Missing partitions, GRUB, inaccurate memory reading

[creepyk1d]

Alright, to start off I have my custom pc dual booted with Ubuntu 10. something (meerkat) and windows 7. I'm not really sure what caused it, but my assumption is a windows update.

this is my first part of the one big problem

PART 1: During bootup, my computer does not go to the GRUB partition selection. It auto-boots straight into Windows 7. However, I had it setup to auto-boot to Ubuntu before these problems even began..

So, in order to solve this problem, i was attempting to repair grub through my ubuntu partition while working through a live CD when I noticed i only have two partitions. 1. windows 7 recovery and 2. windows 7

PART 2: My ubuntu sub partitions are not there anymore, therefore I cannot access them in order to repair GRUB.

so in order to solve this problem, I was just going to uninstall ubuntu entirely. HOWEVER

PART 3: GParted, GNOME and Windows 7 Disk Management cannot locate the partitions anywhere

However, even though they cannot locate the partitions, my hard drive, while in windows 7, says that i only have a 418gb hard drive (when in reality I have a 500gb and allocated ~50gb to ubuntu)

PART4: windows 7 My computer says I have 418gb of hard drive, while Gparted says I am using a 500gb hard drive and gives me a reading of ~480gb when I attempt to make a new partition/reinstall ubuntu using the live cd


So that is what is going on. In a nutshell, my partitions are gone but my memory is also still gone. Therefore its acting as if it is still there, but cant be accessed, cant be seen, and cant be manipulated.

Please, if anyone could suggest any ways. I really dont care if i have to uninstall ubuntu entirely, but windows 7 CANNOT be reinstalled. I have way too much on my windows 7 that nothing can happen to it.

Previous repair attempts that failed:
-Using a boot-repair disk to reinstall GRUB
-Mounting ubuntu sda_ partitions
-running windows 7 disk check

[alf55]

If windows 7 did stuff to the partition table:
* takes control of the boot
* changes the Linux partitions to be "hidden"

I have used the command line "parted" with a live cd to change the "active parition" and to un-hide the Linux partition. Luckly the person had installed grub on the linux partition rather than the MBR.

[creepyk1d]

so if i were to try simply typing 'parted' in the ubuntu terminal through the live cd, it should give me options on un-hiding the ubuntu partitions? or were you talking the command prompt in windows?

or is all this in hopes that i installed it in the partition and not on the mbr?