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**Snowhog** · Jan 17, 2010, 06:10 PM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

Are you able to boot into Kubuntu? If 'yes,' then we need some information, which you can get by opening a console and typing:

Code:

sudo fdisk -l

Copy and paste the output.

Code:

sudo blkid

Copy and paste the output.

Code:

cat /etc/fstab

Copy and paste the output.

We need to know if you are running Grub 2 or Grub legacy. As you are posting in Karmic Koala, if this was a fresh installation and not an upgrade, then it is Grub 2. If it was an upgrade from Jaunty (or earlier), then it could be either, Grub legacy or Grub 2, depending on how you answered the question concerning Grub.

**Plague6** · Jan 17, 2010, 06:41 PM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

You are correct in that it is an upgrade from Jaunty. And I forgot to mention I can boot into both XP and Kubuntu fine, sorry about that....

Code:

sudo fdisk -l

Code:

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30394 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe686f016

  Device Boot   Start     End   Blocks  Id System
/dev/sda1        1      8    64228+ de Dell Utility
/dev/sda2  *      9    29786  239191785  7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3      29788    30393   4867695  db CP/M / CTOS / ...

Disk /dev/sdb: 164.7 GB, 164696555520 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 20023 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x14cb14cb

  Device Boot   Start     End   Blocks  Id System
/dev/sdb1        1    19650  157838593+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2      19651    20023   2996122+  5 Extended
/dev/sdb5      19651    20023   2996091  82 Linux swap / Solaris

Code:

sudo blkid

Code:

/dev/sda1: SEC_TYPE="msdos" LABEL="DellUtility" UUID="07D6-0A0D" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/sda2: UUID="187C59647C593DA6" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/sda3: LABEL="DellRestore" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/sdb1: UUID="89872a63-d35b-4635-94a0-702759a71a6d" TYPE="ext3"
/dev/sdb5: UUID="1b705041-a406-4e3f-8190-39bda37cff13" TYPE="swap"

Code:

cat /etc/fstab

Code:

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'vol_id --uuid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point>  <type> <options>    <dump> <pass>
proc      /proc      proc  defaults    0    0
# / was on /dev/sdb1 during installation
UUID=89872a63-d35b-4635-94a0-702759a71a6d /        ext3  relatime,errors=remount-ro 0    1
# swap was on /dev/sdb5 during installation
UUID=1b705041-a406-4e3f-8190-39bda37cff13 none      swap  sw       0    0
/dev/scd0    /media/cdrom0  udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0    0

**Snowhog** · Jan 17, 2010, 06:50 PM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

So you are able to boot into either Kubuntu or Windows XP. Well, that's a good thing. So you are just wanting to 'blow away' Kubuntu and keep Windows XP, yes? We won't kill you if you say 'yes.'

We need to know what version of Grub you are using. Open a console and type:

Code:

sudo updatedb
sudo locate menu.lst

If it returns nothing - just your prompt - then you are running Grub 2. Otherwise you will be shown the location of the file - likely to be /boot/grub/menu.lst - in which case you are still running Grub legacy.

Whether or not you can just remove Kubuntu and be left with Windows XP will depend completely on where you told Grub to install itself to originally - the MBR or the partition in which you installed Kubuntu. If the latter, you are in good shape. If the former, then the Windows boot loader was overwritten by Grub, and you have a bit of work to do, but it is doable.

**Plague6** · Jan 17, 2010, 07:11 PM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

"Blow Away" Kubuntu, absolutely not!!! Kubuntu is great, I only want XP to use a few programs and maybe some games. Other than that, all I use is Kubuntu

I did just get the prompt with the first code.

For the second one I got:

Code:

/boot/grub/menu.lst
/boot/grub/menu.lst~
/home/rusty/.kde/share/apps/RecentDocuments/menu.lst.desktop
/usr/share/doc/grub/examples/menu.lst
/usr/share/doc/memtest86+/examples/grub-menu.lst
/var/lib/ucf/cache/:var:run:grub:menu.lst

Honestly, I don't even remember it asking me where to install GRUB. At the part where you select where to install Kubuntu, I told it to use my entire second hard drive (which was empty).....I hope that makes sense.

