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How to fix the MBR for Windows 7?

I have installed Ubuntu as dualboot with Windows 7. Now I'm no longer using Ubuntu so i removed the Ubuntu partition and added the unallocated space to my Windows 7 partition. But after I restart my computer it goes directly to the error:

error: unknown filesystem
grub rescue >

I don't have the original Windows CD to fix the MBR. Is there a way to fix this error without using the Windows CD?

After update, get "error: file not found." followed by "grub rescue> _"

I just installed quite a lot of 12.10 updates, was prompted to reboot, and then found that I couldn't boot.

Windows 10 upgrade lead into grub rescue

I was dual-booting Windows 7 and Linux Ubuntu on my desktop, and today is the day they gave out free Windows 10 upgrades. How exciting! I got the update, and it was installing, and I left to go take a 30 minute nap. However, when I came back to my computer, it led me to the grub rescue prompt.

error: no such partition.
Entering rescue mode...
grub rescue>

I get the following when I type ls:

grub rescue> ls
(hd0) (hd0,msdos5) (hd0,msdos3) (hd0,msdos2) (hd0,msdos1)

After a quick look through of people who encountered the grub rescue prompt, I typed set and got the following

grub rescue> set
cmdpath=(hd0)
prefix=(hd0,msdos6)/boot/grub
root=hd0,msdos6

I was still kind of lost after finding that certain commands like normal didn't work, and then I found a video tutorial where you boot from a Linux image cd and run some commands on the terminal. Luckily, I had my CD with me, and booted from there. When I typed sudo fdisk -l into the terminal however, this is what I got:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xc03ede74

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048      206847      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2          206848  1547022335   773407744    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3      1547022336  1547943935      460800   27  Hidden NTFS WinRE
/dev/sda4      1547945982  1953521663   202787841    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5      1915731968  1953521663    18894848    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Says here none of my devices has the Linux system in them! And I couldn't follow the video tutorial any more than that...

I teased my brain a little and determined that sda2 contained my Windows system (since I remember my C: drive has around 700-ish GB of space). After thinking a little bit more, I remember assigning around 200-ish GB of my hard disk space to something that's Ubuntu related when installing Ubuntu. I don't exactly remember which, but I think it was basically Ubuntu "hard disk space", and it didn't have any boot files in them. I assigned two other things for linux, but they were very small in size (not breaking the 1 GB mark yet).

So, can anyone here help me out get my upgrade back on track? I won't mind if I end up having to completely remove the partitions that have Linux in them.

Recovering moved .mod files using grubrescue

I did a dumb thing... I forgot that Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx) switched to GRUB 2 which puts a ton of *.mod files (kernel modules) in /boot/grub. I thought they were soundtrack files put there erroneously, and I moved them. Needless to say, the next reboot was traumatic. I was presented with something I had no memory of ever seeing... a 'grub rescue>' prompt.

With the help of Fixing GRUB error: “error: unknown filesystem” however, I was able to recover...

• I discovered that GRUB rescue does not have 'cd', 'cp' or any other filesystem commands except its own variation of 'ls'.

• So first I had to find the partition with the /boot directory containing vmlinuz file and other boot image files... (approximation from memory of failed attempts, as well as blank lines for clarity, added 2014-07-10 by docsalvage)

  grub rescue>  ls  
  (hd0,4) (hd0,3) (hd0,2) (hd0,1)  
  
  grub rescue>  ls (hd0,4)/boot
  ... some kind of 'not found' message
  
  grub rescue>  ls (hd0,3)/boot
  ... some kind of 'not found' message
  
  grub rescue>  ls (hd0,2)/boot
  ... grub ... initrd.img-2.6.32-33-generic ... vmlinuz-2.6.32-33-generic 
  

• I found a /boot directory containing the vmlinuz file vmlinuz-2.6.32-33-generic on partition (hd0,2).

• Then I manually booted from the 'grub rescue>' prompt. The following commands will...

  • Set the root to use the /boot directory on partition (hd0,2).
  • Load kernel module linux.
  • Set that module to use the kernel image vmlinuz-2.6.32-33-generic.
  • Set initrd(initialize RAM disk) to use the image initrd.img-2.6.32-33-generic.
  • Boot Linux.

• grub rescue>  set root=(hd0,2)/boot  
  grub rescue>  insmod linux  
  grub rescue>  linux (hd0,2)/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-33-generic root=/dev/sda2
  grub rescue>  initrd (hd0,2)/boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-33-generic  
  grub rescue>  boot  
  

• This boots and crashes to the BusyBox prompt which DOES have some rudimentary filesystem commands.

