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I had Windows Vista Ultimate SP2

160 GB HDD, 1GB RAM,INTEL DUAL CORE

One of my friend told that UBUNTU is also a better OS and is an open source programme and u can use alternately both Ubuntu or VISTA, so I downloaded the disk image for Ubuntu 10.10 and burned it on a CD.

I played it first on Windows Vista so it asked some 3 options of that I chose an option which downloaded Ubuntu Cd helper ,then I selected the first option something 'demo and install' it said to reboot the computer I reboooted it by selecting option reboot now and finishing it,after the computer was restarted.it asked me options for selecting Ubuntu or Windows Vista,I selected Ubuntu, I saw ubuntu is started which was the least time I could see a new Os is started, then I tought I should install it.

After selecting install it ,there came an option to drag option window's vertical line to right or left to increase or decrease the partition for ubuntu and on another side where something 'NTFS' was written I thought it must be for windows I dragged Ubuntu to maximum(5.23GB) left 37.3 GB for NTFS dev and I continued forward, left it for some process going on, the ubuntu was installed I think ,it also asked for some softwares to be installed I let them be installed and let all process finish after looking some features of Ubuntu.

I wanted to go back to windows vista but when I restarted computer it didn't asked me an option for selecting OS 'Ubuntu' or 'Vista' as it had asked me before. it directly started Ubuntu and asked for same options of software to installed ,I removed the CD and Tried again but still I couldn't see anything for Vista,when I checked properties of 'File System' it was written that 2.3 GB is covered and rest 157 GB is free,

I am scared that I have deleted all the data of Vista and Vista OS too,Can I get my VISTA BACK?,it is ok if I don't get anything of Ubuntu,I had many of important files too in my vista.is really my pc been formatted completely,? from last week I am searching for its solution on Internet I am frustrated a lot, many of the contain particular solution but for before versions of Ubuntu,I just want My vista and vista files back .One of the solutions also contained inserting DVD of vista and some procedure but my DVD player isn't working but CD player is working.I hope some of my Internet friends come to me as a saviour please.

And one note I don't know what is GRUB or all other stuffs as I am knowing very bit of installing OS.

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    Please: * Don't put your title in all caps * Write your text in paragraphs or something that is.. well... readable without feeling like stabbing eyes out. Jan 24, 2011 at 10:35
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    This has been answered (apparently) here: askubuntu.com/questions/17846/…. Please use the search function to find your answer, before posting.
    – invert
    Jan 24, 2011 at 10:48
  • The way the text is writtent turns it into a non question, too hard to read. Jan 24, 2011 at 10:59
  • Tip: double press "Enter" after each paragraph.
    – luri
    Jan 24, 2011 at 11:16
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    @all I am Really sorry for the Inconvenience but I am first time on Internet to ask a question .I don't have such thinking,I was Just Trying to sum up my Problem and make understand every possible thing to the answerer.And really frustrated with the problem. Jan 25, 2011 at 8:17

3 Answers 3

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If you had really important files in your Vista partition, then stop doing anything. If you had erased your files, each time that you write to you're disk recovery will be harder. Go to some professional that can help you to recover the files.

If the files are not so important, i.e. you don't want to pay to recover them, the first thing to do is to know what exactly had happened:

  • Please insert the Ubuntu CD again and boot your computer.
  • When asked choose to Try Ubuntu (not install it).
  • When Ubuntu has finished loading, go to the System Menu-> Administration->Disk Tool
  • Please give us the info from that screen. Specially the layout in the right side.
  • If you hit the Print Scrc key, it will take a screenshot of the screen. If you can post it here it could be very helpful.

enter image description here

Note that this is not really an answer, but this is too many information for a comment. It's likely that askubuntu is not the best place for this kind of problem.

