first time installed opensuse and windows is gone

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

HI all,

before you start telling me to go and look similar threads please read my issue :slight_smile:

Want to learn linux so installed opensuse 12.3 on my work laptop , **
now I my windows is gone, I dont need to mention that I need windows and will be s* if cant fix it:(before Monday!

I have read similar threads in these forum and tried :

  1. cheacking “Probe Foreign OS” in grub2 but didnt helped

1a. if these is of any relevance - tried to fix boot with windows 7 dvd but not successfull (maybe because partition is encrypted? )

  1. tried different thread which said to mount windows but with no luck
    before I installed opensuse I asked my work IT team member if mbr was encrypted but no mbr was not encrypted only disk was encrypted, may these be an mount issue? or am I doing something wrong here?
cat /etc/fstab
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST500LT012-9WS142_S0V06VR4-part5 swap                 swap       defaults              0 0
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST500LT012-9WS142_S0V06VR4-part6 /                    ext4       acl,user_xattr        1 1
/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST500LT012-9WS142_S0V06VR4-part7 /home                ext4       defaults              1 2
proc                 /proc                proc       defaults              0 0
sysfs                /sys                 sysfs      noauto                0 0
debugfs              /sys/kernel/debug    debugfs    noauto                0 0
usbfs                /proc/bus/usb        usbfs      noauto                0 0
devpts               /dev/pts             devpts     mode=0620,gid=5       0 0



 
linux-b7u2:/home/me # **mkdir -p /media/c**
linux-b7u2:/home/me # **fdisk -l**
Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048   844453887   422225920    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2       844453888   976773119    66159616    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5       844455936   848666623     2105344   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6       848668672   890611711    20971520   83  Linux
/dev/sda7       890613760   976752639    43069440   83  Linux



linux-b7u2:/home/me # **mount -t ntfs -o nls=utf8,umask=0222 /dev/sda1 /media/c**
NTFS signature is missing.
Failed to mount '/dev/sda1': Invalid argument
The device '/dev/sda1' doesn't seem to have a valid NTFS.
Maybe the wrong device is used? Or the whole disk instead of a
partition (e.g. /dev/sda, not /dev/sda1)? Or the other way around?
linux-b7u2:/home/me # **mount -t ntfs -o nls=utf8,umask=0222 /dev/sda2 /media/c**
NTFS signature is missing.
Failed to mount '/dev/sda2': Invalid argument
The device '/dev/sda2' doesn't seem to have a valid NTFS.
Maybe the wrong device is used? Or the whole disk instead of a
partition (e.g. /dev/sda, not /dev/sda1)? Or the other way around?



linux-b7u2:/home/me #** mount /dev/sda2 /mnt**
mount: unknown filesystem type '(null)'

I believe, you advanced users, are able to help me fix it!
I hope you find time to help me and guide me, please note, I am here for the first time, I know very little about linux - I am here to learn… I need your help :slight_smile:

#2

It sounds like the disk encryption is the problem. You don’t say which diskencryption system you are using (bitlocker?), but it may not even be of interest to your problem.

I think it is more interesting HOW you proceeded when partitioning your HDD during the installation of 12.3.

How did you go about when you installed OpenSUSE, and what did the OpenSUSE installer tell you?

dayfinger

#3

Please paste output of

cat /etc/default/grub_installdevice

Your active partition in Windows one. When you start system, which bootloader is started - Windows or openSUSE?

#4

Instead of trying to mount it manually, use Yast - System - Partitioner. It will see the partition, add a mount point to it, and see what happens.
It may very well be that your actions so far make it impossible to repair anything from the linux side. For one, we don’t know how the laptop was setup.

I hope you realize it was you that did something like participating in a dirt race using your boss’s car. My 2 cents: be honest, tell the sysadmins at work exactly what you have done. They are the ones that might be able to fix this.

#5

hi dayfinger, I guess its bitlocker but not sure.

Before I installed opensue I shrank windows partition ( as there was one partition - the whole disk ) and left it as unallocated space ( just shrank disk and rebooted to proceed with opensuse installation)
during installation process, partitioning, I kept everything like it was (60Gb was divided into = 2gb + 20gb + 40gb ) mount points etc left as predefined…
restarting laptop and grub2 shows only two options:

  1. opensuse
  2. advanced options for opensuse ??

no windows listed in grub, fdisk -l command shows that windows partition is there but how to access it? how can I run my windows again ?

