tinawina

Hello all -

I have an Acer Aspire One that came loaded with Windows XP Home. Wanted linux too. I first tried Kuki Linux but didn't like it. I then found Ubuntu's netbook remix and really really liked it. Installed without a hitch, has been working great - until...

I ran update manager yesterday and it said there wasn't enough space on the hdd to install updates -- free up some space. I booted into XP (probably my first mistake) and ran partition magic. I resized my "C:" drive from approx 150g to 100g and chose to allocate the 50g to what I thought was my ubuntu partition. Seemed to go well. Rebooted and have been getting the "Grub Loading please wait - Error 17" message ever since. Nothing works on the computer.

I am booted into Ubuntu Live from my USB stick and have been looking around for answers. One that I could handle was simply to reinstall Ubuntu. At the partition stage I noticed this configuration and I figure this has to have something to do with my woes:

/dev/sda1 ..... Windows NT ..... FAT32 ..... 4.9gb
/dev/sda2 ..... Windows XP home ...... NTFS ..... 139.2gb
/dev/sda6 ..... (ext3) ...... 2.3gb
/dev/sda7 ..... (linux-swap) ..... 172.5mb
/dev/sda5 ..... (ext3) ...... 2.3gb
/dev/sda8 ..... (linux-swap) .... 172.5mb

I'm a complete n00b! but seems like the order here could have something to do with grub not knowing what to load? And sda4 is missing.

I would like to just have XP and ubuntu loaded up -- looks to me like Kuki is still on my hdd. How can i get rid of the Kuki partition, and just have xp and ubuntu with a 50/50 split of hdd resources between them? Oh - and how do i actually get my computer to give me that pretty screen with the choice to boot into XP or Ubuntu?? The computer is pretty much dead now execpt if I insert my Live usb.

THANKS FOR ANY AND ALL HELP!!

Jonathan183

Post the output of
and do you have critical data backed up?

tinawina

Hi and thanks for the help. While I don't have critical data on this computer - either XP or Ubuntu based, I would really like to correct this problem without reinstalling windows. It's a pain on these netbooks seeing as they don't have CD/DVD drives and of course Windows only provides xp on a CD for reinstalls. A real pain.

Here's the output you requested:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x11a8ba38

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 637 5116671 12 Compaq diagnostics
/dev/sda2 * 638 18805 145934460 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 18806 19457 5237190 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5 19132 19435 2441848+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 18806 19109 2441817 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 19110 19131 176683+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda8 19436 19457 176683+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/sdb: 4039 MB, 4039114752 bytes
125 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1017 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 7750 * 512 = 3968000 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xb0bcd68e

This doesn't look like a partition table
Probably you selected the wrong device.

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 ? 415919 447748 123339962 78 Unknown
Partition 1 has different physical/logical beginnings (non-Linux?):
phys=(518, 102, 15) logical=(415918, 36, 50)
Partition 1 has different physical/logical endings:
phys=(743, 0, 62) logical=(447747, 120, 15)
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdb2 ? 55855 155943 387841909+ 10 OPUS
Partition 2 has different physical/logical beginnings (non-Linux?):
phys=(205, 7, 0) logical=(55854, 42, 14)
Partition 2 has different physical/logical endings:
phys=(920, 235, 50) logical=(155942, 71, 34)
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdb3 ? 241234 488877 959615034 8b Unknown
Partition 3 has different physical/logical beginnings (non-Linux?):
phys=(260, 125, 54) logical=(241233, 109, 56)
Partition 3 has different physical/logical endings:
phys=(893, 46, 60) logical=(488876, 58, 35)
Partition 3 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdb4 ? 225884 226958 4161547 a OS/2 Boot Manager
Partition 4 has different physical/logical beginnings (non-Linux?):
phys=(269, 111, 50) logical=(225883, 70, 43)
Partition 4 has different physical/logical endings:
phys=(0, 0, 0) logical=(226957, 64,
Partition 4 does not end on cylinder boundary.

Partition table entries are not in disk order
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

Jonathan183

OK lets work out if sda5 or sda6 is the Linux partition you want to keep ...
post output of menu.lst and fstab for the version of Linux you want to keep here.

tinawina

Hi Jonathan - thanks so much for the response.

I am posting all of the output here. In the end I would like to just have Ubuntu and XP Pro on this machine. Quick question -- I am using the full version of Ubuntu from a usb stick to use this computer. Noticed that if I run the installer the partition step would let me delete any partitions I want to lose and then install Ubuntu where I want. I am wondering if this would fix all of this -- installing Ubuntu would overwrite the current screwed up boot info and set things straight?

Here's the output - thanks so much for your help and insight!

