I am really getting frustrated trying to solve the grub rescue prompt. I understand that I deleted the partition that Ubuntu was on, and therefore, I deleted the config files for grub--causing the current mess. But I do not have a backup Windows CD--Dell never sent me one, so the procedure of using Windows Repair is unlikely for me.   At this point, I would like to just format the entire harddrive, all partitions, go back to a clean slate.   Aftewards, I will reinstall Ubuntu without having to worry about the complications of a "dual boot" until I can at least start up an OS when I turn on my PC. How can I do this?   EDIT: I tried booting up with a USB and run DBAN--but it failed.
22443
I have installed bootable ubuntu on hard disks but now I can not format them with Disk Utility program. When I try to format it says "One or more partitions are busy on /dev/sdb" for both hard disks. Is there any way to format these drives?  EDIT: With "Disk Utility" program when I select one of the hard drives It shows 3 volumes;  99 MB FAT 111 GB EXT4 9 GB UNKNOWN   I can not format this unknown volume.  With Gparted program, It doesn't shows Unknown volume only shows 111GB EXT4.
94616
Since some system updates, my machine can no longer boot properly. I am no Ubuntu guru. I do not have a week to spare diagnosing the issue. I just want to retrieve important data from this machine's hard drive and get a working computer again ASAP.  What should I do?
29187
If I want to make a backup of my entire OS (including but not just my home directory), how do I go about this?    Is it as simple as backing up everything in / and then when if I suffer a crash, just copying the files back over? Will this cover grub, and how do I actually do this when the system is inoperable?
104115
I just bought a new laptop with Windows 7 installed and I'm planning on installing Ubuntu 11.10 for a dual-boot.  Here's my rather basic problem :  I have a 750go hard drive, pretty much partitioned like this :   Recovery : 25go C: (Windows 7) : 295go D: (Data) : 380go   That is the factory configuration, the hard drive is still fairly empty (I removed all the bloatware and didn't install anything yet).  This is what I'd like to obtain :   Keep my recovery partition A partition for Windows 7 A partition for Ubuntu A "big" common partition for Windows and Ubuntu data, all the files I'm going to create.   How can I do that? Do I have to resize/create the partitions in Windows 7 before installing Ubuntu? Do I have to do it while installing Ubuntu using Gparted?  I'm quite confused and I'd like to make it right so I guess I need your help.  Thanks a lot everyone.
1658
I'm having a lot of issues dual booting Windows 10 and Ubuntu 14.04. I'd like to not do anything too crazy if possible.  I need to install Windows 10, when I already have Ubuntu 14.04 installed. My Laptop is a Dell.  OK, here's what I need help with:   Downloading everything I need Making my live USB's Split partitions Installing Windows 10 Repairing Grub Fixing the UEFI to boot Grub
69466
I sent this to boot.repair@gmail.com, still no response thought I could get a faster solution here.  I am running Windows 7 64-bit and Ubuntu 12.04 LTS on separate partitions.  The message is sent is:  Boot-Repair URL:    Originally I was unable to access Ubuntu after a windows update (Ubuntu was installed using wubi). Rather than logging into Ubuntu from the Windows 7 Bootloader, it lead to the grub> command prompt.  No matter what I did here, it would not log me into linux.  As a result I uninstalled Ubuntu from the Add/Remove Programs application in Windows 7.  I then re-installed Ubuntu 12.04 LTS using a liveCD-USB.  This time however, I created a partition.  I then restarted and got the GRUB bootloader which loads Ubuntu 12.04 LTS with no problems, however when I select windows (listed as "Windows 7 (loader)"), it just refreshes the grub bootloader instead of loading Windows 7.  I then used the Windows 7 repair disk to run bootrec/fixmbr and bootrec/fixboot.  This led to no bootloader coming up when I started my computer.  Instead I got a blank black screen with a flashing white cursor.  I went on to do a bootrec/buildbcd and bootrec/scanos.  These did nothing to change the situation.  When I ran bootrec/scanos it said that no Windows 7 installations were present.  After this I decided to reinstall WIndows 7 only for this to do nothing to change the situation.  Afterwards I did a boot-repair in which I began to get the GRUB bootloader, which would load ubuntu 12.04 LTS, but still would not load Windows 7.  I also did a sudo update-grub which recognized Windows 7 as being installed, but still didn't fix the issue of loading Windows 7.  While running Ubuntu I have no problem accessing my WIndows 7 partition which is formatted as NTFS.  It shows all the files and folders reflecting that the re-install did take place, and it also shows all of my old applications and folders in the Windows.old folder.  I am completely stuck at this point and have no clue what I should do next.  Any help you can offer me will be greatly appreciate.  Thank You  --gap
30060
I have installed Ubuntu as dualboot with Windows 7. Now I'm no longer using Ubuntu so i removed the Ubuntu partition and added the unallocated space to my Windows 7 partition. But after I restart my computer it goes directly to the error:   error: unknown filesystem grub rescue &gt;   I don't have the original Windows CD to fix the MBR. Is there a way to fix this error without using the Windows CD?