#6 
linux-b7u2:/home/me # cat /etc/default/grub_installdevice
(hd0)
activate
generic_mbr

like said before, only opensuse starts, no windows

#7

dirt racing ? :slight_smile: is installing linux so bad? I just thought it will be better to use linux on company laptop for everyday use than companys laptops windows for everyday use …

I asked my “sysadmin” if can dual-boot be installed he said it can be done, only disk is encrypted not mbr, read somwhere that even with mbr encrypted there is work around to dual boot, so truly believe these is fixable, hoped some of you linux guru was able to fix it , and still believe it is, but if you telling me its not ?

#8

When you get openSUSE bootloader window with OS selection, try following:

  • press c (single character) to switch to command line
  • type
chainloader (hd0,1)+1
boot

Chances are, your Windows will load.

#9

It has nothing to do with Linux being good or bad. It is about abusing your company’s property.

#10

no, Windows not booting, all I get is black screen

can you, arvidjaa, think of anything else? I saw your posts helping fix win8 so hope you can help me to? to clean these dirt :slight_smile:

#11

On 2013-06-15 15:06, leeb1 wrote:
> I asked my “sysadmin” if can dual-boot be installed he said it can be
> done, only disk is encrypted not mbr, read somwhere that even with mbr
> encrypted there is work around to dual boot, so truly believe these is
> fixable, hoped some of you linux guru was able to fix it , and still
> believe it is, but if you telling me its not ?

IMO:

You have to determine how exactly is boot installed. As the main windows
partition is encrypted, it is impossible that the Linux booter (grub)
can start it. Instead, you have to start with the original MBR contents,
which should know how to boot Windows directly.

To boot Linux instead, you have to tell grub to install itself on
“/dev/sda2” (yes, I mean the Extended), and then there are two choices:
use easybcd in Windows to choose the system to boot (doesn’t work with
W8), or when you want to change the booting system change the boot
selector from sda2 using “something”. A partitioner program in Windows
and Linux, or an external flash boot.

Maybe, in theory, grub might chainload or something the original MBR in
/boot and boot windows somehow. I heard of the technique long ago, but I
ignore the details.

It is possible that the original MBR was saved during install in /boot;
if you can locate it (a 512 bytes file) you have to copy it back with
dd. Careful: copying it entirely destroys the partition table, you have
to apply an offset. Somebody may remember the exact numbers.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.3 x86_64 “Dartmouth” at Telcontar)

#12

It seems that you did proceed appropriately, as it sounds like you started out with shrinking the Windows volume(s) from WITHIN Windows itself. But I also still think the encryption is the key to your problems.

I do not have any experience with bitlocker myself, but I have worked with other encryption schemes in Windows. Those have had their own preloader, that needed to ‘unlock’ disk sectors prior to loading Windows’ own loader - which in turn communicated with a Windows specific diskdriver that handled all crypthographical operations. I would not anticipate that any automated installation procedure would automatically recognize such a stub, thus it will go by unnoticed by e.g. OpenSUSE installer/GRUB(2) - even if it’s there.

I would have proceeded with making sure WHICH encryption scheme that was in use. If it IS bitlocker, then you may be able to help yourself from the Internet. If not, you need to get out your encryption module’s troubleshooting manual and take it from there. Check out these links:
BitLocker Drive Encryption Overview
Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption Step-by-Step Guide
If you did not normally supply a USB stick when booting Windows (I take it that you didn’t, since this is a company configured PC), then your computer’s TPM module may add to the complexity.

Normally, full-disk encryption is a touchy field that is sensitive to changes, and one should know what to do ahead of making changes in a production system…

If all this seems to be more than you can handle in the time you have available - and you do have it, I would recommend you to get out your emergency encryption-resque disk to get back your encrypted partition, then restore all your data, and restart your experiment with the direct support of your IT-departement.
Chances are that they have the emergency disk available for you to use if you do not have it yourself, and that such a disk is all you need. It would as a minimum wipe out the OpenSUSE booting for you, but the OpenSUSE volumes could survive, in which case you need to manually apply GRUB (or something else) in order not to remove Windows booting yet again. Then you should be fine. It depends on your IT department’s emergency setup.

