32 (LBA)


"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________

Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL

/dev/sda1        F458BF2458BEE490                       ntfs       SYSTEM
/dev/sda2        E4827ECA827EA0AA                       ntfs       
/dev/sda4        0839-9F7F                              vfat       HP_TOOLS
/dev/sda5        a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360   ext4       
/dev/sda6        547cf5a0-d5cc-4aaa-a3ca-a6454ad5d2f9   swap       
/dev/sr0                                                udf        UDF Volume

================================ Mount points: =================================

Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options

/dev/sda5        /                        ext4       (rw,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/sr0         /media/UDF Volume        udf        (ro,nosuid,nodev,uid=1000,gid=1000,iocharset=utf8,umask=0077,dmode=0500,uhelper=udisks)


=========================== sda5/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  set have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}

function recordfail {
  set recordfail=1
  if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}

function load_video {
  insmod vbe
  insmod vga
  insmod video_bochs
  insmod video_cirrus
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  insmod part_msdos
  insmod ext2
  set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360
  set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
  set lang=en_US
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
  set timeout=-1
else
  set timeout=0
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
if background_color 44,0,30; then
  clear
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
function gfxmode {
	set gfxpayload="${1}"
	if [ "${1}" = "keep" ]; then
		set vt_handoff=vt.handoff=7
	else
		set vt_handoff=
	fi
}
if [ "${recordfail}" != 1 ]; then
  if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
    if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
      if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
        set linux_gfx_mode=keep
      else
        set linux_gfx_mode=text
      fi
    else
      set linux_gfx_mode=text
    fi
  else
    set linux_gfx_mode=keep
  fi
else
  set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
if [ "${linux_gfx_mode}" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-26-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-26-generic root=UUID=a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360 ro   quiet splash $vt_handoff
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-26-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-26-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360
	echo	'Loading Linux 3.2.0-26-generic ...'
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-26-generic root=UUID=a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360 ro recovery nomodeset 
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-26-generic
}
submenu "Previous Linux versions" {
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-25-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-25-generic root=UUID=a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360 ro   quiet splash $vt_handoff
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-25-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-25-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360
	echo	'Loading Linux 3.2.0-25-generic ...'
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-25-generic root=UUID=a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360 ro recovery nomodeset 
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-25-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-23-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-23-generic root=UUID=a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360 ro   quiet splash $vt_handoff
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-23-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 3.2.0-23-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
	recordfail
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360
	echo	'Loading Linux 3.2.0-23-generic ...'
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-23-generic root=UUID=a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360 ro recovery nomodeset 
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	/boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-23-generic
}
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ext2
	set root='(hd0,msdos5)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360
	linux16	/boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)" --class windows --class os {
	insmod part_msdos
	insmod ntfs
	set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
	search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root F458BF2458BEE490
	chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=============================== sda5/etc/fstab: ================================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
proc            /proc           proc    nodev,noexec,nosuid 0       0
# / was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=a16ddd6c-3c10-4cb1-94d8-b459af35a360 /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# swap was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=547cf5a0-d5cc-4aaa-a3ca-a6454ad5d2f9 none            swap    sw              0       0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sda5: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)

               =                boot/grub/core.img                             1
               =                boot/grub/grub.cfg                             1
               =                boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-23-generic               2
               =                boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-25-generic               2
               =                boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-26-generic               2
               =                boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-23-generic                  1
               =                boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-25-generic                  1
               =                boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-26-generic                  2
               =                initrd.img                                     2
               =                initrd.img.old                                 2
               =                vmlinuz                                        2
               =                vmlinuz.old                                    1

======================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc: ========================

Unknown BootLoader on sda3

00000000  ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff  ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff  |................|
*
000001b0  ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff  ff ff ff ff ff ff 00 fe  |................|
000001c0  ff ff 83 fe ff ff 02 00  00 00 00 18 a3 27 00 fe  |.............'..|
000001d0  ff ff 05 fe ff ff 02 18  a3 27 00 d8 77 00 00 00  |.........'..w...|
000001e0  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |................|
000001f0  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 55 aa  |..............U.|
00000200


========= Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive: =========

sdb 

=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================

xz: (stdin): Compressed data is corrupt
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in
awk: cmd. line:36: Math support is not compiled in

yancek · 07-11-2012, 08:26 PM

You have the Ubuntu Grub in the master boot record pointing to sda5 and Ubuntus Grub files which are there. You also have an entry for windows onsda1 in the grub.cfg file and it looks correct as does the UUID number. Have you used the down arrows when you get to the boot menu to see if windows is there as it would be entry number 9 and likely not showing without scrolling down. Other than that, I can't see any problems although I don't know what boot files you would need on windows/sda1.

k3lt01 · 07-11-2012, 10:33 PM

From memory Ubuntu doesn't show GRUB on boot up, if you want to see GRUB so you can select Windows you need to press Shift before GRUB would theoretically appear.

If you want this to occur each time you boot the machine you will need to change some settings in /etc/default/grub. Find the line that has

Code:

GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT

and put a # (called a comment) in front of it so it looks like

Code:

#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT

save the file and then in a terminal run

Code:

sudo update-grub

Now restart your machine to make sure it works.

simoncm7 · 07-13-2012, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by k3lt01

From memory Ubuntu doesn't show GRUB on boot up, if you want to see GRUB so you can select Windows you need to press Shift before GRUB would theoretically appear.

If you want this to occur each time you boot the machine you will need to change some settings in /etc/default/grub. Find the line that has

Code:

GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT

and put a # (called a comment) in front of it so it looks like

Code:

#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT

save the file and then in a terminal run

Code:

sudo update-grub

Now restart your machine to make sure it works.

It seems like I already commented GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT... but rather than leave things unclear, I'll show you the contents of the file...

Code:

# If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update
# /boot/grub/grub.cfg.
# For full documentation of the options in this file, see:
#   info -f grub -n 'Simple configuration'

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

# Uncomment to enable BadRAM filtering, modify to suit your needs
# This works with Linux (no patch required) and with any kernel that obtains
# the memory map information from GRUB (GNU Mach, kernel of FreeBSD ...)
#GRUB_BADRAM="0x01234567,0xfefefefe,0x89abcdef,0xefefefef"

# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only)
#GRUB_TERMINAL=console

# The resolution used on graphical terminal
# note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE
# you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo'
#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

# Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entries
#GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY="true"

# Uncomment to get a beep at grub start
#GRUB_INIT_TUNE="480 440 1"

k3lt01 · 07-13-2012, 02:55 PM

Try changing this line

Quote:

Originally Posted by simoncm7

Code:

GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true

to this

Code:

GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=false

syg00 · 07-13-2012, 10:13 PM

Seems I unsubscribed accidentally. Awaiting OP response to above suggestion(s).

simoncm7 · 07-28-2012, 09:26 AM

Thanks for all the help. I thought I posted a response to this a while ago, but I guess I didn't. It turned out that, with the GRUB_TIMEOUT being 0, it was booting into grub, but it would immediately choose Ubuntu. Having changed it to a reasonable time (i.e., 15), I was able to view grub and have that option.

Rather simple, but I appreciate all your patience in helping me out!