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I think I screwed up my computer. I used to have a dual boot with Windows 7 and Ubuntu (not sure which version) and Ubuntu wasn't working so I decided to delete Ubuntu and have a crack at Mint.

So in windows I wiped my linux partitions with the disk manager and when I turned my computer back on it came up with the grup rescue page which looks like

error : no such partition.
grub rescue>

I cannot access the BIOS in anyway. The list of partitions using the ls command is,

grub rescue> ls
(hd0) (hd0,msdos2) (hd0,msdos1) .

Now all of the solutions to this problem say you have to find the linux partition with the grub loader using

ls (hdX,Y)/

however when I do this for the two partions all I get is,

ls (hd0,msdos2)/
error: unknown filesystem
ls (hd0,msdos1)/
error: unknown filesystem

I am unsure what to do from here since I can't locate anything to do with grub since I wiped the linux partition.

I have the linux mint iso file on a USB and this is listed as (hd1,msdos1) but even in that I cannot find any grup loader.

Any help with be greatly appreciated, if I could get to some sort of terminal I think I should be sweet but it is just getting past this grup rescue screen.

Thanks.

lackos
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  • You have two options: boot from the Windows DVD (if available) and restore the Windows boot loader, or boot from the Linux Mint USB. Grub should not affect BIOS in any way, so make sure you press the right key to access it. – mikewhatever Jan 05 '15 at 16:37
  • Some systems require a full cold boot. If laptop also remove battery, turn off system and hold power switch for a few seconds. Then on reboot you should be able to get into BIOS. Better to have restored a Windows boot loader before deleting the Linux partition with grub menu and rest of grub. – oldfred Jan 05 '15 at 16:45

2 Answers2

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I would recommend downloading and booting to UBCD (Ultimate Boot CD)

It will give you several tools for rebuilding Grub, including a full linux desktop that will check all mounted devices for just about any OS, and build a fresh Grub that will include all of them.

snurfle
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  • Probably easier said then done with a computer that doesn't boot. Anyway, rebuilding Grub is not an option with the Ubuntu partition deleted. Simply put, there is nothing there to rebuild. – mikewhatever Jan 05 '15 at 16:33
  • I am not sure I can do this. There is no CD drive so I can't use that. Is there anyway to just reinstall using a USB with linux iso file on it? – lackos Jan 06 '15 at 11:21
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As Linux Mint is off-topic here, just download Ubuntu 14.04.2 and re-install it on the partitions it used to be installed on previously.

Once grub is back, it will detect Windows again as well and you'll have both back.

Then read How to install Software on Ubuntu so you will have a stable version of Ubuntu and can enjoy it much longer. ;)

Community
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Fabby
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