I’m afraid there is not much details here, but it is what I can offer now. To do more, we should at least know for sure which encryption module is in action.

Please do keep us updated on how you solve this. I for one think this is interesting. Good luck!

dayfinger

#13

dayfinger, thank you for your time here!
think you are right saying “the encryption is the key to your problems” - just tried to fix boot loader with windows 7 disk and some windows commands :

bootsect /nt60 c: /force /mbr
bcdboot c windows /s c:
What these commands do:
Writes a new mbr to c:
bootsect /nt60 c: /force /mbr
( command, /nt60 = use boot code that is compatible with BOOTMGR, / = force dismount, / = write mbr )
( bootsect does to touch mbr, it works on the selected drives…ahem….wait for it…bootsector)
Write a new bootloader to the C: drive
bcdboot cwindows /s c:
( command, look in c:windows for files, copy files to c: (actually c windows\boot) )

but as first step gone well second was failure and think its because of the encrytion.,
which encrytion is used on my laptop? i have no idea. I got no resque usb or anything, so can not restore data, can not restore windows - so you, these forum and google are my only hope :slight_smile:

one thing which thing is good is that windows partition is still there, the question is how to make windows run again :slight_smile:
before I took laptop home for linux installation I asked sysadmin and he said these can be done as the mbr was not encrypted…reading all similar threads i noticed that opensuse 12.3 in dual-boot installation doesnt show windows in grub2, is that because previously used grub ( grub legacy ) was smarter with recognizing, adding windows?

at these point the thing I care the most is windows and all my data etc, so if at the end of the day i run windows without linux i am more happy than if i run linux and not windows :slight_smile:

#14

Well … you have active partition 1 and still boot into openSUSE which implies grub2 is installed in MBR. Normally Windows loader is located in partition boot sector and it is possible to chainload it. If it does not work it is quite possible that you need special code in MBR. As was already suggested, look if you have file of size 512 bytes and suitable date in /boot. It may be original copy of your MBR.

#15

That depends on how badly you broke it.

In my experience, a typical Window 7 install has two partitions. One of those is around 14G, and is usually referred to as the recovery partition. The other is larger.

I don’t see that recovery partition in your “fdisk” output.

I could be completely wrong here. It is my impression that when you install “bitlocker” in Windows (for encrypted disk), the main Windows partition is encrypted and the recovery partition is left unencrypted. You boot the system by booting the recovery partition, which sets up the crypto to make the main Windows partition accessible. If you nuked the recovery partition, you might have broken that.

#16

will uninstalling grub2 help? installing older version of suse with grub1 ?

As was already suggested, look if you have file of size 512 bytes and  suitable date in /boot. It may be original copy of your MBR.

unfortunatelly its not, /boot> ls -l shows that backup_mbr is -rw------ created today

#17 
linux-b7u2:/home/me # **fdisk -l**
Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048   844453887   422225920    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2       844453888   976773119    66159616    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5       844455936   848666623     2105344   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6       848668672   890611711    20971520   83  Linux
/dev/sda7       890613760   976752639    43069440   83  Linux

yes, these sda2 looks like only windows partition, but maybe I used wrong argument to mount it ?
can you double check on it, please?

#18

unlikely

/boot> ls -l shows that backup_mbr is -rw------ created today

Well … assuming that everything else needed to boot your encrypted partition is still intact, it may be possible to chainload it by using “chainloader /boot/backup_mbr” instead of “chainloader (hd0,1)+1”. But any incorrect step may make your data completely inaccessible. I join previous suggestion to go to your admin and ask to recover your data.

#19

Windows itself does not install any recovery partition. What you mean is rather typical OEM installation. But here we have corporate notebook which was likely installed using some deployment tool and does not need any recovery partition.

#20

yes it was deployed from usb
and as far as I know my “sysadmin” has these as only option fix these issue here…there is no such backup/restore

how about installing windows bootloader again but on another partition? and then chainload from gub ?