Ubuntu Boot Problem

**calebi** · 06-29-2011

Okay so I had switched over from Windows to Ubuntu and got rid of windows completely but still had the recovery partition and deleted it. I then tried to add that space to another partition, "Media." For whatever reason it deleted the "Media" partition so I used TestDisk to restore it. I did something wrong and when I rebooted my computer it would not boot so I used my LiveCD to check whats wrong and it had deleted all of my partitions and Ubuntu was nowhere to be found. So I used TestDisk again to recover them, this time it was successful. The problem now however is that when I start my computer it does not boot into Ubuntu it just shows a black screen with the white underscore ("_") flashing in the corner. I'm not sure but I don't think it is booting into the correct partition, I think it would be trying to boot the first partition, /dev/sda1, rather than /dev/sda3. If this is the problem how could I fix it?

I got all the boot loader information, here it is:

[CODE]

Code:

                  Boot Info Script 0.60    from 17 May 2011


============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================

 => Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 1 of
    the same hard drive for core.img, but core.img can not be found at this
    location.
 => Syslinux MBR (4.04 and higher) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb.

sda1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type:  Windows Vista/7
    Boot sector info:   No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        /BOOTMGR /BOOT/BCD

sda2: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        

sda3: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Operating System:  Ubuntu 11.04
    Boot files:        /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img

sda4: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sda5: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sdb1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type:  SYSLINUX 4.04 2011-04-18
    Boot sector info:   Syslinux looks at sector 7716 of /dev/sdb1 for its
                       second stage. SYSLINUX is installed in the  directory.
                       No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        /syslinux/syslinux.cfg /ldlinux.sys

============================ Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sda1                   1   976,773,167   976,773,167  ee GPT


GUID Partition Table detected.

Partition    Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors System
/dev/sda1           2,048    30,617,592    30,615,545 Data partition (Windows/Linux)
/dev/sda2      30,617,600   481,177,599   450,560,000 Data partition (Windows/Linux)
/dev/sda3     481,179,648   934,991,871   453,812,224 EFI System partition
/dev/sda4     934,993,920   958,337,007    23,343,088 Swap partition (Linux)
/dev/sda5     958,339,072   976,771,055    18,431,984 Swap partition (Linux)

Drive: sdb _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdb: 1010 MB, 1010826752 bytes
32 heads, 61 sectors/track, 1011 cylinders, total 1974271 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sdb1    *             61     1,973,471     1,973,411   c W95 FAT32 (LBA)


"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________

Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL

/dev/loop0                                              squashfs  
/dev/sda1        DC1E32251E31F95A                       ntfs       BIOS_RVY
/dev/sda2        6faa6680-a157-4c1c-aaba-9423829e1d1e   ext4       Media
/dev/sda3        aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7   ext4       /
/dev/sda4        5647e392-ac60-4685-b650-bbb9d76490b6   swap      
/dev/sda5        c5049d52-bcf7-49a0-a39c-d4ba606307dd   swap      
/dev/sdb1        1016-273B                              vfat       PENDRIVE

================================ Mount points: =================================

Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options

/dev/loop0       /rofs                    squashfs   (ro,noatime)
/dev/sdb1        /cdrom                   vfat       (rw,relatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,errors=remount-ro)


=========================== sda3/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  set have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}

function recordfail {
  set recordfail=1
  if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}

function load_video {
  insmod vbe
  insmod vga
  insmod video_bochs
  insmod video_cirrus
}

insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en_US
insmod gettext
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
  set timeout=-1
else
  set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
if background_color 44,0,30; then
  clear
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
if [ ${recordfail} != 1 ]; then
  if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
    if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
      if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
        set linux_gfx_mode=keep
      else
        set linux_gfx_mode=text
      fi
    else
      set linux_gfx_mode=text
    fi
  else
    set linux_gfx_mode=keep
  fi
else
  set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
if [ "$linux_gfx_mode" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-8-generic-pae' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic-pae root=UUID=aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7 ro   quiet splash vt.handoff=7
    initrd    /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic-pae
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.38-8-generic-pae (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7
    echo    'Loading Linux 2.6.38-8-generic-pae ...'
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic-pae root=UUID=aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7 ro single
    echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
    initrd    /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic-pae
}
submenu "Previous Linux versions" {
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-28-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-28-generic root=UUID=aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7 ro   quiet splash vt.handoff=7
    initrd    /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-28-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-28-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    recordfail
    set gfxpayload=$linux_gfx_mode
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7
    echo    'Loading Linux 2.6.35-28-generic ...'
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-28-generic root=UUID=aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7 ro single
    echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
    initrd    /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-28-generic
}
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7
    linux16    /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='(/dev/sda,msdos6)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7
    linux16    /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows Recovery Environment (loader) (on /dev/sda1)" --class windows --class os {
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ntfs
    set root='(/dev/sda,msdos1)'
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root DC1E32251E31F95A
    drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
    chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=============================== sda3/etc/fstab: ================================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid -o value -s 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    nodev,noexec,nosuid 0       0
# / was on /dev/sda6 during installation
UUID=aeeb2ad3-b056-4369-b38c-b14b9226f7f7 /               ext4    errors=remount-ro 0       1
# /media/BIOS_RVY was on /dev/sda1 during installation
UUID=DC1E32251E31F95A /media/BIOS_RVY ntfs    defaults,umask=007,gid=46 0       0
# swap was on /dev/sda5 during installation
UUID=5647e392-ac60-4685-b650-bbb9d76490b6 none            swap    sw              0       0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sda3: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)

 319.576332092 = 343.142473728  boot/grub/core.img                             1
 281.702598572 = 302.475862016  boot/grub/grub.cfg                             1
 235.877960205 = 253.272031232  boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-28-generic              1
 266.959960938 = 286.646075392  boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic-pae           2
 321.497882843 = 345.205723136  boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-28-generic                 1
 279.944763184 = 300.588400640  boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic-pae              2
 266.959960938 = 286.646075392  initrd.img                                     2
 279.944763184 = 300.588400640  vmlinuz                                        2

========================= sdb1/syslinux/syslinux.cfg: ==========================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# D-I config version 2.0
include menu.cfg
default vesamenu.c32
prompt 0
timeout 50

# If you would like to use the new menu and be presented with the option to install or run from USB at startup, remove # from the following line. This line was commented out (by request of many) to allow the old menu to be presented and to enable booting straight into the Live Environment!
# ui gfxboot bootlogo
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

================= sdb1: Location of files loaded by Syslinux: ==================

           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)

            ?? = ??             ldlinux.sys                                    1
            ?? = ??             syslinux/gfxboot.c32                           1
            ?? = ??             syslinux/syslinux.cfg                          1
            ?? = ??             syslinux/vesamenu.c32                          1

============== sdb1: Version of COM32(R) files used by Syslinux: ===============

 syslinux/gfxboot.c32               :  COM32R module (v4.xx)
 syslinux/vesamenu.c32              :  COM32R module (v4.xx)

========= Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive: =========

sdc

I don't know what to do with this, I could simply reinstall but I'm not able to access my partitions to backup my files at the moment.

Here is a photo from GParted just in case it helps:
Screenshot.jpg

Thanks,
Caleb

**yancek** · 06-29-2011

Your boot info script indicates Grub installed to the master boot record and looking for files on sda1 and your Grub boot files are on sda3.
The Ubuntu entry in grub.cfg shows the uuid for sda3 which is correct but the set root line points to sda6.
Boot your Ubuntu CD, open a terminal and create a mount point:

mkdir /mnt/sda3

then mount that partition:

mount -t ext4 /dev/sda3 /mnt/sda3

then run the grub-install command:

sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/sda3 /dev/sda

Check this site for instructions if that fails for other methods. Section 12.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2

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