# [SOLVED] Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare



## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

It's actually worse than I had initially thought. I went ahead and did the instillation for 14.04 LTS, having it replace 12.04 LTS, since I felt I was ready to officially try it. The instillation seemed to go alright until the reboot and I ran into a GRUB rescue screen.
> error: no such device
grub rescue>
(yea, that's what it said, no numbers or letters)

Since I didn't want to waste time with 14.04, I reinstalled 12.04. That simply made things worse, as I ran into the whole "grub can't be put here" problem.

/dev/sdb1 is not an HFS+ partition: exiting

As a result, the only way I can access stuff is through the live CD.

The Windows HD is still set as the boot drive, and everything worked perfectly fine with 12 until I jumped to 14. :facepalm:

Even more interesting is, in the instillation window (when you select "do something else") 1.5TB HDs are sda and sdc, The windows HD is sdb and Linux is sdd (as it should be). When viewed from the live CD, it's flipped (Linix is sda, 1.5TB is sdb, Windows is sdc, other 1.5TB is sdd).

[email protected]:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488397168 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
Disk identifier: 0xc935c935

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 2048 58710015 29353984 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda2 58712062 488396799 214842369 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 58712064 101677055 21482496 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 101679104 488396799 193358848 83 Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 1500.3 GB, 1500301910016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 182401 cylinders, total 2930277168 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
Disk identifier: 0x7ee2b77a

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 63 2930272064 1465136001 6 FAT16

Disk /dev/sdc: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 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
Disk identifier: 0x07d607d6

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 * 63 738636569 369318253+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdc2 738636631 1953520064 607441717 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sdc5 738636633 958727069 110045218+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdc6 958727133 1245214214 143243541 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdc7 1245214720 1431283711 93034496 6 FAT16
/dev/sdc8 1431285760 1634037759 101376000 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Disk /dev/sdd: 1500.3 GB, 15003019100
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 182401 cylinders, total 2930277168 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
Disk identifier: 0x7ee2b775

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdd1 63 2930272064 1465136001 6 FAT16
[email protected]:~$ 
(note: sdb has the boot * because I thought the windows HD was still sdb, not sdc.)

I'm going to be talking through either live linux (12.04 or 14.04 depending on what we need) or the Mac laptop I have (thank goodness I got that). I am so lost on this one.


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*

When you installed 14.04 which drive was grub installed on sda, sdb, sdc or sddd ?

Also which drive do you normally boot from?

Chances are that grub has been installed to sdb or a different drive.

Depending on your BIOS you can temporarily switch boot order by pressing F12 then select a different drive to boot from. Failing that there is an option in the BIOS.

I have two hard drives sda and sdb. I boot from sdb using Burg, but when I installed ubuntu 14.04 it installed to sda (always gives options to change boot drive anyway).

If I boot from sda its grub2 with Ubuntu 14.04 and if I boot from sdb (my default choice) I get grub.

Before you do anything go through and boot from each drive in turn, sda, sdb, sdc, sdd to see if grub has been installed.


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*

OK, since I didn't know the order in terms of the BIOS:

1st 1.5GB= nothing
2nd 1.5GB=Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key_
3rd (Samsung/Linux)=
GNU Grub version 1.99-21ubuntu3.10

Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. For the first word, TAB lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or file completions.

GRUB> _

4th (West dig/Windows)=
error: no such device: f0f8a14c-9123-4d46-8601-fa8653c76966
grub rescue> _


That's what we get with each drive.


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*

OK...so I'm not COMPLETELY dead now, but I'm still in trouble. I tried boot-repair and I can get back into Ubuntu and Win 7, but...again...we hit the problem with "older versions of windows. The whole "NTDETECT failed" thing (aka, can't get into XP and such).

Ubuntu Pastebin

That's the record for the boot-repair.

EDIT: Also, the disks seem to have fixed themselves

[email protected]:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 1500.3 GB, 1500301910016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 182401 cylinders, total 2930277168 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
Disk identifier: 0x7ee2b77a

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 2930272064 1465136001 6 FAT16

Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 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
Disk identifier: 0x07d607d6

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 63 738636569 369318253+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb2 738636631 1953520064 607441717 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sdb5 738636633 958727069 110045218+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb6 958727133 1245214214 143243541 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb7 1245214720 1431283711 93034496 6 FAT16
/dev/sdb8 1431285760 1634037759 101376000 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Disk /dev/sdc: 1500.3 GB, 1500301910016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 182401 cylinders, total 2930277168 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
Disk identifier: 0x7ee2b775

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdc1 63 2930272064 1465136001 6 FAT16

Disk /dev/sdd: 250.1 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488397168 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
Disk identifier: 0xc935c935

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdd1 2048 58710015 29353984 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdd2 58712062 488396799 214842369 5 Extended
/dev/sdd5 * 58712064 101677055 21482496 83 Linux
/dev/sdd6 101679104 488396799 193358848 83 Linux
[email protected]:~$

So...yea...We're booting from the samsung (linux), not the WD (windows) HD. If I remember correctly, I have to boot from the Windows HD in order to access everything. So, how do we get this straightened out?