• Then I moved the *.mod files back to the /boot/grub directory...

  busybox>  cd /boot  
  busybox>  mv mod/* grub
  busybox>  reboot
  

• The reboot was successful, but that was a lot of work.

Is there an easier way?

Grub rescue prompt, repair grub [duplicate]

I recently repartitioned my hdd and I have damaged grub on my system. On boot I get the grub rescue prompt and I have to go through the following steps in order to boot normally:

set root=(hd0,msdos6)
set prefix=(hd0,msdos6)/boot/grub
insmod normal
normal

(Those steps were found on another post on here!).

I'm very tired of repeating this on every boot, how do I permanently fix grub?

Grub rescue problem after deleting Ubuntu partition!

After I deleted Ubuntu partition, I rebooted my computer and got grub rescue problem. What I have tried so far is finding the right partition of ubuntu from grub rescue command by ls command.

It lists (hd0) (hd0,msdos5) (hd0,msdos3) (hd0,msdos2) (hd0,msdos1) (hd1) (hd1,msdos1) Then check them one by one: ls (hd0,msdos5)/ ls (hd0,msdos1)/

But I cannot find the right partition.

I will appreciate any advice of you guys on help me to solve this.

Booting Ubuntu Failure : error: attempt to read or write outside of disk 'hd0'

I have installed Ubuntu 12.10 in a Western Digital external hard drive (320GB). This is a complete installation, not a live USB.

When I plug it in my HP desktop I go to the BIOS settings and boot off the hard drive, everything work perfectly as it should. Now this works on every single computer and laptop in my house (all HP), except for ONE. My HP ProBook 4530s.

When I select to boot of the USB I get the message:

error: attempt to read or write outside of disk 'hd0'

Now, I have removed the hard drive from my laptop and the external drive is the ONLY drive plugged in. Below is a screenshot of the message on the screen. After the message I navigate to ls / (as shown below):

After here I try to acces other folders under ls /, for example, I try to go to ls /boot to get to the grub folder. Then I get the same message as before: as shown below:

grub rescue> ls /boot

error: attempt to read or write outside of disk 'hd0'
grub rescue> _

The only folders I can access without getting the message again are /home, /run and /usr.

So how do I:

1. Boot Ubuntu from GRUB2 (this screen) manually
2. Set to automatically boot Ubuntu
3. If possible an explanation for this problem

Thanks!

grub rescue -> no such partition [duplicate]

I have a big problemm with my computer...

I have reduced the windows partition and when I reboot then I have the grub rescue with the error message : no such partition.

Moreover, I don't have access to the bios and so it seems impossible to change the boot sequence to boot on my live usb or live cd.

The command line ls gives me : (hd0) (hd0,1) (hd0,2) (hd0,3)

I have a recovery windows partition (1 I think), a windows partition and a linux partition.

Yet, the command lines ls (hd0,1), ls (hd0,2) and (hd0,3) gives me the error message : unknown filesystem and so I can't set a boot anymore.

Do you have any idea ?

BR, Yannick

Grub2: Setting password in version 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1

I am using ubuntu 14.04 and the Grub version is 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1. I've been trying this for a long time. I saw this question but couldn’t get it work that way. Anyway I have the solution but am not sure if it is correct or if it has any security risks. Please suggest.

I wanted to configure GRUB such that:-

1. Authentication is required to edit the grub menu or enter rescue mode.
2. Authentication is not required to boot the OS

I followed the Ubuntu Docs and also many other blogs but all are based on GRUB2 versions older than 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1 so the grub script cannot be edited as suggested in the docs. Following the docs I tried to edit menuentries but each time the issue faced was that: Authentication was needed to boot the OS too.

Ubuntu 12.04 (Wubi) not starting - root.disk corrupted

I have Ubuntu 12.04 installed through Wubi on my laptop. For some reason when i click on Ubuntu on start up (when you have to either select windows or Ubuntu) I get the following screen, the grub cursor keeps flashing.

Gnu grub version 1.99-21 Ubuntu 3.4 

Minimal bash-like line editing is supported. For the first word, tab lists possible
command completions. Anywhere else tab lists possible device or file completions. 

grub>

Could you tell me what I can do to fix this problem and to start Ubuntu normally?

