Lost OS!

wakou · December 1, 2013, 1:00pm

Hi folks, whilst messing about preparing to install 13.1 I somehow lost access to my MSWinXP.
I have now installed 13.1 and all is working
The MSWinXP is still there, grub2 finds it OK, and puts a menu entry for it. If I select that entry, I get a blank screen with a horizontal flashing ‘cursor’. The only thing I can do from here is reboot.

I thought that this would be the ‘usual’ MBR problem, so I booted to MSWinXP install CD and did the repairs to MBR, ie ‘fixboot’ and ‘fixmbr’ I expected that this would bork access to opensuse, (which I was going to solve after by reinstall of GRUB2) but to my surprise, it seemed to have no effect at all…

The system is quite old, and has no UEFI/secure boot.

The reference in the bootinfo output to grub legacy on SDB is just an old hangover, and does not , I am sure concern us here or affect anything:

Here is the results of running the bootinfo script:

KDE Paste full, slightly too large for the

 tags

  Trimmed slightly to fit!:

        Boot Info Script 0.61      [1 April 2012]

=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda.
=> Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb and looks at sector 1 of
the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
in partition 98 for .

sda1: ___
File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows XP: NTFS
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows XP
Boot files: /boot.ini /ntldr /NTDETECT.COM

sda2: _____
File system: ext4
Boot sector type: Grub2 (v1.99)
Boot sector info: Grub2 (v1.99) is installed in the boot sector of sda2
and looks at sector 96127904 of the same hard drive
for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
in partition 74 for .
Operating System: Welcome to openSUSE 13.1
“Bottle” - Kernel ().
Boot files: /boot/grub2/grub.cfg /etc/fstab

sda3: _____

File system:       swap
Boot sector type:  -
Boot sector info:

sda4: ________

File system:       Extended Partition
Boot sector type:  -
Boot sector info:

sda5: ______
File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files:

sdb3: _______
File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: Grub Legacy
Boot sector info: Grub Legacy (v) is installed in the boot sector of
sdb3 and looks at sector 136720060 of the same hard
drive for the stage2 file, but no stage2 files can be
found at this location.

sdb5: ______
File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sdb6: ________
File system: ext4
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:
Operating System:
Boot files:

sdb7: _____

File system:       ext4
Boot sector type:  -
Boot sector info: 
Operating System:  
Boot files:

Drive/Partition Info: =

Drive: sda ______

Disk /dev/sda: 128.0 GB, 128035676160 bytes, 250069680 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System

/dev/sda1 2,048 70,674,431 70,672,384 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda2 * 70,676,480 112,627,711 41,951,232 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 112,629,760 116,817,919 4,188,160 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda4 116,817,920 250,068,991 133,251,072 f W95 Extended (LBA)
/dev/sda5 116,819,968 250,056,703 133,236,736 83 Linux

Drive: sdb ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 300.1 GB, 300090728448 bytes, 586114704 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System

/dev/sdb3 * 101,739,645 586,099,394 484,359,750 f W95 Extended (LBA)
/dev/sdb5 311,453,696 315,645,951 4,192,256 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb6 315,648,000 586,067,967 270,419,968 83 Linux
/dev/sdb7 101,742,592 311,451,647 209,709,056 83 Linux

== Mount points: ===

Device Mount_Point Type Options

/dev/sda2 / ext4 (rw,relatime,discard,data=ordered)
/dev/sda5 /home ext4 (rw,relatime,data=ordered)
/dev/sdb6 /Store ext4 (rw,relatime,data=ordered)

=== sda1/boot.ini: ====

[boot loader]
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
timeout=3
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS=“Microsoft Windows XP Professional” /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usepmtimer /SOS

==== sda2/boot/grub2/grub.cfg: ==

DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE

It is automatically generated by grub2-mkconfig using templates

from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub

BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header

if -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
if “${next_entry}” ] ; then
set default="${next_entry}"
set next_entry=
save_env next_entry
set boot_once=true
else
set default="${saved_entry}"
fi

if x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
menuentry_id_option="–id"
else
menuentry_id_option=""
fi

export menuentry_id_option

if “${prev_saved_entry}” ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
if -z “${boot_once}” ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}

function load_video {
if x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
insmod all_video
else
insmod efi_gop
insmod efi_uga
insmod ieee1275_fb
insmod vbe
insmod vga
insmod video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
fi
}

if x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
font=unicode
else
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root=‘hd0,msdos2’
if x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos2 --hint=‘hd0,msdos2’ d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
fi
font="/usr/share/grub2/unicode.pf2"
fi

if loadfont $font ; then
set gfxmode=1024x768
load_video
insmod gfxterm
set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
set lang=en_GB
insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root=‘hd0,msdos2’
if x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos2 --hint=‘hd0,msdos2’ d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
fi
insmod gfxmenu
loadfont ($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/ascii.pf2
loadfont ($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/DejaVuSans10.pf2
loadfont ($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/DejaVuSans12.pf2
loadfont ($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/DejaVuSans-Bold14.pf2
insmod png
set theme=($root)/boot/grub2/themes/openSUSE/theme.txt
export theme
if x${boot_once} = xtrue ]; then
set timeout=0
elif sleep --interruptible 0 ; then
set timeout=8
fi

