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Ubuntu was up and running, my computer apparently got unplugged last night and died. I plugged it in and turned it on. My screen is all black with 1234F:.

When I type a letter, number, or press enter it just make another line saying 1234F: I can't do anything with it.

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  • Maybe you add some more information about your setup? If you didn't do anything special and everything was working properly before this, I'd check the disk. You can do that by booting Ubuntu from a memory stick, for instance.
    – Jo-Erlend Schinstad
    Nov 9, 2013 at 17:16
  • Ok so I finially fixed my computer yesterday, because it wouldn't work into I got help on openin desktop. So I was working on recovering partitions, and I was gonna just get the windows 7 ISO today and get my data back later, I put the disk bak in to erase data ( I haven't done anything with disk yet ) but, my comuter didn't turn on after I presse the power buttons so I saw it was unplugged an I plugge it in and pressed power button again, it opened up on th 1234F: thing
    – Austin
    Nov 9, 2013 at 17:21
  • If my answer is not sufficient or you got q's PM me or visit the AU chat room.
    – Rinzwind
    Nov 9, 2013 at 17:51
  • @Austin: he means "further questions" :)
    – Jo-Erlend Schinstad
    Nov 9, 2013 at 18:02

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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See: http://www.digital-experts.de/doc/mbr/README

  1. The boot process ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When the MBR is first loaded it waits for a configurable length of time (1 second by default), monitoring the keyboard, for key presses. If the MBR detects a key press, it will interrupt the boot process, and display it's prompt. Otherwise, it will load the first sector of the default partition, and execute it. If a disk error occours, the MBR will display it's prompt.

4.1 The boot prompt ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The boot prompt looks something like this:

14FA:

This is the list of valid keys which may be pressed. This means that partitions 1, and 4 can be booted, also the first floppy drive (F). The 'A' means that 'advanced' mode may be entered, in which any partition may be booted. The prompt for this mode looks like this:

1234F:

The only other valid key which may be pressed is RETURN, which continues booting with the default partition.

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  • Like I won't need to install everything? Widow 7 will automatically get loaded?
    – Austin
    Nov 9, 2013 at 18:39
  • Yes. After mbr is fixed (if it fixes ;)) all the other things will fall back in line. I am going to start removing comments ;)
    – Rinzwind
    Nov 9, 2013 at 18:40
  • Ok. Thanks! :):) and will it repair files.. Because during Ubuntu setup it wiped my entire drive deleting EVERYTHING
    – Austin
    Nov 9, 2013 at 18:44
  • (Files such as downloads and applications)
    – Austin
    Nov 9, 2013 at 18:44
  • No it will not. This will just fix the mbr(so the 1st few bits that hold the basic information). If the files are there they come back;if you wiped them during an install they are gone).
    – Rinzwind
    Nov 9, 2013 at 19:00
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I had this exact problem. Turned out a power connector for the HD had slipped out of its socket. Plugged it back in and machine booted. Solution was masked by having several SATA disks inside the PC case - didn't recall the name of the disk I ususlly booted from.

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