HELP! Grub Rescue Mode

I have a laptop which is partitioned with Windows 7 and Fedora 18. I tried to delete F18 in Partition Manager in Windows 7 and then when I restarted my computer it would still go to GRUB launcher and show Fedora, Fedora with Advanced Options and Windows 7. Then I installed Ubuntu and when I restarted the system it said:

GRUB loading.. 
Welcome to GRUB!
error: disk 'lvm/fedora-boot' not found.
Entering rescue mode...
grub rescue>

Grub rescue fails with "Boot Repair" with error "unknown file system" [duplicate]

THE PROBLEM WAS IN FILESYSTEM, THIS IS NOT DUBLICATE TO GRUB RESCUE STANDARD TOPICS.

After laptop system crush (which was caused by hard restart), my ubuntu linux is not booting, it is showing now:

error: uknown filesystem grub rescue>

Solutions that I tried:

• 1st solution: I've read a lot about similar problems and I've tried to work with grub rescue from console:

  grub rescue>ls (hd0) (hd0,msdos5) (hd0) (hd0,msdos1) grub rescue>ls (hd0,msdos5) error: uknown filesystem grub rescue>ls (hd0,msdos1) error: uknown filesystem

So, I can't list/find my linux filesystem ,,,

• 2nd solution) After all, I decide to try Boot Repair, I've installed it on UBUNTU live USB, but there is no "Recommended repair" button and there is no "Advanced options". There is only one button which is "Create a BootInfo summary" - I've created one, the link is http://paste.ubuntu.com/5609223/. I tried BootRepair on latest UBUNTU and on Linux Secure Remix, they both are LIVE editions baked on USB - the same result, Boot Repair not working. Also OS-Uninstaller on Linux Secure Remix states that there is not found/installed OS.

This is the log from Boot Repair: http://paste.ubuntu.com/5609223/

I tried the same Linux Secure Remix on a different PC and at least there is button "Recommended repair". So I think the problem is in my HDD or MBR .. I don't know..

I am out of options... Please, HELP!

UPDATE 1:

Thank you guys for the reply:

I tried the solutions, they are pretty much the same but I cannot mount /dev/sda1. I do some research, but it seems that it is some kind of damage.

Here what I done:

1. fdisk

root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xebd671ce

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048   302815231   151406592   83  Linux
/dev/sda2       302817278   312580095     4881409    5  Extended
/dev/sda5       302817280   312580095     4881408   82  Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 8021 MB, 8021606400 bytes
110 heads, 46 sectors/track, 3096 cylinders, total 15667200 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x04030201

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *       10392    15667199     7828404    b  W95 FAT32

1. mount

root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
mount: you must specify the filesystem type

1. blkid

root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# blkid
/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs" 
/dev/sda5: UUID="ce99d1c7-16fd-4b60-b0af-af6a14b8bdbe" TYPE="swap" 
/dev/sdb1: LABEL="DANAIL" UUID="4ED6-708D" TYPE="vfat" 

1. So I tried different types: ext3, ext4, vfat and auto, but the result is same for all of types:

root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# sudo mount -t ext4 /dev/sda1 /mnt
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda1,
       missing codepage or helper program, or other error
       In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
       dmesg | tail  or so

root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# sudo mount -t auto /dev/sda1 /mnt
mount: you must specify the filesystem type
root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# sudo mount -t ext2 /dev/sda1 /mnt
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda1,
       missing codepage or helper program, or other error
       In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
       dmesg | tail  or so

root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# sudo mount -t vfat /dev/sda1 /mnt
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda1,
       missing codepage or helper program, or other error
       In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
       dmesg | tail  or so

root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# 

1. dmesg

root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# dmesg | tail
[ 2424.052221] SQUASHFS error: Can't find a SQUASHFS superblock on sda1
[ 2620.531816] EXT4-fs (sda1): VFS: Can't find ext4 filesystem
[ 2626.204025] EXT3-fs (sda1): error: can't find ext3 filesystem on dev sda1.
[ 2626.208650] EXT4-fs (sda1): VFS: Can't find ext4 filesystem
[ 2626.208938] FAT-fs (sda1): bogus number of reserved sectors
[ 2626.208943] FAT-fs (sda1): Can't find a valid FAT filesystem
[ 2626.209377] SQUASHFS error: Can't find a SQUASHFS superblock on sda1
[ 2635.692959] EXT2-fs (sda1): error: can't find an ext2 filesystem on dev sda1.
[ 2644.614887] FAT-fs (sda1): bogus number of reserved sectors
[ 2644.614894] FAT-fs (sda1): Can't find a valid FAT filesystem

