[SOLVED] Ubuntu installation on an external, grub rescue

[mizakjohn]

Ok to start off, I have windows 7 64bit on an internal harddrive, a larger internal harddrive for storage and a 1tb mybook external for storage. I have an ubuntu 9.10 iso burned to a cd that i got from the ubuntu site and I had previously installed dual boot successfully on my other computer, a laptop.

I went to install it on my desktop as well and when i was selecting how much space to allocate i noticed it was using the mybook and not the internal. I couldn't see an option to change which harddrive it used so in my ignorance i allocated 50gigs to ubuntu on my 1tb external mybook. This was obviously the wrong decision as after restarting the grub bootloader would not open and grub rescue came up everytime after that.

I have tried booting from the cd, reinstalling from the cd, and using a windows 7 repair cd. I can't even get into non installed version of ubuntu to try and use terminal. I have spent the 5 hours on the internet trying to figure out what to do and i have no clue. I want to get ubuntu off the mybook and get back on windows 7 where i can then reinstall ubuntu properly on one of my internal harddrives.

Help is much appreciated.

[devils casper]

Hi and Welcome !

Boot up from Windows 7 Installation DVD and execute this
at Repair prompt

bootsect /nt60 C:

This will remove GRUB2 from MBR of internal disk and Windows 7 will boot up fine.

Boot up Windows 7 and plug-in External disk. Delete Linux partitions (marked as Unknown) of External disk using Disk Management Tool.

[mizakjohn]

i did that and it said success, but now when i put the harddrive ahead of dvd in boot order it goes to grub rescue anyway.

[devils casper]

Does Windows 7 boot up from Internal Drive?
You have to re-install GRUB in MBR of External Drive. Post the output of fdisk -l command here.

[mizakjohn]

I ended up formatting it with the windows 7 installation disc and reinstalling on the internal and deleting the partition.

Thanks for the help!