Recovering Ubuntu After Installing Windows

This option will use the Desktop/Live CD to install Grub into your MBR (Master Boot Record). This option will overwrite your Windows Boot Loader.


1. Boot the Desktop/Live CD. (Use Ubuntu 8.04 or later)

2. Open a terminal (Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal)

3. Start grub as root with the following command :

sudo grub

4. You will get a grub prompt (see below) which we will use to find the root partition and install grub to the MBR (hd0)

[ Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. For
the first word, TAB lists possible command
completions. Anywhere else TAB lists the possible
completions of a device/filename. ]

grub>

Type the following and press enter:

find /boot/grub/stage1

If you get "Error 15: File not found", try the following:


find /grub/stage1


Using this information, set the root device (fill in X,Y with whatever the find command returned):

grub> root (hdX,Y)

Exit Grub:

grub> quit

5. Reboot (to hard drive). Grub should be installed and both Ubuntu and Windows should have been automatically detected.

6. If, after installing grub, Windows will not boot you may need to edit /boot/grub/menu.lst (That is a small "L" and not the number 1 in menu.lst)

Open a terminal and enter :

gksu gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst


Or, in Kubuntu:

kdesu kate /boot/grub/menu.lst

Your Windows stanza should look something like this :

title Windows XP/Vista # You can use any title you wish, this will appear on your grub boot menu
rootnoverify (hd0,0) #(hd0,0) will be most common, you may need to adjust accordingly
makeactive
chainloader +1