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I have tried many linux distros and I have always been able to see the Windows 7 option in the grub file. However, recently I installed Ubuntu 11.04 and Fedora 15, I am not able to access Windows directly. This is the same even if I try some boot loader like burg. All I am able to see is a Windows Recovery Environment. How should I proceed? The following might provide more details about the problem.

$ sudo update-grub
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.38-8-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-2.6.38-8-generic
Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+.bin
ls: cannot access /var/lib/os-prober/mount/boot
Boot: No such file or directory
Found Windows Recovery Environment (loader) on /dev/sda1
Found Fedora release 15 (Lovelock) on /dev/sda5
done


$sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xa2eb41af

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1        1032     8287232   27  Unknown
/dev/sda2   *        1032        1045      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3            1045        8694    61443899    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4            8695       38913   242733921+   5  Extended
/dev/sda5           13794       16343    20482843+  83  Linux
/dev/sda6           16344       38913   181293493+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda7           13292       13793     4028416   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda8            8695       12790    32898048   83  Linux
/dev/sda9           12790       13292     4026368   82  Linux swap / Solaris

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Note. I don't think I have a Windows 7 cd. It came pre-installed when I bought my laptop.

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Is the Win 7 partition the only one not being listed in the grub menu? – jmreicha Jun 13 '11 at 17:05
No. I am able to view Ubuntu, Windows Recovery and Fedora in the grub menu. I am able to login properly into both Ubuntu and Fedora. – Anirudh Jun 13 '11 at 17:37
If you have a valid Windows 7 serial number (usually on a sticker), you should be able to install from someone elses disk. Make sure it's the same type (e.g. Windows 7 Home Premium), but it doesn't need to be the same service pack. Occasionally, the laptop won't be compatible with the standard Windows 7 install and needs a recovery disk, but this should be very rare - I had this happen on an old Toshiba laptop with Windows XP. Even if you don't need to do this now, it may be worth getting a copy of the disk for that day when you do need to reinstall. – Steve314 Nov 2 '11 at 18:32
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2 Answers

up vote 2 down vote

From the look of it, it appears that /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober does not detect Windows 7. You can verify this by 

sudo os-prober

The assumption is that maybe the boot loader for Windows 7 got corrupted somehow. You may need to repair Windows boot loader, and then re-apply grub.

You mentioned that you don't have Windows 7 DVD, but can you borrow it from someone you know? You can use it boot into Recovery Environment and proceed to repair the boot loader. See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392

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up vote 0 down vote accepted

Going through this link, I was able to resolve the issue without any problem.

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Accept your answer as the answer if it resolve the issue. – SgtOJ Aug 29 '11 at 23:00
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