How to boot Ubuntu after installing Windows 8 on another partition? [duplicate]

Question

Ubuntu was my first OS. After that, i created another 2 partitions in my HDD and set up Windows 8. Now Windows 8 is running automatically. There is no dual boot option left. Is there anyway to get my Ubuntu system back? or at least save my files? I cannot find the partition that had Ubuntu

Answer 1

Installing Windows 8 after Ubuntu installs MBR over Grub. I see 3 options, all require a livecd :

1) Using a livecd, follow the guide made here : How can I repair grub? (How to get Ubuntu back after installing Windows?)

2) Using a livecd, try the automatic tool "boot-repair" (you may have to install it on the livecd : sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair -y && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair). There, you can try the "recommended repair" and try to boot.

If that doesn't work, you can re-open boot-repair and try the "advanced option" > reinstall grub2 > place grub on SDA.

3) Download and launch "boot-repair-cd", a special livecd containing boot-repair : http://sourceforge.net/projects/boot-repair-cd/ and do the same steps as above in point 2.

---

To rescue your data, usually you can simply boot with a livecd and copy all you want on an external storage (such as USB key or USB Hard disk, even an other hard disk linked to your motherboard should be fine).

But, you're saying that you can't find your Ubuntu partition. That's another problem, maybe you erased it while installing Windows 8 ? You can check that with testdisk from a livecd (packages can be found in Universe deposits/repositories), wich I'm not going to explain here, but documentation can be found here : http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step