END /etc/grub.d/00_header

BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux

menuentry ‘openSUSE 13.1’ --class ‘opensuse-13-1’ --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option ‘gnulinux-simple-d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e’ {
load_video
set gfxpayload=keep
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root=‘hd0,msdos2’
if x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos2 --hint=‘hd0,msdos2’ d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
fi
echo ‘Loading Linux 3.11.6-4-desktop …’
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.11.6-4-desktop root=UUID=d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SSD_830_Series_S0Z3NSAC813290-part3 splash=silent quiet showopts vga=0x317
echo ‘Loading initial ramdisk …’
initrd /boot/initrd-3.11.6-4-desktop
}
submenu ‘Advanced options for openSUSE 13.1’ $menuentry_id_option ‘gnulinux-advanced-d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e’ {
menuentry ‘openSUSE 13.1, with Linux 3.11.6-4-desktop’ --class ‘opensuse-13-1’ --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option ‘gnulinux-3.11.6-4-desktop-advanced-d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e’ {
load_video
set gfxpayload=keep
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root=‘hd0,msdos2’
if x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos2 --hint=‘hd0,msdos2’ d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
fi
echo ‘Loading Linux 3.11.6-4-desktop …’
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.11.6-4-desktop root=UUID=d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SSD_830_Series_S0Z3NSAC813290-part3 splash=silent quiet showopts vga=0x317
echo ‘Loading initial ramdisk …’
initrd /boot/initrd-3.11.6-4-desktop
}
menuentry ‘openSUSE 13.1, with Linux 3.11.6-4-desktop (recovery mode)’ --class ‘opensuse-13-1’ --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option ‘gnulinux-3.11.6-4-desktop-recovery-d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e’ {
load_video
set gfxpayload=keep
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root=‘hd0,msdos2’
if x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos2 --hint=‘hd0,msdos2’ d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
fi
echo ‘Loading Linux 3.11.6-4-desktop …’
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.11.6-4-desktop root=UUID=d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e showopts apm=off noresume edd=off powersaved=off nohz=off highres=off processor.max_cstate=1 nomodeset x11failsafe
echo ‘Loading initial ramdisk …’
initrd /boot/initrd-3.11.6-4-desktop
}
menuentry ‘openSUSE 13.1, with Linux 3.11.6-3-desktop’ --class ‘opensuse-13-1’ --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option ‘gnulinux-3.11.6-3-desktop-advanced-d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e’ {
load_video
set gfxpayload=keep
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root=‘hd0,msdos2’
if x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos2 --hint=‘hd0,msdos2’ d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
fi
echo ‘Loading Linux 3.11.6-3-desktop …’
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.11.6-3-desktop root=UUID=d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-SAMSUNG_SSD_830_Series_S0Z3NSAC813290-part3 splash=silent quiet showopts vga=0x317
echo ‘Loading initial ramdisk …’
initrd /boot/initrd-3.11.6-3-desktop
}
menuentry ‘openSUSE 13.1, with Linux 3.11.6-3-desktop (recovery mode)’ --class ‘opensuse-13-1’ --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option ‘gnulinux-3.11.6-3-desktop-recovery-d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e’ {
load_video
set gfxpayload=keep
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root=‘hd0,msdos2’
if x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos2 --hint=‘hd0,msdos2’ d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e
fi
echo ‘Loading Linux 3.11.6-3-desktop …’
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.11.6-3-desktop root=UUID=d0f66356-b69f-4f80-af24-b1a263a2b56e showopts apm=off noresume edd=off powersaved=off nohz=off highres=off processor.max_cstate=1 nomodeset x11failsafe
echo ‘Loading initial ramdisk …’
initrd /boot/initrd-3.11.6-3-desktop
}
}
SNIPPED SOME GRUB COMMENTS:

BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober

menuentry ‘Microsoft Windows XP Professional (on /dev/sda1)’ --class windows --class os $menuentry_id_option ‘osprober-chain-AECC906BCC902F97’ {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ntfs
set root=‘hd0,msdos1’
if x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1 --hint=‘hd0,msdos1’ AECC906BCC902F97
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root AECC906BCC902F97
fi
drivemap -s (hd0) ${root}
chainloader +1
}

END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober

BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom

BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom

if -f ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif -z “${config_directory}” -a -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi

END /etc/grub.d/41_custom

BEGIN /etc/grub.d/90_persistent

END /etc/grub.d/90_persistent

SNIPPED




I have access to, and can boot from, PartitionMagic, openSuse DVD, MSWinXP Install CD, and can of course burn other .iso to USB if needed.

