grub installation problem in ubuntu 10.10

networkguru · 02-20-2011, 10:32 AM

I have ubuntu 10.10 installed in a partition. But after re-installing windows7(ultimate 32-bit) , my grub got deleted.

Now as I boot from ubuntu 10.10 live usb and try the command
$sudo grub-install --root-directory=/media/56e44c2d-b1fd-4a76-a1d4-b0203a41875f /dev/sda8

I get an error

/usr/sbin/grub-setup: warn: Attempting to install GRUB to a partition instead of the MBR. This is a BAD idea..
/usr/sbin/grub-setup: warn: Embedding is not possible. GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists. However, blocklists are UNRELIABLE and their use is discouraged..
/usr/sbin/grub-setup: error: if you really want blocklists, use --force.

Even when I force using the --force option, it does not install properly.
Can any please help ??
Thanks in advance

fordeck · 02-20-2011, 10:41 AM

Have you tried installing it to your MBR instead of the /dev/sda8 partition? A tip you might want to use when messing with your MBR would be to back it up before trying anything. You can backup your MBR as follows:

Code:

dd if=/dev/sda of=mbr_backup bs=512 count=1

The above of course assumes that sda is the drive that contains your MBR. Also mbr_backup is just a name, you could use any path/name you want.

To restore it you would do the following:

Code:

dd if=mbr_backup of=/dev/sda

Regards,

Fordeck

firbolg · 02-20-2011, 11:15 AM

Quote:

sudo grub-install --root-directory=/media/56e44c2d-b1fd-4a76-a1d4-b0203a41875f /dev/sda8

should be

Code:

sudo grub-install --root-directory=/media/56e44c2d-b1fd-4a76-a1d4-b0203a41875f /dev/sda

Assuming you want to install to the mbr.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Gr...ing%20GRUB%202

networkguru · 02-20-2011, 02:29 PM

but I want my grub to be installed on the linux partition /dev/sda8 . how can I do that ?

colorpurple21859 · 02-20-2011, 02:51 PM

Quote:

but I want my grub to be installed on the linux partition /dev/sda8 . how can I do that ?

You can't, not without some sort of boot loader in the MBR that will chainload to the grub boot loader installed on the partition. The stock windows boot loader that replaced whatever boot loader you had in the MBR doesn't allow for chainloading. There are programs that allow booting linux from windows, but that is a whole other subject.

Larry Webb · 02-20-2011, 04:28 PM

I need more information

How many operating systems do you have?

What is on partition sda8?

What is the size of the partition?

Do you want a separate boot partition?

If you make grub boot you will have to chainload windows. (No problem)

Post the results of fdisk -l (small L)