# [SOLVED] ubuntu 11.10 unknown filesystem grub rescue



## james137 (Aug 11, 2009)

Hi all

I know why i have this problem but i can't fix it, im still on the learning curve with linux

I can boot into a ubuntu OS on usb, so i can fix the problem

I *repartition* my harddrive by strinking my windows partition by 2GB and *created a new partition* right next to it.

now ubuntu wont boot right and gives my an error saying: *unknown filesystem in grub rescue *

I know there should be an easy way to fix it, but i can't seem to find the answer.

(when giving me commands, the linux partition is dev/sda7 and the swap is sda8)


Thanks


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: ubuntu 11.10 unknown filesystem grub rescue*



james137 said:


> Hi all
> 
> I know why i have this problem but i can't fix it, im still on the learning curve with linux
> 
> ...



Hi James,
By shrinking and then creating a new partition your partitions will have all increased by +1, so what was sda7 is now sda8 etc.

First boot with the Ubuntu CD in live mode and post the output of:

sudo fdisk -l

If it shows 9 partitions, i.e. up to sda9 then an extra partition has been created. Ubuntu uses UUID naming so manually editing of /etc/fstab is required, however that is not the only problem. The kernel and initrd will also be looking at the wrong partitions and
Grub2 may also need modifying, this can be quite involved with grub2.
I'll wait to see fdisk -l first.


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## james137 (Aug 11, 2009)

*Re: ubuntu 11.10 unknown filesystem grub rescue*

i did sudo fdisk -l before and it was sda6 now sda7 (i'll take a pic of what it is now)

I should of just copied and paste into my pendrive...but i've already restarted


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: ubuntu 11.10 unknown filesystem grub rescue*

Hi James
Not sure if you're aware but the live CD will usually pick up your internet connection, so you can start firefox and post direct.

You have indeed altered all your partitions, the easy way is to re-install it only takes about 20 minutes to install Ubuntu.
What I can see is a slightly unusual partiting scheme you have a FAT32 on sda5, an NTFS on sda6, another FAT32 on sda9.

A single linux partition on sda7 and a linux /swap on sda8.

What I would do is backup any data you want to keep, then delete sda5 through to sda9.
You will still have sda1 and sda2 which you can read and write to from linux.

Then I would create new linux partitions, but this time create a separate / and separate /home partition and a linux /swap.
You could use sda5 as / size 10G, sda6 as /swap size 1G and the rest as /home.
If you do want to share between windows and linux then you could reserve some space and create a new ntfs or vfat on sda8. 
However as you can already write into windows partitions, I just write directly to windows.
Bear in mind also that ntfs and vfat are not the greatest filesystems. They will require constant defragging and are less secure and less reliable than journalled filesystems like ext3 and reiser.

To repair you have to rewrite /etc/fstab, move the linux kernel and initramfs and reinstall grub2. This is a big job and you prone to making lots of mistakes, its easier
to delete that partition scheme and start again.


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## james137 (Aug 11, 2009)

*Re: ubuntu 11.10 unknown filesystem grub rescue*

Thanks

What would be the best way to backup and restore the ubuntu programs/updates?


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## hal8000 (Dec 23, 2006)

*Re: ubuntu 11.10 unknown filesystem grub rescue*



james137 said:


> Thanks
> 
> What would be the best way to backup and restore the ubuntu programs/updates?


Hi James,
With linux, in general updates are released very frequently, sometimes even fortnightly.
Because of this, I would not bother making a backup.
Simply install from the Ubuntu CD, then run apt-get update and you will be able to install the latest updates. Any backups you had made quickly become obsolete.

The exception to this is to backup your own work and any configuration files that you altered, so for example if you created a new .xinitrc in your home folder, or any work in Libre Office, or if you installed a new icon scheme then back all these files up.
Hope that helps.


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## james137 (Aug 11, 2009)

*Re: ubuntu 11.10 unknown filesystem grub rescue*

i fixed it by using this boot-repair tool (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows) didn't need to reinstalled, working fine now.


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## receivet (Feb 1, 2013)

hello every1,

I have faced this problem many times so i decided to make the video article guiding on this ,

How It May Happen

If You Have Install Ubuntu Along With Windows. And You Mess Up With The Partition Or The Uninstall Ubuntu. Then Grub Will Also Uninstall And Windows Will Not Able To Boot Due To Damage Mbr
For Any system to boot into main memory , It require mbr (master boot record). When mbr is damage the system is damage the system is no longer able to load in operating system .And error of grub rescue is shown


Insert Windows 7 Installation or DVD win recovery disk, if you don’t have them you can use

Hiren’s boot cd download 592.5 mb and go to the repair menu










THen Click the Command Prompt and enter the command *bootrec /fixmbr*










and now Reboot computer..

source
How to Solve Grub Rescue Error with Fixmbr Command - RTT


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