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This is my situation:

  • installed Ubuntu without a CD (using unetbootin)
  • dual boot installation (Windows XP+Ubuntu)
  • didn't like the installation and decided to boot into Windows and delete the Linux partitions
  • forgot to fix the mbr from within Windows

Now, when I boot, I am stuck in the GRUB rescue limbo.

Simple question: How can I boot into Windows from GRUB rescue?

I cannot boot from CD, therefore the usual solutions (recovery CD etc) do not work. An older question mentions the possibility to boot Windows but doesn't specify details: Ubuntu grub rescue prompt!

Any hints?

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5 Answers

up vote 3 down vote

When GRUB is gone, so is the ability to boot into Windows. You would now need to boot from the Windows CD to restore the Master Boot Record (MBR). You can also use other boot CDs such as the Ultimate Boot CD for Windows, Bart PE or Hiren's Boot CD in case you don't have Windows installation media handy. Here are the steps:

  • Boot from the Windows CD and choose "Repair". Alternatively boot from one of the other aforementioned boot CDs and run a command prompt.

  • Run the the following two commands in a command prompt:

    bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
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up vote 2 down vote accepted

As Gilles already pointed out, grub rescue only has a few commands which allow you to load modules (e.g. from a grub rescue disk).

In my case - booting from another source wasn't possible - the only option was to remove the hdd from the computer and use a cheap external hd case to connect the disk to another computer via USB. On that computer, I used MbrFix to fix the mbr.

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up vote 0 down vote

I have exactly the same issue, i deleted the ubuntu partition so i could install the new one, but crapped it up and stuck in grub rescue also

I am currently searching for the fix also

Here is how far i have got

- http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-safely-uninstall-ubuntu-in-windows-dual-boot-environment/

It seems we need to use our windows 7 disks, boot in and delete something called an MBR

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Thanks for your answer. My problem is that I can't boot into any CD. If I somehow managed to boot into Windows, I could use the MbrFix tool (see: sysint.no/Nedlasting/MbrFix.htm) – pruefsumme Oct 11 '10 at 14:42
Ok it sounds to me like you need to go into your bios and make it look at the CD before booting – Tom Oct 11 '10 at 14:49
Unfortunately, this is not possible since I have no cd drive. – pruefsumme Oct 11 '10 at 14:54
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up vote 0 down vote

You can use grub rescue to start windows again.

The command list would be something similar to 

rootnoverify(hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1            
boot

From reading over the comments on grub rescue this seems like it'll work then you can get into windows and reinstall the windows bootloader into the MBR. This only works however if your windows partition is the first partition on the drive AND it's on the first drive that the computer sees. If you have several drives or SATA drives instead of PATA drives then you may need to use a different command for rootnoverify (try sd0 instead of hd0)

Update me on if it works.

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The grub rescue prompt does not provide the chainloader command (at least not without manually loading the module, and I don't know how to do that). – Gilles Oct 11 '10 at 20:22
well, if that's the case then there's always the choice to use a flash drive (assuming the computer will boot off it) and to make the flash drive bootable with unetbootin and a copy of super grub disk (or something similar) OR you can put a copy of part of grub onto the flash drive and load it by saying "kernel PATH" – Kravlin Oct 11 '10 at 20:46
googling around i found this. linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-general-1/grub-rescue-815634 That might provide some help – Kravlin Oct 11 '10 at 20:47
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up vote 0 down vote

Boot from the Windows XP/Vista/7 installation CD, and select the Repair (R) option. Select the correct partition, and then enter the Administrator account password. At the command prompt run the following commands:

fixmbr (C:\WINDOWS\fixmbr.exe)

fixboot (C:\WINDOWS\fixboot.exe)

Type 'exit', and the computer will reboot.

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protected by studiohack♦ Jan 20 at 20:22

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