Need help fixing my GRUB user error.

Oblivious · Jan 23, 2004, 08:36 PM

Hello,

Recently, while setting up GRUB, I made the very silly mistake of installing GRUB in the boot sector(?) of my Windows XP partition. GRUB is now set-up properly in the MBR of my only hard drive, but unfortunately I broke Windows and it will not boot. ( Linux works just fine though, and the Windows partition is still intact )

At first, when trying to load Windows, GRUB would load GRUB, because it would just point to itself etc. It was an infinite loop of GRUB loading itself. So I tried booting from the Windows install CD to the recovery console, and then using fixboot.

fixboot /rebuild

Now the instance of GRUB on the Windows partition seems to be gone but Windows refuses to boot and gives an error like:

Disk Error.
Press any key to restart the system.

I'm out of ideas now, short of repartitioning and reinstalling everything ( which is not an option, really ). Please help me fix Windows so it boots.

Edited for spelling

JustaGuy · Jan 23, 2004, 10:23 PM

Is there any bootloader in your master boot record? That's what the error sounds like. You should put GRUB there, so that it can load Windows and Linux.

But if you can load Linux now, than that must not be the problem, although I did not understand very well if you can still load linux, after removing the GRUB instance. Can you?

UberLord · Jan 23, 2004, 11:27 PM

You can install GRUB ok to the MBR and still get Windows to boot.
You just need a new extra lines in grub.conf

Here's mine

Code:

title=Windows XP
        root (hd0,0)
        chainloader +1

This assumes that XP is installed into partition 1

Oblivious · Jan 23, 2004, 11:52 PM

Hello, thanks for the input. I guess I was a bit short on info. Let me try to answer your questions:

My MBR contains GRUB. For reference here is the grub.conf file:

Code:

default=0
timeout=10
splashimage=(hd0,1)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
title Fedora Core (2.4.22-1.2115.nptl)
	root (hd0,1)
	kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.22-1.2115.nptl ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb
	initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.22-1.2115.nptl.img
title DOS
	rootnoverify (hd0,0)
	chainloader +1

My hard drive has 3 partitions:
1.-Windows XP Pro
2.-Linux Root
3.-Linux Swap

GRUB works fine. Linux works fine. Windows fails to boot. All partitions are accessible and readable.

The error occurs when the Windows boot loader starts. So GRUB runs fine-> GRUB chainloads the Windows boot loader-> Windows boot loader spits out error.

-------------------------------------
Edit: P.S.

The mistake I made was an oversight when setting up GRUB. Instead of typing

Code:

grub> setup (hd0) [etc...]

I typed:

Code:

grub> setup (hd0,0) [etc...]

I quickly corrected my mistake, but the damage was done. So at that point in time I had 2 versions of GRUB installed. One in the MBR and one at the beginning of the first partition ( the Windows partition ) . At this point the MBR GRUB would load the 1st partition GRUB which would load the 1st partition GRUB etc... .
I booted the Windows CD and started the Recovery console where I tried:

Code:

c:>fixboot /rebuild

This removed the second installation of GRUB, but on the downside the aforementioned error began. Since then I've tried installing the Windows boot loader into the MBR to no avail.
As of right now my computer has the configuration listed at the top of this post: GRUB in the MBR etc...

Hope that helps.

UberLord · Jan 24, 2004, 02:13 AM

Well, it sounds like you've got GRUB sorted and the problem in now with Windows.

Erm - Try asking in the Windows forum? I'm sure panging can help you out

JustaGuy · Jan 24, 2004, 03:47 AM

Maybe if you indicate the partition explicitly in the Windows section it'll work, that is, "chainloader (hd0,0)+1" instead of "chainloader +1".

Here's my grub.conf (I've got Windows on hda1 and Linux on hda5):

Code:

default 0
timeout 3
splashimage=(hd0,4)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz

title=Gentoo Linux
root (hd0,4)
kernel (hd0,4)/boot/bzImage root=/dev/hda5 video=radeonfb:1024x768-32@85

title=Windows XP
root (hd0,0)
chainloader (hd0,0)+1

Maybe this will help. If not, then redo "fixboot" and "fixmbr" and reinstall grub and hopefully it will work.

Oblivious · Jan 24, 2004, 03:56 PM

Howdy again,

No the Chainloader manipulation still gives the same error. I'm gonna wipe the first sector of hda1 using 'dd', as per a suggestion from 'homey' on LinuxQuestions.org. Hope it works :-).

Appended info
Nope. Well nothing I've tried worked, so I repartitioned & reinstalled. :-/

Thank you all for the help, I appreciate it.

Jan 23, 2004, 08:36 PM	#1
Oblivious DivrerHaeven Seinor Mebmer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 236 Rep Power: 0	Need help fixing my GRUB user error. Hello, Recently, while setting up GRUB, I made the very silly mistake of installing GRUB in the boot sector(?) of my Windows XP partition. GRUB is now set-up properly in the MBR of my only hard drive, but unfortunately I broke Windows and it will not boot. ( Linux works just fine though, and the Windows partition is still intact ) At first, when trying to load Windows, GRUB would load GRUB, because it would just point to itself etc. It was an infinite loop of GRUB loading itself. So I tried booting from the Windows install CD to the recovery console, and then using fixboot. fixboot /rebuild Now the instance of GRUB on the Windows partition seems to be gone but Windows refuses to boot and gives an error like: Disk Error. Press any key to restart the system. I'm out of ideas now, short of repartitioning and reinstalling everything ( which is not an option, really ). Please help me fix Windows so it boots. Edited for spelling __________________ Pepole olny raed wrods. Btu oyu shuodl sitll check oyur spleling! http://realgar.hopto.org Last edited by Oblivious; Jan 23, 2004 at 09:25 PM.

