We all will be having tendencies to install multiple OS in our computers. While installing multiple OS one of the common procedures is installing Windows first and after that then install Ubuntu. But some times we may be forced to reinstall Windows due to various reasons(eg:Virus Attack, lack of performance etc…..). Then the major problem arises. Recovering Ubuntu after Windows reinstallation. Here comes the solution for that.
The thing is that you need to reinstall GRUB to the MBR which was overwritten while installing Windows.Here is the procedure for recovering GRUB.
1)Insert the Live CD adn boot from it.
2)After Ubuntu is loaded from the CD,go to a terminal
3)Type sudo grub-install /dev/sda
4) Done, the GRUB will be installed now.
5)Reboot PC
Sometimes the above said method fails,here comes another method to recover GRUB.
This option will use the Desktop/Live CD to install Grub into your MBR (Master Boot Record). This option will overwrite your Windows Boot Loader It is OK to do this, in fact that is the goal of this how to (in order to boot Ubuntu)
1. Boot the Desktop/Live CD.
2. Open a terminal (Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal)
3. Start grub as root with the following command :
sudo grub
4. You will get a grub prompt (see below) which we will use to find the root partition and install grub to the MBR (hd0,0)
[ Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. For
the first word, TAB lists possible command
completions. Anywhere else TAB lists the possible
completions of a device/filename. ]
grub>
Type the following and press enter:
find /boot/grub/stage1
Using this information, set the root device:
grub> root (hd0,1)
Install Grub:
grub> setup (hd0) Exit Grub grub>quit 5. Reboot (to hard drive). Grub should be installed and both Ubuntu and Windows should have been automatically detected. 6. If, after installing grub, Windows will not boot you may need to edit /boot/grub/menu.lst (That is a small “L” and not the number 1 in menu.lst) Open a terminal and enter :gksu gedit /boot/grub/menu.lstOr, in Kubuntu:
kdesu kate /boot/grub/menu.lstYour Windows stanza should look something like this :
title Windows XP/Vista # You can use any title you wish, this will appear on your grub boot menu rootnoverify (hd0,0) #(hd0,0) will be most common, you may need to adjust accordingly makeactive chainloader +1
