1

I installed Ubuntu 12.04 in my computer without problems, but after rebooting i got the following error

Error: No such partition
grub rescue>

I know this is a common problem and i tryed all the solutions i found before posting this question.

I tryed to restore the grub using the following commands (from this guide):

 1. sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
 2. sudo mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev
 3. sudo mount --bind /proc /mnt/proc 
 4. sudo mount --bind /sys /mnt/sys
 5. sudo mount --bind /usr/ /mnt/usr 
 6. sudo chroot /mnt
 7. update-grub
 8. grub-install /dev/sda
 9. sudo grub-install --recheck /dev/sda
 10. sudo umount /mnt/dev 
 11. sudo umount /mnt/proc
 12. sudo umount /mnt/sys
 13. sudo umount /mnt/boot
 14. sudo umount /mnt/usr 
 15. sudo umount /mnt
 16. sudo reboot

But after executing those commands i still can't boot.

On my previous tries after executing grub-install i got 2 warnings about some application called FlexNet was occupying sectors 33 and 34. So i removed those sectors and now there isn't any warning.

This seems to be a problem specific to my laptop, because when i change the hard drive to another laptop the grub loads fine. I have a HP Compaq 7300 in case that would help, and i installed Ubuntu using a LiveUSB.

Any help would be really apreciated, thanks.

Output from: 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: 0x7db8a635

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048      206847      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2          206848   125833215    62813184    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3       125833216   283121663    78644224    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda4       283123710   312580095    14728193    5  Extended
/dev/sda5       310505472   312580095     1037312   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6       283123712   310505471    13690880   83  Linux

1 Answer 1

2

Some older systems have a limitation that the BIOS can boot only from a partition that is wholly located within the first 1024 cylinders of disk and I think in your case that ship has sailed.

So in that respect /dev/sda6 is farther than 1024 cylinders

Error: No partition -> Means it is unable to locate the linux partition to load within 1024 cylinders.

So it might be your old bios limitation ...

Things you can do --

--- update your bios from the hp website

or

----Install ubuntu [or create a separte /boot(150 MB) in /dev/sda1 or /dev/sda2] in /dev/sda1 or /dev/sda2 to meet the requirement of bios.So in this case you have to create a new partition table from scratch because of windows.

1
  • I updated the BIOS and that solved the problem, thanks you.
    – Ariel
    May 22, 2012 at 3:05

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .