[Tfug] Install problem

[Rich]

On Jul 9, 2007, at 8:48 am, Don Freeman wrote:

> I have set up a new computer with a dual boot situation using winXP  
> and Ubuntu. I had it working fine but later forgot the password I  
> had created for the Linux side. I know dumb, dumb, dumb!! So . . .  
> I decided to simply reinstall Ubuntu. Deleted the Linux partitions,  
> ran the install again and everything seemed to go fine. Except that  
> on the required reboot when it is supposed to finish unpacking all  
> the files, it gives an error that says the partition doesn't exist.  
> It seems to be looking for (hd1,2).
>
> Any thoughts on how to fix?
I suspect that's grub not finding the Ubuntu you've just zapped.

There are probably shorter ways, but I'd download the Gparted 
+Clonezilla CD. Use it to put everything back the way it was before  
you ever installed Ubuntu; i.e. delete all the Linux partitions, and  
leave one big NTFS partition filling the disk. Finally, give it back  
its Windows MBR:

If you can still boot into Windows, tell it:

	fdisk /mbr

If you can't, get your Windows CD, boot off it and go into the  
Recovery Console:

	fixmbr

Now you're back to where you started. This is the situation that  
Ubuntu's automatic partitioner expects, so you can start from scratch.

Next time you forget your password, do this instead of reinstalling:

1. press Esc at the grub menu
2. highlight a "recovery mode" line and hit 'e' to edit
3. highlight the "kernel" line and hit 'e' to edit
4. change "ro" to "rw" and hit return
5. hit 'b' to boot

Now you have a single user root shell.

	# passwd username
	# reboot

That's what recovery mode is for :-)

> Also, how do I edit the grub script to make windows the default OS  
> (for my wife).
Edit /boot/grub/menu.lst

The line beginning "default" is the one you're looking for. "0" means  
first, 1=2nd, etc. Count the "title" lines until you reach the  
Windows section. Include the separator line "Other Operating  
Systems", because it *is* a title.

Note that the length of this file changes every time you update the  
kernel, so if you want Windows to always be in the same position,  
move its entry ABOVE the line:

# Put static boot stanza before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

Placing it first like this means you can leave "default 0" alone.

Never move the Windows section between the "BEGIN AUTOMAGIC" and "END  
AUTOMAGIC" lines, because that section is automagically updated.

R.