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I updated to 13.04 from a wubi install 12.04 updated to 12.10 a few days ago but something failed 75% of the way through.

I was able to cancel as I didn't understand the prompt. It said I was running 13.04 but articles like the user accounts were missing.

Upon reboot and now every time I get dual boot option. But hangs with ubuntu and won't boot.

What are my options? How do I uninstall it or fix it?

I don't need anything saving from ubuntu. I'm happy to wipe everything/ uninstall and try again. I just need Windows untouched as its not my laptop.

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2 Answers 2

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Summary of the comments as solution

You have a WUBI installation that was initially 12.04. It was upgraded from within WUBI to 12.10. However, while upgrade to 13.04 the upgrade failed. Now Ubuntu is unbootable. Windows is bootable. There is no valuable data in the Ubuntu.

Note: The way WUBI works is cumbersome and prone to breakage. It was meant for short term use to try out Ubuntu. It does not work with newer computers. So it was taken out of 13.04. That is, one cannot do a fresh WUBI install with 13.04. I am not sure if that is the reason your upgrade failed or not. In any case, upgrading WUBI install fails sometimes.

First, backup all the important (and not so important) files in Windows. To be safe, make a recovery disk for Windows as well. Even though, nothing should happen, mistakes do happen, power goes off, a cat walks over the keyboard...

Second, Uninstall the WUBI version of Ubuntu. Boot Windows and delete the WUBI installation using Add-Remove in the Control Panel. This will remove almost all of Ubuntu except the boot menu choices. The space that you allocated to Ubuntu during WUBI install should be returned to Windows. If after the uninstall disk space is not freed, remove the contents of C:\Ubuntu. See How do I uninstall Ubuntu Wubi? for full description.

Third, Install Ubuntu in its own partition as dual-boot with Windows. See the official documentation on how to install. Make sure in Step 4, you choose "Install Ubuntu alongside Windows." This will keep your Windows installation and all the data in it. This will also make next step (partitioning the hard disk) easy. Also see How do I install Ubuntu?

Finally, Some of the things may not work in a new install of 13.04 (chrome, Skype). See 7 things to do after installing Ubuntu 13.4. for some help with those.

Best of luck.

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I don't know what failed, but easiest way is to boot using LiveDVD or LiveUSB, copy your important files from Ubuntu partition to a safe place and make a clean install (overwriting the current Ubuntu).

But better wait a bit, maybe someone with better ideas will come here and help you.

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  • I don't need anything on ubuntu. I'm happy to wipe it and try again. I just need Windows untouched as its not my laptop!! (Yes I'm a super noob) I installed ubuntu as windows is full of bugs and can't stream the football. It was great and I was loving it until the update failed...
    – nathan
    Apr 29, 2013 at 14:49
  • I updated from 12.10 .
    – nathan
    Apr 29, 2013 at 15:02
  • Do as I said, but if you are unsure about something during installation, please take a screenshot and post it here with a question.
    – user31389
    Apr 29, 2013 at 15:04
  • You are telling me to install fresh again? From where? You mean I should back up Windows data? (i don't care about ubuntu data as there is none) I just want it replaced/ deleted so I can start again.
    – nathan
    Apr 29, 2013 at 15:05
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    If you boot from the install CD the same way you did when you first installed it, it should give you an option to "replace existing Ubuntu installation" That's the one you want, and it should fix all your woes ;-) Apr 29, 2013 at 15:06

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