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I tried installing Ubuntu (successfully) on my Windows 8 machine so i could develop in c and it worked decently for a while. I did this without wubi. However, I later got a virtual machine to run Ubuntu and didn't need the full dual boot install anymore. Following a guide I found online (I dont remember where), I simply deleted the 2 Ubuntu partitions (1 was a main partition and the other was a swap area). When I rebooted my computer I was greeted with a grub rescue prompt. I have tried using both Ubuntu's boot-repair (but only on recommended settings since I am kind of afraid to mess around with options I don't know about) and boot repair from my Windows install disk (both the automated repair and the bootrec command line options). The linux boot repair said it completed successfully but gave me a warning midway through which said something like "EFI detected. check the options." The both Windows boot fixes said they completed successfully. I have also tried using supergrub to fix my bootloader. All of these wind up back at the grub rescue prompt.

Things that make this complicated: I have a lenovo y580 laptop which comes with 2 disks: a 30gb ssd (I was told this was for booting and caching) and a 750 gb hdd. The computer also came with Windows 7. I have since replaced the hdd with a 250gb ssd. and upgraded to Windows 8. As a result I am not entirely sure which drive Windows 8 is stored on. can anyone help me fix my boot?

UPDATE: after trying to run Windows bootrec commands again bootrec /fixmbr completes sucessfully, but bootrec /fixboot fails because "Element not found."

Tom
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  • where did you installed ubuntu? did put ubuntu in 2nd driver and set it as primary boot device? check BIOS which disk has the priority – Web-E May 15 '13 at 08:47
  • under efi it lists Windows Boot Manager then EFI DVD/CDROM Under boot device priority it lists Internal HDD, SATA HDD, SATA OOD, the Network boot – Tom May 15 '13 at 08:51
  • I installed Ubuntu on the main hard drive (the new 250gb 1) – Tom May 15 '13 at 08:53

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If they are both on the same harddrive and you just completely removed the ubuntu partitions, depending on your windows 8 setup (EFI/Legacy) you may be able to repair it with a live CD. I just fixed MBR with Boot-Fixer with windows on legacy mode.

Lemagex
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  • Are you talking about Ubuntu's boot-repair? I tried that already, but I only ran the reccomended options – Tom May 15 '13 at 08:52
  • Don't run recommended, go advanced and ask it to fix MBR (But as a warning, if your system is EFI this WILL Stuff it up) Otherwise, you can install windows 8 again over your windows 8 installation and tell it to keep your old files, then they will be found in C:\windows.old (You will need to reinstall drivers and applications but everything will still be in there EG: Desktop files, music, videos, downloads, steam games, other games, just not installed) – Lemagex May 15 '13 at 08:55
  • I can speak from personal experience when i say the least horrific way to remove ubuntu and move back to soley windows is to either make sure whenever you install ubuntu it's on an entirely different harddrive, or that you need to reinstall windows 8 over itself to keep files – Lemagex May 15 '13 at 08:56
  • Is EFI the same as UEFI? because I know my system lists UEFI in the BIOS. If none of this works I will Windows 8 again. Thanks for telling me I can keep my files. That is comforting at least – Tom May 15 '13 at 08:57
  • Yeah it's the same issue. Don't give up just yet though someone's bound to have figured something. Just keep reinstalling windows as a worst case scenario. – Lemagex May 15 '13 at 08:58