**Snowhog** · Jan 17, 2010, 07:20 PM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

Well, okay. So now I'm confused (but then, I am getting older

). You have already stated that you can boot into Kubuntu (and it works) and Windows XP (and it works). So what's the real issue here? Unless I'm completely out in left field (possible), I don't see what it is you think you have wrong.

**Plague6** · Jan 17, 2010, 07:37 PM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

The issue is that XP is cluttered with so many useless things at the moment, it runs horribly slow. I want to have a clean, fresh reinstall of XP. My Dell computer has a system restore partition, and I want to use it. I have to hit Ctrl+F11 to get to it, but nothing happens. Now I know the partition is still there, even grub sees it. I am thinking grub may be interfering with it. I also have the option to use the reinstall disk that came with my computer, but again I get that STOP error (INACCESSIBLE BOOT DEVICE).

I'm sorry if I didn't explain that very well. So, basically all I want is to reinstall XP but nothing is working

**Qqmike** · Jan 17, 2010, 07:50 PM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

I don't know how GRUB would be a problem or cause any problems.
GRUB IS in your MBR, and maybe Windows doesn't like that when it looks for its bootloader to be there but can't find it.

Not a Windows guy, so haven't had a look, but it seems useful:
Windows, Install, reinstall, and uninstall Windows, official how-to's
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...tall-uninstall

**Snowhog** · Jan 17, 2010, 07:51 PM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

This Windows article: Windows XP System Restore Is Easy to Use might provide you with some insight. One thing: If you never set a restore point, then there is no 'past point' to restore your system to.

**Plague6** · Jan 17, 2010, 08:12 PM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

I know about that restore option. See the system restore I am talking about is specific to my dell computer. It restores XP to how it came from the factory. My reinstall disk does the same thing, but I keep getting the inaccessible boot device error when I boot from the disk.

My guess is that when I boot from the disk, it is looking for some boot device and all it sees is grub. But, that is just a guess....

**verndog** · Jan 17, 2010, 09:12 PM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

Depending on how experience you are, you could unplug your linux HD, then using you XP recovery disk fix Windows boot loader, recover your XP from the Dell partition.

Then when you get XP to your liking plug in your linux HD again. Then using a LiveCD re-install grub.

Also here's an idea that has worked for me in the past, and I'm guessing that right now you can boot both linux and Windows.

Backup you MBR, then when XP is recovered restore the backed up MBR. I'm still guessing again, that you chainload XP.

Final thought. I would suggest that you download a small boot-info-script and run it. It will give you all details regarding you HD's and booting info. Very useful for begugging.

edit: having your grub boot on a different HD than you ubuntu can cause some problems. But since its working, maybe not

**vinnywright** · Jan 18, 2010, 01:58 PM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

you say you have a dell utility partition and the rescu partition........can you boot the utility partition??

if so look around in it for the restore option ...........some times the restore program will be thare and the restor partition is just for the disk image.

On my gateway 5200X thares onley 1 rescue partition and all utility's and restore image is in it and grub boot's it fine and XP and my beloved Kubuntu

VINNY

**Plague6** · Jan 19, 2010, 02:28 AM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

I can boot the utility partition fine, but it is of no use for me. There is no restore option in it. All it has are four options that deal with scanning hard drives for errors, corrupted data, etc....

Now, I still want to know what version GRUB I have. I have gotten 'stage 1.5' errors (due to having the linux hard drive unpluged), which I have read that GRUB 2 doesn't have.

I can't remember if I tried booting from the recovery disk with the linux drive unplugged. Again, trying to boot with it unplugged gives me the 'stage 1.5' error 21, so I hope booting from disk bypasses that. I'll be trying it soon....

**verndog** · Jan 19, 2010, 09:23 PM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

You can get all the info boot information you need and more if you download that small script I linked to above.

**Plague6** · Jan 20, 2010, 02:44 PM

Re: GRUB stopping reinstall of windows XP.

Thank you, now that I figured out how to run it, it does give a lot of helpful info.

Aparently, I have grub version 0.97 installed on my first hard drive (the one with XP on it). But, there is good news....it sees the Dell Recovery partition. At least I know it is actually there, but I still need to boot into it.

Could adding it to grub's menu.lst help? How would I do that?

The utility partition is there, so I would assume the recovery one should show up fine once it is in the .lst...

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