linux not working properly any longer? (husband screwed it up) HELP!!!

[TristansMama]

COMPLETE newbie. I got this computer for christmas with linux running on it. never used it before. Then i left for a few days and my husband did something to it and it wont work anymore, so i tried to reinstall the ubuntu software...but is says error 15 after i install it and try to restart my computer...this is killing me ugh i can only use the internet in live sesion user mode and i have NO plugins arrrrrrghhhhh helpppppp!!(i have no idea where to post this to get any answers so im very very sorry if this is the wrong place!)

[Manchunian]

Ok, so you'd already done what I suggested. Can you give us the specs of your computer?
It looks like it might be a problem with GRUB. You may need to use a rescue CD to resolve this.

[TristansMama]

how do i get the specs?

[TristansMama]

and where do i get a rescue CD?

[Manchunian]

OK, you don't need to worry too much about the specs for this problem because it's almost certainly because the computer can't find GRUB, or because GRUB is damaged somehow, but as a general rule when you post a problem it's useful to have them. If you look at my signature, you have an idea of the sort of things we need (except the mother board )

Let's try first looking at some really obvious things. How did you get your live CD? Was it included with the computer or did you burn it yourself? Sometimes, the installation disk is a little corrupted and this can create big problems. I suggest you pop it in the computer, as if you were installing it, and select the "check cd" option. I'll try to get back to you soon, but I've got an appointment now and won't be back for a while.

Good luck!

[devils casper]

Boot up from Ubuntu CD, open Terminal and execute this

sudo fdisk -l

Post output here.

[i92guboj]

Error 15 is a tipical grub error, and means that a given file can't be located (probably your kernel image). And because of that, you can't boot.

GRUB Manual - Error messages reported by GRUB

We need your fdisk -l info to start, as devils_casper suggested above. After that, keep your livecd close, because you will need it to make the relevant changes into your grub files.

[flipjargendy]

If you're new to Linux it would probably be easier to fix it with the rescue CD. But if you're feeling up to it you could give installing GRUB natively a try. I've done this before with success. Just do a search on google for "Install GRUB natively" and it may turn up some guides to help you do this.

This may not work if your husband did something major though. It's worth a try though.

[yancek]

An error 15 in grub (as i92guboj states) is a file not found but the vast majority of the time the file is there it's that the listing in grub's menu.lst file is incorrect.
devils_caspar's suggestion would be the best place to start. If you can access your /boot/grub/ directory with a live cd, compare the stanza (entry) for ubuntu in the file "menu.lst" with the vmlinuz and initrd files in the /boot directory. The entry in "menu.lst" for vmlinuz and initrd need to be exactly the same as those files in boot.