4

This is my situation:

I Installed Ubuntu without a CD (using A USB)
Dual boot installation (Windows 7+Ubuntu)
I did not like the installation and decided to boot into Windows and delete the Linux partitions, but I forgot to fix the mbr from within Windows.

Now, when I boot, I am stuck in the GRUB rescue limbo.

How can I boot into Windows from GRUB rescue?

I cannot boot from CD because I don't have a CD drive, therefore the usual solutions (recovery CD etc) do not work.

Any hints? Is there a way I can maybe do this through a USB?

3
  • Use a windows bootable usb and choose fix the boot sector with that. That should help you get back into windows. You won't be able to boot from grub rescue because you deleted the grub installation and all the modules etc that would be needed.
    – nikhil
    Nov 2, 2012 at 17:05
  • Okay great, So i can download a copy of windows recovery and put it on the USB, and then procede with the normal process right?
    – user103968
    Nov 2, 2012 at 20:33
  • You don't need to download anything, you need to have the windows bootable disk. Flash that on the usb, boot from it and you're done.
    – nikhil
    Nov 4, 2012 at 5:59

3 Answers 3

1

Solution 1: Go to the edit mode and

root (hd2,0) 
chainloader (hd2,0)+1

Change to the appropriate HDD

Solution 2: Boot into linux and

sudo grub-install

This should scan and set an entry for each detected OS. Neither will work if you have deleted ntldr

3
  • Not sure how to get into "edit mode" when the grub rescue prompt is already shown. The e key, as advised in various places, doesn't have any effect/registers as an unknown command. Mar 4, 2013 at 15:14
  • If you see a grub> prompt, you are in edit mode. e registers as a command to enter edit mode when you see a menu.
    – Lord Loh.
    Mar 4, 2013 at 17:49
  • @LordLoh.: He's talking about grub rescue. Grub rescue drops you on a console without prompting and that console doesn't have a chainloader command. (not even a help command for that matter)
    – mid_kid
    Jun 3, 2013 at 20:24
0

You can use a software named boot repair for this :

Prepare a USB stick with Ubuntu live in it.

Boot with that stick.

Install Boot Repair program from internet on to the pen-drive and run the program.

Run the Program and fix MBR record

Detailed Steps to use, here : Using Boot Repair

2
  • Is there any way to do it without re-installing ubuntu?
    – user103968
    Nov 2, 2012 at 20:26
  • 1
    @user103968 There is no need to reinstall Ubuntu. You are doing this from the Ubuntu USB stick.
    – nanofarad
    Nov 2, 2012 at 20:49
0

A bit late I had the same exact issue. my solution was to just re-insert the usb-live that i used to install ubuntu in the first place, and then re-install ubuntu with the space that i deleted

hope this helps!

You must log in to answer this question.

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