37132
I have dual boot configured with Windows 7 (32bit) and Ubuntu 12.04(64bit). I installed Ubuntu after windows, now my windows is corrupt due to some virus and I need to reinstall it. Currently when I start my PC, grub loader comes up and I need to select Ubuntu or Windows.   I was wondering how can I install windows again and still have my Ubuntu install? Is there a way to do this?  I do not want to install Ubuntu again and lose my settings and data there.   Thanks, Ketan
8543
I had windows 10 but during a reset, it died ( I know my bad ). So I am attempting to wipe the drive and install ubuntu from a clean install but whenever I select to install ubuntu it only gives me a black screen. It's in UEFI and secure boot.  Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?
7771
After I deleted my Ubuntu partition, I rebooted my computer and I only get a prompt:   grub rescue &gt;   The command ls lists   (hd0) (hd0,msdos5) (hd0,msdos3) (hd0,msdos2) (hd0,msdos1) (hd1) (hd1,msdos1)   I check them one by one:  ls (hd0,msdos5)/ ls (hd0,msdos1)/   But I cannot find the right partition.
71107
I installed Ubuntu on my laptop and something happened and my Windows 7 bootloader is missing. I can boot only Ubuntu. So, I tried to do something like suggested here  or , but when I see system recovery option there is no Windows 7 option.
35733
I normally dual-boot with 12.04 and Win XP pro sp3 on a Thinkpad R60.  I needed to reinstall windows because of problems piling up, so I ran the computer's built-in hard-disk recovery software.  I told it not to mess with the other partitions, but somehow it deleted the Linux partition.  That's what I was using to backup all of my windows files, so now everything I have is gone.  I just ran the USB setup with linux, and the partition is deleted - it just shows it as empty space.    Is there ANY way to get all of my files back?
19096
After successfully updating my bios,  and I ended up with a blinking cursor on the top left corner of a black screen. No errors, no nothing. The bios now only listed a SATA: &lt;disc name&gt; boot option in place of the usual UEFI ubuntu one. I'm using a GPT partitioning scheme.  I eventually found that the working solution was to properly reinstall grub-efi-amd64. So, how do I do this ?  PS: Actually, i succeeded to reinstall GRUB2 EFI on my own and will post my answer here as I was unable to find any complete how-to on this.
80385
I am just about to install Ubuntu alongside Windows, just need to make sure I know how to remove it later.  I know from past the major problem was when I removed Ubuntu, I either still got into the GRUB booting menu, or I couldn't boot at all, and had to format HDD and start over. Now I found an article practically saying the Windows loader should be back upon deleting Linux partition, so I want to make sure:  If I have Windows and Ubuntu dualboot, and I want to get back to Windows booting quickly itself without choosing from any booting menu, is it enough to just delete the Ubuntu partition? Will the Windows loader override GRUB?  Thanks!
82679
How do I access the recovery mode in Ubuntu 18.04? I don't see any form of grub bootloader when the system boots - it just goes straight into the OS.
82412
Yesterday I tried turning on my computer. It led me into this grub menu and I have no idea how to get out. I can't use my computer anymore due to this. What should I do? Do I type in a command or something?
115047
So i'm trying to install Ubuntu on my laptop, it seems to work fine until it tries to install grub. I haven't seen progress the past hour and this is the second attempt.  I'm trying to install 13.10, using a Linux Live USB. I don't care about the contents of the laptop.   I've been trying to find instructions about installing grub before starting the installation, hoping that would solve my issues, but I came up empty.  Laptop is 2 years old, it used to run dual-boot windows 7 and Ubuntu. I'm now doing a fresh install of just Ubuntu.  I hope anyone knows how I can find out why it is happening.