And to think...part of this branched from being unable to play video dvds on Ubuntu.:banghead:


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*

It should be just a matter of installing grub to correct drive, I need you to post this command

sudo hdparm -i /dev/sda | head -n 4

sudo hdparm -i /dev/sdb | head -n 4

sudo hdparm -i /dev/sdc | head -n 4

sudo hdparm -i /dev/sdd | head -n 4


It will identify Drive make and model for example my western digital is identified as
WD500 in string below

/dev/sda:

Model=WDC WD5001AALS-00J7B0, FwRev=05.00K05, SerialNo=WD-WMATV7661868


To reinstall grub boot into Ubuntu then run

sudo grub-install /dev/sdb

sudo update-grub

But you *must *replace sdb with *correct drive*

When you installed Ubuntu 14.04 you have installed grub to a different drive which has left grub bootloader from 12.04 installed on a different drive. NTDETECT fails because its
trying to load windows from the wrong drive.


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*

OK, went into BIOS to double-check. It's booting from the Western Digital (windows) hard drive, so GRUB seems to be installed on the correct drive.

/dev/sda:

Model=ST31500341AS, FwRev=CC1H, SerialNo=9VS1ZTLT

/dev/sdb:

Model=WDC WD1001FALS-00J7B1, FwRev=05.00K05, SerialNo=WD-WMATV3780789

/dev/sdc:

Model=ST31500341AS, FwRev=CC1H, SerialNo=9VS1W0FE

/dev/sdd:

Model=SAMSUNG SP2504C, FwRev=VT100-38, SerialNo=S09QJ1MYC11612

Alright so it is still sdb...

The instillation went ok...so...

YES...success:smile:


:ermm:But this doesn't make any sense. When I put 14.04 in, I selected to simply upgrade, not do a brand new instillation. Shouldn't GRUB have stayed in the same location (sdb) or did 14.04 install it on its own drive (sdd) instead?


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*



warriorjames said:


> Alright so it is still sdb...
> 
> The instillation went ok...so...
> 
> ...



Ok, is that solved now and all systems working?
Never done an upgrade as every file has to be replaced, patched or upgraded and takes 3x as long as a normal install. Yes it should find the correct drive where grub is located and install, but in your case something went wrong. Luckily you've been able to fix it now.


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*

Yea, but if I were to try and redo the 14.04 instillation, do you think I'll run into the same problem/situation again? This has me a little uneasy about doing the 12 to 14 move a second time.


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*

Grub will only install on the drive you tell it.
However if you choose default partitions it will install on the wrong drive and choose sda by default.
When you install slow down at the partition stage, choose "something different" and make sure you select sdb and can see all your NTFS partitions on that drive in the partitioner program and you will be ok.


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*

Alright, I'm going to leave this open because I'm going to try this again...slowed down. I'll let you know how things go, hal8000.


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*

BINGO!! You go into something else and sda is selected as the boot device, not sdb. So then...do all I have to do is change sda to sdb (not sdb1, which is the windows loader) and click "Install now", or do I also do stuff to sdd5 (root) and/or sdd6 (home)? I want to get this right on try #2.


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*



warriorjames said:


> BINGO!! You go into something else and sda is selected as the boot device, not sdb. So then...do all I have to do is change sda to sdb (not sdb1, which is the windows loader) and click "Install now", or do I also do stuff to sdd5 (root) and/or sdd6 (home)? I want to get this right on try #2.



When you choose something else, make sure that the partions you choose for / and /home are your previous Ubuntu 12.04 root and home partitions, swap should be detected automatically.
So you may need to check box for sdd5 / and sdd6 /home and tick the box to make sure they are formatted.
Grub is installed to the MBR so in this case, its sdb which is the whole drive and not a partition.
Then you click install now and installation will proceed.
The more times you install, the easier it is.


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*

Device for boot loader instillation is changed to /dev/sdb/, and I used "edit partition" to get sdd5 and sdd6 to be recognized as / and /home respectively. Chose format to make sure I was right. It did see swap. It's in the process of doing the instillation right now. Will post with results.


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## warriorjames (Jan 14, 2012)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*

YES!! And the grub that comes with it (2.02 beta I believe it is) can see everything!!

OK, so you install grub on the part of the hard drive that DOES NOT have a number.


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: Ubuntu 14.04 nightmare*



warriorjames said:


> OK, so you install grub on the part of the hard drive that DOES NOT have a number.


Yes, any numer follwing a drive designation is a partition, so for example, sdb1 is the first partition on the second hard drive drive and sdd5 is the fifth partition (or 1st logical partition)
on the fourth hard drive.
sdb is the whole hard drive, but the grub bootloader ONLY writes the first 446 bytes so installs to the MBR.


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