Jan 23, 2004, 11:27 PM	#3
UberLord A Legend in Underwear Join Date: May 2002 Location: Unknown Posts: 5,255 Rep Power: 0	You can install GRUB ok to the MBR and still get Windows to boot. You just need a new extra lines in grub.conf Here's mine Code: title=Windows XP root (hd0,0) chainloader +1 This assumes that XP is installed into partition 1 __________________ Gentoo Linux - Developer (baselayout) Read my blog "I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." Stephen Roberts

Jan 23, 2004, 11:52 PM	Thread Starter #4
Oblivious DivrerHaeven Seinor Mebmer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 236 Rep Power: 0	Hello, thanks for the input. I guess I was a bit short on info. Let me try to answer your questions: My MBR contains GRUB. For reference here is the grub.conf file: Code: default=0 timeout=10 splashimage=(hd0,1)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz title Fedora Core (2.4.22-1.2115.nptl) root (hd0,1) kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.22-1.2115.nptl ro root=LABEL=/ rhgb initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.22-1.2115.nptl.img title DOS rootnoverify (hd0,0) chainloader +1 My hard drive has 3 partitions: 1.-Windows XP Pro 2.-Linux Root 3.-Linux Swap GRUB works fine. Linux works fine. Windows fails to boot. All partitions are accessible and readable. The error occurs when the Windows boot loader starts. So GRUB runs fine-> GRUB chainloads the Windows boot loader-> Windows boot loader spits out error. ------------------------------------- Edit: P.S. The mistake I made was an oversight when setting up GRUB. Instead of typing Code: grub> setup (hd0) [etc...] I typed: Code: grub> setup (hd0,0) [etc...] I quickly corrected my mistake, but the damage was done. So at that point in time I had 2 versions of GRUB installed. One in the MBR and one at the beginning of the first partition ( the Windows partition ) . At this point the MBR GRUB would load the 1st partition GRUB which would load the 1st partition GRUB etc... . I booted the Windows CD and started the Recovery console where I tried: Code: c:>fixboot /rebuild This removed the second installation of GRUB, but on the downside the aforementioned error began. Since then I've tried installing the Windows boot loader into the MBR to no avail. As of right now my computer has the configuration listed at the top of this post: GRUB in the MBR etc... Hope that helps. __________________ Pepole olny raed wrods. Btu oyu shuodl sitll check oyur spleling! http://realgar.hopto.org Last edited by Oblivious; Jan 24, 2004 at 12:11 AM.

Jan 24, 2004, 02:13 AM	#5
UberLord A Legend in Underwear Join Date: May 2002 Location: Unknown Posts: 5,255 Rep Power: 0	Well, it sounds like you've got GRUB sorted and the problem in now with Windows. Erm - Try asking in the Windows forum? I'm sure panging can help you out __________________ Gentoo Linux - Developer (baselayout) Read my blog "I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." Stephen Roberts

Jan 24, 2004, 03:47 AM	#6
JustaGuy DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 44 Rep Power: 0	Maybe if you indicate the partition explicitly in the Windows section it'll work, that is, "chainloader (hd0,0)+1" instead of "chainloader +1". Here's my grub.conf (I've got Windows on hda1 and Linux on hda5): Code: default 0 timeout 3 splashimage=(hd0,4)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz title=Gentoo Linux root (hd0,4) kernel (hd0,4)/boot/bzImage root=/dev/hda5 video=radeonfb:1024x768-32@85 title=Windows XP root (hd0,0) chainloader (hd0,0)+1 Maybe this will help. If not, then redo "fixboot" and "fixmbr" and reinstall grub and hopefully it will work.

Jan 23, 2004, 10:23 PM	#2
JustaGuy DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 44 Rep Power: 0	Is there any bootloader in your master boot record? That's what the error sounds like. You should put GRUB there, so that it can load Windows and Linux. But if you can load Linux now, than that must not be the problem, although I did not understand very well if you can still load linux, after removing the GRUB instance. Can you?

Jan 24, 2004, 03:56 PM	Thread Starter #7
Oblivious DivrerHaeven Seinor Mebmer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 236 Rep Power: 0	Howdy again, No the Chainloader manipulation still gives the same error. I'm gonna wipe the first sector of hda1 using 'dd', as per a suggestion from 'homey' on LinuxQuestions.org. Hope it works :-). Appended info Nope. Well nothing I've tried worked, so I repartitioned & reinstalled. :-/ Thank you all for the help, I appreciate it. __________________ Pepole olny raed wrods. Btu oyu shuodl sitll check oyur spleling! http://realgar.hopto.org Last edited by Oblivious; Jan 24, 2004 at 06:51 PM.