Installed Kubuntu, no GRUB appears, auto-boots into Windows 7 [solved]

[fidesratioque]

Hi,

I have Windows 7 on my computer and just installed Kubuntu 9.10. The install was successful but when my computer starts, it boots automatically into Windows 7, instead of providing me with the GRUB menu. I have no idea what to do to get to the GRUB menu and no idea what is causing this problem.

I used the automatic 'side by side' installation option and also configured the partitions manually. Both ways unfortunately led to the above result.

Is anyone able to help me?

Thanks.

[Qqmike]

Re: Installed Kubuntu, no GRUB appears, auto-boots into Windows 7

For some reason, GRUB did not get installed correctly to the Master Boot Record of that drive. It happens. You can fix it without re-installing any operating system. All you have to do is re-install GRUB, and you can do that using your Kubuntu 9.10 Live CD.

See Section 3, Fixing Things, here:

GRUB 2 A Guide for Users
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3106368.0
(re-install using Live CD subsection)

[fidesratioque]

Re: Installed Kubuntu, no GRUB appears, auto-boots into Windows 7

Hi, thanks for the reply. I actually managed to figure out a workaround (?). I have two hard disks. My BIOS was looking at one hard disk that had Windows 7 on it, and not the other one, which had Kubuntu on it (and GRUB). When I tell it to look at the other hard disk, it recognizes GRUB and loads the boot menu, giving me the option of Kubuntu or Windows 7.

I really appreciate the help.

Hopefully other people who want to dual boot and have more than one hard disk will benefit from my trial and error! :P

[Qqmike]

Re: Installed Kubuntu, no GRUB appears, auto-boots into Windows 7 [solved]

Good play there, fidesratioque! Glad you got it. (I didn't catch the two-disk deal.)

[geezer]

Re: Installed Kubuntu, no GRUB appears, auto-boots into Windows 7 [solved]

I have a question about this two disk deal.

Almost the same situation, except 3 disks with the third all data.

Before installing Kubuntu, the machine just booted directly into Vista, no messages about "no operating system"

When I installed Kubuntu, I installed on the second hard disk. Since I didn't change the hard disk boot sequence in BIOS, I assumed that Grub had been installed on the Vista disk, overwriting the Vista MBR.

Due to some h/w problems I recently learned that my assumption was wrong, that the Kubuntu Live CD had installed Grub on the second hard disk MBR, the hard disk that Kubuntu is installed on.

This leads me to believe that the Live CD, by default, installs Grub on the MBR of the same hard disk that the Linux '/' directory is on.

Does anyone know if this is true?

If so, it would relieve a lot of anxiety for me on clean upgrades/installs since I would not have to worry about Grub getting installed on the proper or improper MBR.

[Qqmike]

Re: Installed Kubuntu, no GRUB appears, auto-boots into Windows 7 [solved]

I'm not sure about that, but I've read several posts suggesting that what you conjecture may be true (that GRUB gets put on the same HD as Kubuntu is on).
You CAN, however, control where GRUB goes, using the Live CD installer.

See:
GRUB 2: A Guide for Users
http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3106368.0
Installing Kubuntu--GRUB 2 placement
Telling the Live CD installer where to put GRUB 2
-> See the Appendix