XP wiped out Grub bootloader.System unbootable. Help.

[PJJ]

I did it again. Attempted to install XP in a separate partition. Became insecure when it indicated that it needs to use the 'entire' disk to install start, waivered and logged out with XP sort of hanging.
No everything is hanging in no-man's land.
Got to linux bootloader once with 'Supergrub', but it also did see only one partitions while Dolphin still showed all -minus the bothced XP partition.

Now even that is gone.No way to logg in right now until I can fix something in fstab. But I have the infamous ro file system only.

Please, how to I get out of this predicament without losing my data? most of it is backed up but not all my wimax work anda few books.

linux fdisk shows all partitions including the botched XP one (fat 16)..Partition Manager sees only one partition however.

Now what?

[Snowhog]

How to Repair, Restore, or Reinstall Grub 2 with a Ubuntu Live CD or USB

[PJJ]

Thankyou for the suggestion.I will try it as soon as possible. However, the file system for the boot partition somehow changed to ext2fs (or whatever it is called exactly). Windows may have done that as well.
I can ony pray that XP did notruin my entire system including some files that I just recently changed - before backing up.

[tek_heretik]

Funny that, if you have XP already installed, all Grub does is add it to the OS list choices, the other way around, hmm, disaster, somehow I don't think the XP bootloader results is an 'accident', since Linux is a "cancer" to Microsofties. Bottom line, Grub is other OS/existing OS friendly, the XP loader is not, unless it's a Microslop product.

[GerardV]

I always keep a copy of Boot-Repair-Disk handy. It got me out of trouble plenty of times.You can get it here

[PJJ]

I used a Kubuntu LV CD. Got it partially working. See reply to Snowhog.

[PJJ]

How to Repair, Restore, or Reinstall Grub 2 with a Ubuntu Live CD or USB

Followed the instructions after using a Live CD and the repair function to get to a command prompt.
It did work - partially.
I have my main partition back with all the data and information. Thank you.

However, two other partitions are missing.
'grub-install' did not work. Error (paraphrased):
'ext2 does not support embedding ...,etc'. . . only blocklist.'

Do not know how sda1 became ext2. It was Ext4.

Will attempt to get the other missing partition back (with backup data). And swap partition. Using the suggested method from CLI while logged into 13.04. If that does not work I can try it with a live CD.
Any way to set sda1 (boot partition) back to ext4?
Without losing data?


Linux partition manager sees only one partition and treats the harddrive as one big partition. Everything is greyed out.

Here is what fdisk -l sees:

Disk /dev/sda: 100.0 GB, 100030242816 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 12161 cylinders, total 195371568 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: 0x0004fe62

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 2048 101330943 50664448 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 101332990 195371007 47019009 5 Extended
/dev/sda3 194097152 195371007 636928 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda5 101333053 150111359 24389153+ e W95 FAT16 (LBA)
/dev/sda6 150124544 194095103 21985280 83 Linux

[PJJ]

The problem does no longer exist. Solved - sort of.
Except that XP sees all partitions while 13.04 does see only the entire harddrive as one partition. No adjustments possible because everything is greyed out.

I can however get Kubuntu 13.04 to start.
To log in is another question.
See my new post.

[tek_heretik]

Except that XP sees all partitions

Yes, it would 'see' them but not as anything compatible, this is no accident either, MS had/have no desire to be compatible with Linux, the only thing you can do is get a format option, but you know what's really there so that's never a good idea.

[PJJ]

I agree. The Linux partitions are shown as 'unknown'.
And I got into this trouble only because when trying to install MS after Linux, I became scared when Windows announced that it will install XP on the 'entire disk' though I had asked it to install it on one partition. I backed out without going any further. However, Windows had already changed the boot loader. I started a lot of trouble.

I finally managed to get my Kubuntu 13.04 working partition back - sort of. All my data are there. I did not need any backup. However, I still had to pay a price: Now Kubuntu 13.04 does no longer connect to wireless. The wireless driver (ath5k) is missing. It did not get installed.

This is how I overcame the obstacle of not getting a r/w partition in either rescue mode or by starting from a Live CD.
I installed 12.04 from an installation disk but asked the installer to KEEP EXISTING DATA.
That gave me an new installation and a Linux boot loader that showed all my partitions and OS installations.

It did NOT give me the 13.03 desktop and it did not install the wireless driver and one other application needed to run it. I will most likely be available to solve this as well.

What a trouble just because Windows does not want to play fair.
But I beat them anyway.