1. mount

root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# mount
/cow on / type overlayfs (rw)
proc on /proc type proc (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev)
udev on /dev type devtmpfs (rw,mode=0755)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,noexec,nosuid,gid=5,mode=0620)
tmpfs on /run type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,size=10%,mode=0755)
/dev/sdb1 on /cdrom type vfat (ro,noatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/loop0 on /rofs type squashfs (ro,noatime)
none on /sys/fs/fuse/connections type fusectl (rw)
none on /sys/kernel/debug type debugfs (rw)
none on /sys/kernel/security type securityfs (rw)
tmpfs on /tmp type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
none on /run/lock type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,size=5242880)
none on /run/shm type tmpfs (rw,nosuid,nodev)
none on /run/user type tmpfs (rw,noexec,nosuid,nodev,size=104857600,mode=0755)
gvfsd-fuse on /run/user/ubuntu/gvfs type fuse.gvfsd-fuse (rw,nosuid,nodev,user=ubuntu)

Thank for your help.. Can't solve this for now..

UPDATE 2:

The solution is to run fsck on the broken /dev/sda1 system. The problem is in the filesystem, not in grub. That's why grub can't see the filesystem with LS. Thank you!

grub rescue / move folder

I made a really silly

sudo mv /* /some_folder

move command on my remote server vm ubuntu 12.04

that moved my boot folder to

/home/.../somefolder/boot

I can access this folder via a browser terminal that gives me grub rescue.

How can I move the entire folder back to root location so to boot normally?

If that is impossible then if I boot from this location , will I be able to traverse to folders higher than the boot folder, as to at least copy my files via ssh?

UPDATE

I manage to do the following

 grub rescue> set prefix=(hd0,1)/home/path_to_boot/boot/grub
 grub rescue> set root=(hd0,1)/home/path_to_boot/
 grub rescue> insmod normal
 grub rescue> normal

Which launches a menu with options in choosing Ubuntu boot. I press c to enter console and get to grub mode to issue linux command.

grub> linux /home/path_to_boot/boot/vmlinuz-3.xx.x-67-generic
grub> initrd /home/path_to_boot/boot/initrd.img-3.xx.x-67-generic
grub> boot

After that I get stuck at

(initramfs)

At this point I have no access to /home folder, only to folders inside /home/path_to_boot/boot.

Any ideas how to proceed?

UPDATE 2

I contacted my servers company and got the option to boot via a live cd.

With it I did a

gksudo nautilus

And managed to copy my files.

Unfortunately though I wasn't able to save my system via grub, but so I got the files I needed.

No such partition grub rescue

I'm desperate. I have windows 7 home premium installed on my notebook and I decided to install ubuntu as usual. Nevertheless, I had several problems with the graphic card while installing and I got some problems and I couldnt run ubuntu properly, so I decided to uninstall ubuntu by formatting the partition and joining it to my data partition (where it originally came from). Afterthat, I cannot enter into any OS. Not even from the BIOS. But the partitions are there. There is no way, I have tried a Windows DVD to repair boot, but no repair option is offered just installation, also I tried "lilo" as this post said.

I tried Super Grub Disk with no luck. Even Boot-Repair from a live-CD where I could just obtain a report.

What can I do? I just want to have my windows boot as usual and then I will try again the linux installation. But I need to come back to my windows boot.

what I get when I boot is:

error: no such partition.
grub rescue> _

An ls here get this:

(hd0) (hd1) (hd1, gpt5) (hd1, gpt4) (hd1, gpt3) (hd1, gpt2) (hd1,gpt1) (hd2) (hd2,gpt2) (hd2,gpt1)

It is a new computer (asus ux32vd) and the ubuntu version I deleted was 12.10. I don't want to reinstall Windows because i'll lost my license key. I don't know what else can I do.

error: file '/grub/i386-pc/normal.mod' not found in ubuntu 13.10

I've installed ubuntu 13.10, but after rebooting I get the message:

GRUB loading:
Welcome to GRUB!

error: file '/grub/i386-pc/normal.mod' not found
Entering rescue mode...
grub rescue>

I have the following partitons setup:

/dev/sdb5:  /boot  ext4   500MB
/dev/sdb6:  swap            4GB
/dev/sdb7:  /      ext4    60GB
/dev/sdb1:         ntfs   900GB

I have already tried solution from "error: file '/grub/i386-pc/normal.mod' not found" and "Fix grub2 after installing ubuntu 12.04" but did not get success.

I am using 1TB external HDD for this and don't want to mess the windows on /dev/sdaXY . i have acer travel mate with Intel i5 processor,4 GB RAM. I am using iso image of 64 bit ubuntu named "ubuntu-13.10-desktop-amd64.iso" .. Please help me, I have tried various solution but did not fix it for last 3 days.