Windows doesn't start after installing Ubuntu

[rigers]

Hello!
I installed Ubuntu in a separate partition from windows xp pro. Everything went fine and Ubuntu works great but Windows won't load. The menu comes up where I choose which OS to boot in. I choose windows and then a blank screen shows that just says "Starting up....." I just stays like that and windows doesn't start.
What should I do?
I did back up my data but I would hate to have to reinstall windows and all the software, especially after just doing that last week.
Also I am not an advanced user so please if you could be specific. Thank you.

[coopstah13]

open up a terminal from applications->accessories->terminal
paste in or type these codes and post results

sudo fdisk -l
cat /boot/grub/menu.lst

[rigers]

did that
sudo fdisk -l:
Disk /dev/sda: 163.9 GB, 163928604672 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19929 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xd0c4b2ef

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 19603 157461066 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 19604 19929 2618595 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 19604 19907 2441848+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 19908 19929 176683+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris


cat /boot/grub/menu.lst:
# menu.lst - See: grub( 8 ), info grub, update-grub( 8 )
# grub-install( 8 ), grub-floppy( 8 ),
# 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=5428d4dc-69f7-4a28-8e28-f0310d693e51 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=5428d4dc-69f7-4a28-8e28-f0310d693e51

## 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 5428d4dc-69f7-4a28-8e28-f0310d693e51
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=5428d4dc-69f7-4a28-8e28-f0310d693e51 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 5428d4dc-69f7-4a28-8e28-f0310d693e51
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.28-11-generic root=UUID=5428d4dc-69f7-4a28-8e28-f0310d693e51 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.28-11-generic

title Ubuntu 9.04, memtest86+
uuid 5428d4dc-69f7-4a28-8e28-f0310d693e51
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 Microsoft Windows XP Professional
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader +1

[devils casper]

Contents of menu.lst file are correct. Its too long though. ( you can delete lines starting with # sign ).

Something is wrong with Windows OS only. Boot up from Windows Installation CD, select Repair and execute fixmbr command at repair prompt. It will remove GRUB.

Does Windows OS boot up fine after removing GRUB?
(Its really easy to re-install GRUB.)

[rigers]

I did that and it didn't work. I got and error message and said Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart. I tried fixing that but no success. Anyway I got windows working by reinstalling it (I did not erase the ubuntu partition). I had a backup of everything so no big deal just time consuming. So how do I install Grub again? Unfortunately I was stupid enough to install all the software before reinstalling Grub so I hope it works this time.

[D-cat]

I'd use SuperGrub (now part of the PartED Magic CD). SuperGrub can usually auto-detect and write the correct settings to disk for you.

PartED Magic has many other utilities as well that you may find useful in the future (like image based backup and restore... which can save alot of software reinstalling time).

Anyway, for this, just select SuperGrub on the boot menu and follow the appropriate menu choices.