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I have the issue outlined above in the title - and further explained below - and would greatly appreciate any help on getting it resolved.

To get right down to the problem, I'll start off with an explanation of my setup, and the things I did before the problem.

Current Setup (drives, partitions, OSes, etc.):
->500 GB Disk Drive: Linux Mint 17.2; 4 GB swap space; all located on /dev/sda, specifically sda1 and sda2, respectively.
->1 TB Disk Drive: Windows 7 Pro; located on /dev/sdb, specifically sdb1.

Order of OS installation (pardon the "history lesson"):
In the very beginning, I had installed Windows 7 to the 500 GB drive, and the 1 TB drive hadn't been installed yet. Later, I found out about the awesomeness that is Linux and decided to have it on this computer as the main OS for development and such. I installed it alongside Windows 7, without issue, and the world seemed perfect then. A good time after that, the 1 TB drive arrived and I gave all that to another Windows 7 as a separate partition from the other, older Windows 7. It seems Windows likes rather large files, even in its updates.

Since it isn't all great fun to have about 200 GB to Linux and >1.25 TB for Windows, I wanted to give my Linux install a "bonus" for being so awesome. I just wanted to do it after the latest release of Linux Mint. During the process of installing the new version as a clean installation (and, of course, backing up prior), I had chosen the option of essentially formatting the entire 500 GB drive to a blank state and installing the new version of Linux Mint there with the aforementioned setup. The 1 TB drive was never touched, at least I don't remember so.

After the installation was over and the computer was rebooted, there was no way of accessing the Windows drive. To elaborate, I would get a "BootMGR is missing" error when trying to directly access Windows from the BIOS boot menu, and Windows 7 was unlisted in the GRUB menu. I did manage to "fix" the Windows "BOOTMGR is missing" issue (via Windows 7 install DVD), however Windows will still not load, and instead the computer reboots and directs me back to the GRUB menu, in which the Windows entry is missing anyway. I can access files on my Windows partition through my file manager, as well as mount the drive, without issue.

I have tried tools such as boot-repair, and the Windows installation disk (the latter possibly making the situation worse?), with both not being especially helpful in results.

This concludes my "essay", if you will, and I hope I was thorough enough in my problem's explanation. If there is any material I should post (such as the contents of "grub.cfg") please let me know.

Thank you in advance for your most appreciated help!

EDIT: Here are the contents of "grub.cfg":

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  set have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
if [ "${next_entry}" ] ; then
   set default="${next_entry}"
   set next_entry=
   save_env next_entry
   set boot_once=true
else
   set default="0"
fi

if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
  menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
  menuentry_id_option=""
fi

export menuentry_id_option

if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}
function recordfail {
  set recordfail=1
  if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
function load_video {
  if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
    insmod all_video
  else
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod ieee1275_fb
    insmod vbe
    insmod vga
    insmod video_bochs
    insmod video_cirrus
  fi
}

if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos1'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56
fi
    font="/usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi

if loadfont $font ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
  set lang=en_US
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ] ; then
  set timeout=-1
else
  if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ] ; then
    set timeout_style=menu
    set timeout=10
  # Fallback normal timeout code in case the timeout_style feature is
  # unavailable.
  else
    set timeout=10
  fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
if background_color 0,0,0; then
  clear
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=white/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
function gfxmode {
    set gfxpayload="${1}"
    if [ "${1}" = "keep" ]; then
        set vt_handoff=vt.handoff=7
    else
        set vt_handoff=
    fi
}
if [ "${recordfail}" != 1 ]; then
  if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
    if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
      if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
        set linux_gfx_mode=keep
      else
        set linux_gfx_mode=text
      fi
    else
      set linux_gfx_mode=text
    fi
  else
    set linux_gfx_mode=keep
  fi
else
  set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
menuentry 'Linux Mint 17.2 KDE 64-bit' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56' {
    recordfail
    load_video
    gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
    insmod gzio
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='hd0,msdos1'
    if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56
    else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56
    fi
    linux   /boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-38-generic root=UUID=952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56 ro  quiet splash $vt_handoff
    initrd  /boot/initrd.img-3.16.0-38-generic
}
submenu 'Advanced options for Linux Mint 17.2 KDE 64-bit' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56' {
    menuentry 'Linux Mint 17.2 KDE 64-bit, with Linux 3.16.0-38-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.16.0-38-generic-advanced-952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56' {
        recordfail
        load_video
        gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
        insmod gzio
        insmod part_msdos
        insmod ext2
        set root='hd0,msdos1'
        if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56
        else
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56
        fi
        echo    'Loading Linux 3.16.0-38-generic ...'
        linux   /boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-38-generic root=UUID=952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56 ro  quiet splash $vt_handoff
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd  /boot/initrd.img-3.16.0-38-generic
    }
    menuentry 'Linux Mint 17.2 KDE 64-bit, with Linux 3.16.0-38-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-3.16.0-38-generic-recovery-952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56' {
        recordfail
        load_video
        insmod gzio
        insmod part_msdos
        insmod ext2
        set root='hd0,msdos1'
        if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56
        else
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56
        fi
        echo    'Loading Linux 3.16.0-38-generic ...'
        linux   /boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-38-generic root=UUID=952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56 ro recovery nomodeset 
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd  /boot/initrd.img-3.16.0-38-generic
    }
}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry 'Memory test (memtest86+)' {
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='hd0,msdos1'
    if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56
    else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56
    fi
    knetbsd /boot/memtest86+.elf
}
menuentry 'Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)' {
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='hd0,msdos1'
    if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1  952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56
    else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 952aee30-e9f8-442d-aaa3-0d62e0557c56
    fi
    linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
  source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
CrankyCrow
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1 Answers1

1

I recon Grub doesn't recognize Windows, because the bootloader is missing on the Win partition.

First of all, try to get your Windows installation booting again.

Start from the Windows DVD or recovery disk, if you made one - always a good idea btw. Choose 'System repair', select the Windows on the second hard drive and open a command prompt. Issue 

bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot

This will write a new Master boot record and bootloader to the disk. You should now be able to boot from the Windows drive by selecting it in the BIOS boot menu. Alternatively, or if the above approach does not work you may select 'startup repair' from the repair menu instead of opening a command prompt.

If that went well, boot into Mint, and update Grub via

sudo update-grub

which is synonym to

sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

The script should recognize the Windows bootloader on the second hard drive. You should see a corresponding message written to the terminal. If that's the case, all went well and you will be able to load Windows from Grub.

Nephente
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