How To Remove Grub

[nikster]

Foolish me - dazzled by the pretty graphics when starting from the ubuntu live CD, I decided to try and install ubuntu on my 4GB USB stick.

Little did I know that ubuntu would then proceed to install grub on my main hard disk!

I have a dual boot setup booting Windows XP and Vista on C:\ and D:\ and using the Vista boot loader. Grub apparently hooked itself somewhere in before the vista boot loader even starts, and now starts up with

"Grub boot loader...

Error 21"

And this is where my boot ends. Starting from the USB stick also doesn't work, but I that is a very secondary problem right now. My computer is DEAD because of Grub and I need to fix it.

How do I remove this? I can start into the Vista startup DVD, and start a command line there. I also tried "repair" from Vista but apparently Vista doesn't consider Grub to be a problem, and it's not restoring the old boot loader when I select repair startup problems.

If all else fails I have a Ghost backup, but I really hope I don't have to go through that... ARGH!!

The ubuntu CD also doesn't seem to work anymore, perhaps because I chose to install some ATI drivers? I thought those wouldn't install because I was running from CD but maybe it was smart and put these somewhere on the HD...

PS: I am posting this using my old Mac...

Edited May 27, 2007 by nikster

[nikster]

OK after some frantic googling, I found this web page which explains how to restore a Vista boot loader.

http://auscoder.com/2007-05-18/restore-vis...bootloader.html

And it worked!

Short story:

- Start from Vista DVD

- Click on Repair Computer, use option to open Command window

- Run the following in sequence:

Bootrec /fixboot

Bootrec /fixmbr

Bootrec /fixboot (the website is unclear on the sequence, so I just ran this again to be sure)

This fix is only for Vista, or if you have ever installed Vista and got the Vista boot loader. XP has a similar command but I didn'd try that.

ps: Never was I so glad to not have sold my old Powerbook...

Edited May 27, 2007 by nikster

[Boid07]

I had a similar problem: similarly different. I couldn't figure out how to remove grub and with the Windows market still dominated by XP, there were very few resources for Vista. I'm glad I stumbled upon this topic.

I basically registered to tell you that I love you.

Cheers!

[nikstersavedme]

I too have only registered to thank you so much for saving me!

I had an error 17, but it doesn't matter the error, this resets the boot log so it boots to windows vs. whatever OS your dual booting w/.

BIG CHEERS!

-Jon

[Quaon]

Hey man. Just like the two people above me, I am making an account just for this post. I LOVE YOU!!!

It took many hours on the phone with the tech support people (in india no less) and they couldnt fix it without wiping out our entire harddrive! I did a google search, found your post, and said a little prayer for you. You are amazing!

Also, to other people reading this, I did not have a vista recovery disk with which to do this, so I found this site:

www.neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/

You can download both 32, and 64 bit Vista recovery disks there (via torrent).

One more thing, if you need a completely free awesome ISO burner, try what I used:

www.imgburn.com/

Again, thanks, and I know others will see this and thank you too (even if they don't have the decency to register and tell you).

Edited June 28, 2009 by Quaon

[jackdanielsesq]

Wow - what a fan club - clearly there are more than enough GRUB problems out there.

Is it little wonder that Linux gets so much negative traffic.

I would simply install Linux to HDD, triple boot. The installer will pickup both MS O/S's

I am a mainstream Linux fanboi and because I have so many O/S loaded - 13 , I am used to fix/messing with GRUB.

Any XP/Vista/Linux boot disc will do. I have so many bootable discs, its a non event.

My advice to anyone is to simply download any small Linux ISO and cut a boot CD.

End of problem. Often the XP/Vista/yadda CD is not to hand, or it was borrowed, or it was simply a factory install.

All my IT buddies use a Linux distro as their #1 fixit disc, as one can fix any M$ & Linux installation.

Once the live CD has loaded - 10/20 seconds - you simply use a root konsole or CLI box and enter redo-mbr

It will rewrite GRUB for you. Save, exit, reboot. Finish

BR>Jack

BTW Try Puppy4, PCLOS MM08, Super Grub, MDV 2009, etc

[OxfordWill]

Its important to mention SGD here. SGD is "Super Grub Disk". You can google it. Download it, write it to a CD. Keep it somewhere safe. Any grub error, it can fix, it includes help sections for non technical users. It has saved my ass several times.

[jackdanielsesq]

I dont use M$ ViruS but remember there being issues with SGD. Of course there is nothing wrong with several boot

discs in ya arsenal. I have several, and use any of them - prefer a distro as it always picks up all the O/S and its

easy to chainload all of them.

BR>Jack

http://blog.lokonopa.com/grub-up-windows-7/

[weary]

Some of these problems occur because of running a live CD from a USB Stick instead of from a CD.

Quite a few BIOS versions will switch around the device boot order when a USB Stick is inserted, and when that happens Grub will be looking at the wrong device to boot from, and fail, causing one of these errors.