error:no such partition grub rescue>

[jg579224a]

I installed Ubuntu 9.04 some months ago, and then installed Ubuntu 11.04 64bit a few months later without un-installing Ubuntu 9.04 (I assume it will have over-written the old version?), the computer worked fine (acer laptop) but I noticed a very slight reduction in performance from time to time. I logged on to windows as I have a partition and tried to open a file and the computer crashed, I was unable to move the cursor etc. I restarted the computer and I got the message "error: no such partition. grub rescue>" From here I need help.

[yancek]

Could you clarify a few things. Have you been using the new Ubuntu 11.04 for some time (months?) or did you just recently install it?

You say the computer crashed when you trie to open a file in windows? It just shut down? froze? Which windows? I don't see how trying to open a file in windows would affect Grub? Are you sure you are not forgetting something? Take a look at the Ubuntu Grub2 tutorial below for possible solutions:

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

[jg579224a]

Hi, I am using windows 7, I was attempting to do something with an adobe file I think, although I can't be entirely sure.
Windows just froze. so I shut it down via the power button.
I turned it on and I got the aforementioned message.

I have been using the new Ubuntu for a few months

[yancek]

So you have Ubuntu 11.04 and windows 7 and you now cannot boot either due to the error, correct?
What did you select from the boot menu to get that error?
Do you get that error when selecting any option, Ubuntu, windows 7?

[jg579224a]

Correct to the first question.
I believe it was windows, then I shut down and started up and got the message. After that time, I get no boot menu at all, just the error message.

[yancek]

The error you are reporting usually occurs when partitions have been changed or an entry in the boot menu has been modified. Do you still have the Ubuntu 11.04 install CD? If so, you could use it and open a terminal to get partition information by entering: sudo fdisk -l (lower case Letter L in the command) and posting that here. Then mount whichever partition you have your boot directory on and post the output of the /boot/grub/grub/cfg file and someone here should be able to give you additional suggestions:

The link below gives detailed information on using/repairing Grub2 on Ubuntu:

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

[jg579224a]

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x06a284f1

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 1698 13631488 27 Unknown
/dev/sda2 * 1698 1710 102400 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 1710 36880 282498567 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4 36880 38913 16334689+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 38823 38913 730926 82 Linux swap / Solaris
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

[yancek]

Your Ubuntu partition is messed up. It doesn't show as a Linux partition but rather as unknown which it should not (sda1). You have two windows partitions, an Extended partition with the swap partition in it.

You could reinstall Ubuntu to sda1 which would of course overwrite any data on it so if you have anything you want to save, you would need to use the Ubuntu CD and back up that data to a DVD/CD or external hard drive.

It's not just a bootloader problem because your filesystem does not show correctly in the fdisk output. Since you don't know exactly what you did to cause the problem, it will be extremely difficult to find a solution. Opening or modifying an Adobe file should not have the effect you are showing. Don't know what else might have happened and don't have any other suggestions than reinstalling.