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo mkdir /media/sda5 /media/sda6
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo mount /dev/sda5 media/sda5
mount: mount point media/sda5 does not exist
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo mount /dev/sda6 /media/sda6
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ cat /media/sda5/boot/grub/menu.lst
cat: /media/sda5/boot/grub/menu.lst: No such file or directory
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ cat /media/sda5/etc/fstab
cat: /media/sda5/etc/fstab: No such file or directory
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ cat /media/sda6/boot/grub/menu.lst
# menu.lst - See: grub(, info grub, update-grub(
# grub-install(, grub-floppy(,
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
# WARNING: If you are using dmraid do not use 'savedefault' or your
# array will desync and will not let you boot your system.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 10

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
#hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line) and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
# password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader +1
#
# title Linux
# root (hd0,1)
# kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specific kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8=root=/dev/hdc1 ro
## kopt_2_6_8_2_686=root=/dev/hdc2 ro
# kopt=root=UUID=138a859c-a64f-41cf-baf9-ae418b9eec39 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=138a859c-a64f-41cf-baf9-ae418b9eec39

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
## alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
## lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## additional options to use with the default boot option, but not with the
## alternatives
## e.g. defoptions=vga=791 resume=/dev/hda5
# defoptions=quiet splash

## should update-grub lock old automagic boot options
## e.g. lockold=false
## lockold=true
# lockold=false

## Xen hypervisor options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenhopt=

## Xen Linux kernel options to use with the default Xen boot option
# xenkopt=console=tty0

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
## altoptions=(recovery) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
## howmany=7
# howmany=all

## specify if running in Xen domU or have grub detect automatically
## update-grub will ignore non-xen kernels when running in domU and vice versa
## e.g. indomU=detect
## indomU=true
## indomU=false
# indomU=detect

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
## memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## should update-grub adjust the value of the default booted system
## can be true or false
# updatedefaultentry=false

## should update-grub add savedefault to the default options
## can be true or false
# savedefault=false

## ## End Default Options ##

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic
uuid 138a859c-a64f-41cf-baf9-ae418b9eec39
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=138a859c-a64f-41cf-baf9-ae418b9eec39 ro quiet splash
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
quiet

title Ubuntu 9.04, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode)
uuid 138a859c-a64f-41cf-baf9-ae418b9eec39
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=138a859c-a64f-41cf-baf9-ae418b9eec39 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+
uuid 138a859c-a64f-41cf-baf9-ae418b9eec39
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
quiet

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
title Other operating systems:
root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda1
title Windows NT/2000/XP
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
savedefault
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/sda2
title Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
savedefault
chainloader +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda5.
title Kuki Linux 3.0, kernel 2.6.28.9.20090416.kuki (on /dev/sda5)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28.9.20090416.kuki root=UUID=2ed95fd6-f3a0-4ae6-b615-d2a4874edf51 ro quiet clocksource=hpet vga=0x314 splash elevator=deadline
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28.9.20090416.kuki
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda5.
title Kuki Linux 3.0, kernel 2.6.28.9.20090416.kuki (recovery mode) (on /dev/sda5)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28.9.20090416.kuki root=UUID=2ed95fd6-f3a0-4ae6-b615-d2a4874edf51 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28.9.20090416.kuki
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda5.
title Kuki Linux 3.0, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (on /dev/sda5)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=2ed95fd6-f3a0-4ae6-b615-d2a4874edf51 ro quiet clocksource=hpet vga=0x314 splash elevator=deadline
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda5.
title Kuki Linux 3.0, kernel 2.6.28-11-generic (recovery mode) (on /dev/sda5)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=2ed95fd6-f3a0-4ae6-b615-d2a4874edf51 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic
savedefault
boot


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for an existing
# linux installation on /dev/sda5.
title Kuki Linux 3.0, memtest86+ (on /dev/sda5)
root (hd0,4)
kernel /boot/memtest86+.bin
savedefault
boot

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ cat /media/sda6/etc/fstab
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'vol_id --uuid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
# / was on /dev/sda7 during installation
UUID=138a859c-a64f-41cf-baf9-ae418b9eec39 / ext3 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1
# swap was on /dev/sda8 during installation
UUID=0875bd4c-6afb-4ab0-bb88-c021c0cc0bfd none swap sw 0 0
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

redbook

If you have no critical data on the ubuntu partitions, a reinstall of ubuntu should sort your problems, error 17 is a grub loader problem, reinstall will create a new grub and should also detect ur window installation without a new windows build.

Jonathan183

From output you gave you have Ubuntu on sda6, you have two options available:-
1. delete your Linux partitions and install Ubuntu again.
2. delete your Kuki partition (sda5), expand the Ubuntu partition and fix the boot issue (re-install grub, modify menu.lst, modify fstab).

Select which is best for you ... both options should be possible

tinawina

I think the reinstall is going to be the best option for this n00b. Am thinking it best to use Ubuntu full version, not the netbook version, since that install gives me the option to delete both linux installations and start clean. Is there any reason whyI wouldn't use Ubuntu full version on my Acer Aspire One netbook? I like it better than the netbook version of Ubuntu and I have plenty of space for it.

Thanks so much for your help. I really appreciate it.

Hal343

The full version should work okay. It will run a little slower than the netbook remix, because it is larger, but if that's not a problem, install the full version.

__________________
Registered Linux User #420832

tinawina

Just wanted to let everyone know that I did reinstall, full latest version of Ubuntu. I got a little hung up on the partitioning piece and found a great tutorial that walked me through installing over the two linux partitions I wanted to lose as well as decreasing my xp partition and increasing the partition i am using for ubuntu. thought this might be of use to someone- here's the link (put an http... in front of the url - the forum isn't letting me post a link yet):

members.iinet.net.au/~herman546/p23.html]p23

Thanks to everyone who replied to my questions. Really appreciate the help!