Gaming Linux Help

[mameks]

Sooo...I have this shitty (spare) laptop that I installed Ubuntu on to, with a complete over write of xp

It started failing epically, so I decided that I'd delete/uninstall it...
I did something, and now I get
CODEGRUB loading.
error: file not found
grub rescue>
I don't have a disk with either windows or linux installers on. I've googled, but none of the commands I found work, for that matter, no codes work...
The only one that does anything is ls which gives me:- CODE>ls](hd0) (hd0,5) (hd0,1) and that's it. Anything I try from there fails.

 

[xmrnogatcox]

Sooo...I have this shitty (spare) laptop that I installed Ubuntu on to, with a complete over write of xp

It started failing epically, so I decided that I'd delete/uninstall it...
I did something, and now I get
CODEGRUB loading.
error: file not found
grub rescue>
I don't have a disk with either windows or linux installers on. I've googled, but none of the commands I found work, for that matter, no codes work...
The only one that does anything is ls which gives me:- CODE>ls](hd0) (hd0,5) (hd0,1) and that's it. Anything I try from there fails.

Download Hiren's BootCD (Free Download). Use Acronis Disk Director to wipe all partitions. Then reinstall Ubuntu.

 

[gumgod]

You have access to post here, and access to google... do you have access to burn a disk?

If so download the latest Ubuntu live CD (10.10 I think) and boot to that. It may allow you to do a fresh install if you are just trying to wipe it. If not it will give you a starting place to see if you can repair whatever happened to your system.

 

[mameks]

Spoiler

Sooo...I have this shitty (spare) laptop that I installed Ubuntu on to, with a complete over write of xp

It started failing epically, so I decided that I'd delete/uninstall it...
I did something, and now I get
CODEGRUB loading.
error: file not found
grub rescue>
I don't have a disk with either windows or linux installers on. I've googled, but none of the commands I found work, for that matter, no codes work...
The only one that does anything is ls which gives me:- CODE>ls](hd0) (hd0,5) (hd0,1) and that's it. Anything I try from there fails.

Download Hiren's BootCD (Free Download). Use Acronis Disk Director to wipe all partitions. Then reinstall Ubuntu.

Thanks, I'll try this.


QUOTE(gumgod @ Oct 22 2010, 05:08 PM)

You have access to post here, and access to google... do you have access to burn a disk?

If so download the latest Ubuntu live CD (10.10 I think) and boot to that. It may allow you to do a fresh install if you are just trying to wipe it. If not it will give you a starting place to see if you can repair whatever happened to your system.

And this. Thanks guys. I'll give you some some cookies in a bit.

 

[gumgod]

Oh it's also worth noting if you had a wubi install (ran the installer under Windows) of version 10.04 and you recently tried to update to 10.10 that may have been what broke it. I ran into this issue with my Linux install last week. I followed this post to fix it... I think it's fixed now. I was able to boot into Ubuntu a few times since editing the grub.conf but I honestly boot into Windows most of the time due to having to use Outlook for my e-mail.

From the release notes:
Quote:
Upgrading Wubi systems from 10.04 LTS is known to fail, and is not recommended at this time. (653134)
If you have already upgraded and find that the system reboots, hangs or drops you at a grub prompt when selecting Ubuntu (with or without error messages), then first try to replace the c:\wubildr file from the one in c:\ubuntu\winboot\wubildr (change 'drive' if necessary and backup c:\wubildr first as a precaution). This fix has been confirmed by many different people, as it appears that in many cases the upgrade is corrupting the wubildr file.

Otherwise another workaround is to boot a live CD, loop mount the wubi root.disk, edit the grub.cfg (gksu gedit /mountpoint/boot/grub/grub.cfg) and remove all lines above the first "menuentry".

If you get a read-only error on grub.cfg, then either use vi or nano, or before running gedit first run:
sudo chmod +w /mountpoint/boot/grub/grub.cfg
Note: if you install kernel updates, new kernels, remove kernels, run update-grub etc. you'll have to reapply the workaround as grub.cfg is regenerated automatically. It's easier to do this before you reboot (or you'll have to use the live CD again).

 

[shamiko_]

an easier way is to get a coopy of ubuntu and reinstall as usual, it will work (next time you want to get rid of ubuntu don't just wipe the partition away but instead do this
XP Users:

1. Boot your PC with Windows XP CD and select Repair.
2. Then select the OS, once you are there you'll have a command line.
3. Type Administrator password. If Admin password is blank, just press Enter.
4. Type fixmbr, and then press Enter.
5. Restart PC.
6. Delete Ubuntu Partitions.

Vista Users:

1. Boot PC with Windows Vista installation disc.
2. Select a language, a time, a currency, a keyboard or an input method, and then click Next.
3. Click Repair your computer.
4. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
5. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.
6. Type Bootrec.exe, and then press Enter.
7. Delete Ubuntu Partitions.

This will also overwrite GRUB with Windows boot loader.

 

[mameks]

Thanks guys. Here's the promised cookies

Spoiler

I'm using DBaN to wipe the drive, then I'm gonna install XP or Ubuntu. Which one do you think?

 

[shamiko_]

since you had a bad experience with ubuntu, i recem,end going back to xp since you will be more familiar. if however you waant to give ubuntu a shot with out any damage to xp try using the wubi installer

 

[0ddity]

I recommend Mint, which is based on Ubuntu but is more user friendly. It uses the same package repositories, and has a release cycle slightly behind Ubuntu.

 

[mameks]

Hmmm, I'll probably do a partitioned drive, and get rid of Linux if it pisses me off. I'll have a look at the different ones, and see which has shinier screenshots.

 

[shamiko_]

Hmmm, I'll probably do a partitioned drive, and get rid of Linux if it pisses me off. I'll have a look at the different ones, and see which has shinier screenshots.

and then you will find that you have the GRUB bootloader, i personally don't like it which is why i use EasyBCD after i install -insert linux distro- then boot windows

 

[ThetaSigma10]

If you dont run games, then stay with linux. Once you ditch windows you can never go back

 

[nutella]

If you dont run games, then stay with linux. Once you ditch windows you can never go back

Not true. I have Windows and Linux and there's still a lot of reason to have both operating systems. One being Photoshop Google SketchUp. Sure both work, but it's a nightmare on Linux. Dual booting is the way to go for most people.

Anyway, if you completely wiped the HDD when you installed Ubuntu, then download a LiveCD and burn it. You can just reinstall and you'll be fine.

However, if you had a dual boot already and you just want to boot into Windows again, just follow what Dter ic said. I'm guessing that you simply deleted the Ubuntu partition when you "uninstalled" it. Avoid doing this before rewriting the bootloader. You should only delete the partition once you have Windows booting up properly first. The reason it won't boot is because the GRUB bootloader that was installed by Ubuntu is looking for the Ubuntu install which no longer exists. This is why you need to replace it with the Windows bootloader BEFORE touching the Linux partition. Hope that helps you understand.

P.S. Don't use wubi either. It defeats the purpose of using Linux in the first place.

 

[ThetaSigma10]

there are always linux alternaives.