I would usually go ahead and hack about myself, but I do not want to lose that XP install, I hardly ever use it, but it has a lot of accounts and applications installed which would be a PITA to re-install. Any advice and tips welcome, and I will happily provide any other info need. Thanks Folks!

chucktr · December 1, 2013, 2:11pm

Hello wakou,

We feel for you. Have been in your situation to many times!! However, we are little cornfused. You mention that Windows is on /dev/sda and that Grub2 is on /dev/sdb. Thought that the MBR on /dev/sda was the only one affected. Do you have the OS’s installed on two different drives?? We would like to both… be of assistance -and- learn.

On our System we too have Windows XP and openSuSE… -but- on the same drive, just different Partitions. Our second drive is used just for data. -But- even with our differences, do believe that Windows ‘always’ looks on the first drive -and- the first drive only. So, IF there is nothing at all concerning Grub2 and openSuSE on the sda MBR then we could believe that would be a problem.

Now then, there is a ‘Free’ program that possibly could be of a big help to you. It is called SuperGrub and can be found at:
Super Grub Disk
Can’t give you a lot of instructions on it cause we really don’t know what we are doing most of the time. We just do it. However, IF you grab a copy and create a bootable disk we are fairly sure that you will be able to figure it out. Believe there is some documentation on the site. We have used it to rescue our system a number of times. Cause like you… it is a PITA to reload all that stuff. -And- we usually for get something … till it is needed!!

Take care and good luck,
Chuck

wakou · December 1, 2013, 2:28pm

Thanks Chuck.

I actually wrote:

The reference in the bootinfo output to grub legacy on SDB is just an old hangover, and does not , I am sure concern us here or affect anything:

For clarity:

Windows XP install on sda1

opensuse 13.1 on sda2, GRUB2 is here as well.

sdb3 is actually only a storage disk, it had an old install on it. it does not have any relevance here!

chucktr · December 1, 2013, 7:51pm

wakou,

ok, You might still take a look at SuperGrub. You can learn a few things from it. You don’t have to use it. You can run it and then just exit. Just a suggestion.

Take care,
Chuck

wakou · December 2, 2013, 2:38pm

I have booted to superGrub2, it has the same result, ie horizontal flashing ‘cursor’ on a blank screen

Fraser_Bell · December 2, 2013, 9:07pm

There are probably other ways to fix this, but here is what I would do, and have done, and it will work:

Boot again with your MSWinXP install CD, but this time do a full WinXP install (to the same place it currently is located). This won’t hurt anything in XP, and in fact might even fix a few small things in there. All your XP environment, software, and other additions will remain, you won’t lose anything.

Once you have done that, XP will boot, and it will do it’s own repairs to make sure it runs when you shut down after the install.

This will get your XP back without losing the other items, although you probably won’t be able to boot the SUSE you have installed.

But, that can easily be fixed afterwards.

Get this part done, and when your XP is working again, come back here & let me know. I will tell you what to do next.

-fb

knurpht · December 2, 2013, 9:29pm

Have you tried Yast - System - Bootloader to rewrite the bootloader?

Gps2010 · December 3, 2013, 2:08am

You could also try, to hit the F8 key right, after you selected windows.
At my pc, I need to be really fast, to do so, but it should boot windows in save mode.

Fraser_Bell · December 3, 2013, 2:45am

After you have redone XP the way I suggested earlier, here are my humble recommendations:

Launch your GParted and set the OpenSUSE Linux root partition ("/") as the “Active” or “Boot” partition.

Use the SUSE live DVD or CD to re-install GRUB2, but when it comes to the part where you choose what partition to write it to, write it to the Linux boot partition ONLY, not to the MBR.

The reason for this is that, in certain circumstances (such as when it runs “Startup Repair” or similar MS apps, and even PC manufacturer Recovery apps), Windows will re-write the MBR with what Microsoft wants in it, thus blowing out any GRUB bootloader in the MBR.

With Linux boot partition set as “Active” or “Boot”, the MBR will send the boot process there and the bootloader installed in that partition will take over the rest.

When you set up GRUB2, you want one of your menu entries to chainload the Windows XP install.

Since I see that Knurpht has stepped in here, I suggest you let him give you the steps for re-installing the GRUB2 as I have suggested, since I believe he can describe it much better than I can.

Good luck, and happy SUSE-ing.

-fb