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  • I think your answer is OK atm..... with the info you get from the asker you can update the answer... So I'd say this is a good place for this kind of problem ;). [OT] P.S. Me encanta que haya gente española por aquí.
    – luri
    Jan 24, 2011 at 10:33
  • @MAKARAND DHONGADI: Do what Javier suggests... Maybe your partitions weren't erased, so we can (hopefully) guide you, presumably better in a step-by step process.
    – luri
    Jan 24, 2011 at 10:35
  • Uppsss... you deleted your windows partition. Jan 26, 2011 at 7:52
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After looking at this image, seems like you have deleted your Vista partition.

You will need to run some specialized software to recover your files. I have found a nice tutorial. I have in the past get great results with foremost recovering data from damaged disk. Take a look at the tutorial.

After you had recovered your data you will need to reinstall Vista. To be able to do it you will need a CD or DVD with it. It's possible that you're computer included such a disk. If you don't have it, you should be able to get it from the manufacturer (usually with a cost) or download it from the net (caution: this can be illegal on some places even if you have paid for your windows). Installing Vista is quite of the scope of this question, and it can overwrite your Ubuntu install (you can avoid it if you're careful). Look for some tutorials in the net, and make a copy of all your important files in Ubuntu before starting.

---Following---

After recoveting the partitions you should be able to open them from Ubuntu. Go to the Places Menu and you should be able to see an item there for the partitions. Click on it and copy all the important files to some other place, like a USB disk. Then you should reinstall Vista. It's nearly impossible to recover the old installation, as it's too likely that some vital files for the SO are corrupted.

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    Something essential for this process of data recovery: do not boot from or write anything on your 160Gb dirve. You could even plug it into some other machine and dd it or make an image from in in any other way, and then try to recover data from the image. The less is written, the higher chances you have to recover some data.
    – luri
    Jan 26, 2011 at 9:05
  • JAVIER You Came to me as a SAVIOUR,,,,Your tutorial helped me,,,img703.imageshack.us/i/screenshotlh.png ,,,See this I have recovered two of my partitions -All Desktop Items-1 and All Desktop Items-2,,, But I don't Know how and where to check them,,,are all the files recovered?...And can you give some more information by looking at this Image Jan 26, 2011 at 15:30
  • I also want to tell about 1 more thing that ,I used TESTDISK ,,,,,,After all instructions it asked me to reboot ,,,,,,1)The First time I rebooted with Ubuntu-CD, got the option "Invalid filesystem grubrescue>" ,,,,,,2)The Second time I tried Changing some Boot options by F2 ,without CD it Said "Missing Operating System",,,,,,3)The Third time I restored the changes and entered the CD, it started with install Or Try Ubuntu option ,then I chose Try Ubuntu and followed your instructions to get this image,,,,,,There shouldn't be any problems now right? Jan 26, 2011 at 15:49
  • @Javier Rivera , Muchas gracias por su ayuda. Jan 26, 2011 at 15:55
  • @MAKARAND: De nada ;). Did you recover the files? Jan 26, 2011 at 16:31
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It sounds like you used WUBI to install Ubuntu in a dual boot configuration with Vista. It also sounds like you resized your existing NTFS partition to make space for Ubuntu.

As it doesn't ask to choose which OS to load, perhaps the boot loader (GRUB) did not install, do you remember that step, and what you chose? The default values would install GRUB in the MBR.

WUBI has an option to install without repartitioning, and probably recommended for newbies, but let's see what we can fix.

Check if you still have your Vista partition

In Ubuntu, press ALT+F2 (both at the same time) and run gnome-terminal, then enter this command:

sudo fdisk -l

It will list all the drives in your PC, and their types. Check for a NTFS type partition.

Your options

You could update GRUB so that it recognizes both Ubuntu and Vista again. From the gnome-terminal, update grub with this command:

sudo update-grub

This should force grub to rescan for other OS's and add them to the menu. If it does not find Vista, then the Vista partition has something wrong.

(more info on this here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GrubHowto)

Finally, you can boot with a Live CD and backup your files from Vista, and then reinstall Vista. There is a guide here on recovering data.

Always read the instructions and pay attention to the details! Accidents like this can easily happen if you just plough ahead

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  • I think that you mean ALT+F2. I take the liberty of editing the post. Jan 24, 2011 at 11:22

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