multi-bootUbuntuwindows-vista
I have two partitions. Vista was installed on one and I installed Ubuntu on the other. During the Ubuntu setup I said not to install a boot loader.
I used EasyBCD to create a new Vista boot entry for the Linux pointing it to the Linux partition. However when I choose that entry at start up it just gives me GRUB command line.
Im really not sure what to do, thanks!
GRUB is a program that is loaded in various stages. Normally you will start GRUB on the MBR (master boot record) where there is the "pointer" to where the rest of GRUB is installed, so that GRUB can go on with stage 1.5 or 2.0.
What is happening to you seems like the MBR is still there, but the rest of the stages have gone with the partition, so basically you have to tell GRUB to look for those stages in the other (k)ubuntu installation, the one you did not erase.
From what I understand, I think you can procede by doing the following:
Boot your system from either ubuntu or kubuntu live CD.
Mount the partitions on your HD where your ubuntu/kubuntu has been installed previously (Can't remember if this is automatic in ubuntu 9.10 or if you have to double-click on the icons on the desktop).
Open a Terminal and type sudo -i. This will give you root privileges in that shall.
Type grub which makes a GRUB prompt appear.
Type find /boot/grub/stage1. You'll get a response like (hd0) or (hd0, X), where X is a number. Note down what the computer says as you are going to use this in next steps (I will refer to this as "(XXX)" in the rest of this how-to. This actually find out where the missing pieces of your grub installation are (it will return the ubuntu partition you have not erased)
Type root (XXX). This allows GRUB to load those pieces.
Type setup (XXX). This actually "fix" the broken GRUB.
Type quit.
You can now reboot your machine normally.
If I understand correctly, you first had Vista, then you installed ubuntu#1 and then ubuntu#2, and then you deleted ubuntu#2. If you did so, after this you will be pretty much done. Should the windows option not show up in the GRUB menu, you will have to issue the command update-grub or maually edit (only for ubuntu up to 9.04 but not for 9.10) the file /boot/grub/menu.lst (it is pretty straightforward).
Hope this help!
In EasyBCD, select Reinstall the Vista Bootloader then Write MBR. Then in Linux, follow the steps to add Linux to the Vista Bootloader. You need to install Linux onto a hidden bootsector as shown in that guide.
I'd suggest making a backup of the bootloader's settings first.
Best Answer
Success seems to vary from user to user. Let me give you my impressions. And to some extent it depends on your purpose for installing Ubuntu and what your experience level is. I will assume semi newbie for purposes of explanation thinking of future readers. I have Ubuntu installed on several computers for several reasons
First - Dual boot, with Windows being the primary OS.
I will use Ubuntu once in a while when I need or want it, or just to play around with it, but am tied to windows for some reason on this PC
I use wubi.exe to install Ubuntu as a secondary OS with no repartitioning. This is done by installing a LiveCD into a running Windows computer and running Wubi. It will do everything necessary to install Ubuntu in such a way that if I ever want to take it off the computer I just go to "Add/Remove" from the control panel and uninstall Ubuntu. It will keep windows as the first OS in the boot menu, but will create a totally "normal Ubuntu" boot other than the fact that it runs from within a container file and not from a partition. This is not a virtual machine, and not Ubuntu running "within" Windows in any sense, the performance hit from not having it's own partition is non existent in my experience. You can even use the LiveCD and gparted to put the partition back together before doing it if you want.
Second - Dual boot, with Ubuntu being the primary OS
I know I want a permanent Ubuntu installation, and only leave Windows on here for convenience and because it's already paid for, why get rid of it.
I boot from the LiveCD, and get into Ubuntu, then run the install program (or alternatively just do it from the boot menu). I let the installer do whatever it wants with regard to repartitioning and creating the proper boot settings. I have installed Windows first but have cleaned it up, backed it up, and defragged the disk.
In my recent experience there are two possible problems. The first is that you should just reinstall ubuntu and let it do the boot configuration, if you really want the separate partition and don't mind Ubuntu as the default boot (though this is probably easy enough to change in GRUB) then use the second method if you just want to try Ubuntu out then use the first.
The second potential problem is that I think 9.10 has more than it's share of problems with the install and boot areas (and I say this as someone who loves and primarily uses Ubuntu). If it were me I would install from 9.04, then update (but not upgrade) until 10.04. This is just an opinion though it is based on several actual events.