Grub help

[terrordrone]

HI
My windows crashed recently. I had to reinstall windows. Now, do i have to reinstall Linux again? or is there a way to use the already installed linux.. or can i reinstall grub ?
Please let me know.

Thanks

[Qqmike]

Re: Grub help

No, you do not have to install Kubuntu again.

Just re-install GRUB following this How-To:


How To GRUB Methods - Toolkit
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3081671.0

Very easy. You'll have to do it from the Kubuntu Live CD.
Look for the stuff called "re-install GRUB," with the root--setup--quit commands.

or download and use Super grub Disk to fix GRUB (see references in the How-To).

[marshallbanana]

Re: Grub help

Unless you wiped the kubuntu partition during the windows install in which case reinstalling kubuntu will be necessary.

[Qqmike]

Re: Grub help

I suppose with Windows it could happen that it takes over the whole drive, installs, and wipes out everything else, including Kubuntu. If you run Super Grub Disk live CD, it will tell you what’s on that disk, and specifically, if your try to boot GNU/Linux, it will show you what Linux OSs are your options to boot. If there are none, then, yes, oops, Windows ran over your Kubuntu.

If so, then, yes, you will have to re-install Kubuntu.
And, to do so, I highly recommend you do the following:
Find out what Windows did to that drive – did it take up the whole drive?
You can see this in Windows or by running GParted Live CD.
If, so use GParted Live CD to shrink the Windows partition (in GParted, Partition > Resize). It may take awhile to run (1-3 hours). Re-size it by shrinking it (ie, moving the right endpoint of the Windows partition).
In the “unallocated space” that is freed up by doing that, using GParted, make a swap partition and a partition for Kubuntu (and optionally one for /home if that’s how you do yours).
Then, run the Kubuntu installer, install Kubuntu, and it will install GRUB in the Master Boot Record of that drive, and you can then boot both Windows and Kubuntu.

[Snowhog]

Re: Grub help

I suppose with Windows it could happen that it takes over the whole drive,

If it's Vista, yes, it does. At least, that's how Vista deals with the HD it's installed on when you get it as the OEM pre-installed OS. My gut feeling is that a re-install of Vista would treat the HD in the same way - take it all. And doesn't any 'modern' Windoze OS, when being installed, deliberately ignore any other OS that may already be on the HD, thus destroying the competition??

[terrordrone]

Re: Grub help

first of all thanks guys for replying

sorry for replyin so late,
my ext3 and swap is intact, all data related to kubuntu is fine.
installed win xp freshly on c:
only problem is GRUB is not there..
which is the easiest way to do it? am new to linux

[Snowhog]

Re: Grub help

Go to Qqmike's HOW TO: GRUB Methods - Toolkit. He has addressed this problem, among others, there.

[Qqmike]

Re: Grub help

Glad you get it installed and better yet that your Kubuntu is still there.

Yep -- check that How-To. It addresses exactly that problem. If I knew what partition your Kubuntu is on, I could write it out for you here.

It is this situation:
- - - Re-installing Windows (on (hd0,0)) after you install Kubuntu:
Oops. If you do that, Windows will overwrite the MBR, wiping out any GRUB that was managing the boot process. But go ahead and do it. Then simply re-install GRUB to the MBR (hd0) from your Kubuntu. Oops, but you can't boot into your Kubuntu to do this. So, to do that, see “Install or Re-install GRUB” (below).

Then look for Case 2 under Install or Re-install GRUB.
From a Live Kubuntu CD, Open Konsole (K > System > Konsole), type
sudo grub
That gives you a GRUB prompt, grub>,
type each of these commands, followed by Enter, and note there is a space after root and after setup:
grub> root (hdx,y) # (hdx,y) is the partition of your "main" Linux OS
grub> setup (hd0) # This assumes (hd0) is your “main” booting hard drive MBR
grub> quit
$ exit, Then exit Kubuntu Live CD, remove the Live CD when prompted to do so,
and re-boot to test it.

You need to know the root (hdx,y) -- what is x and what is y?
In your case, x is zero (meaning the first hard drive):
root (hd0,y),
and y is the partition you put Kubuntu on. GRUB counts from zero. So if you put Kubuntu on the 2nd partition, y=1; if on the third partition, y=2; etc.

If you aren't sure, when you get the GRUB prompt above, grub>, at the prompt, type:
grub> find /boot/grub/stage1
You'll get an answer to that, some (hd0,y), and that's what you need in your root (hd0,y) statement.

[terrordrone]

Re: Grub help

Thanks for all ur input guys
its fine now

[Qqmike]

Re: Grub help

Glad you solved it! -- Mike

[terrordrone]

Re: Grub help

Thanks all you guys, again
had encountered a problem very similar, and its solved now thanks to you guys

[Snowhog]

Re: Grub help

Please return to your first post, click the modify button, and add SOLVED to the subject line.