Recovering Ubuntu After Installing Windows

Using the Ubuntu CD (Recommended)

• Insert your Ubuntu CD, reboot your computer and boot into a live session.

• Install and run Boot-Repair, select 'First Repair' and apply.

• Reboot without the CD. GRUB menu will appear and will propose both Ubuntu and Windows.

Using Boot-Repair-Disk

• Download Boot-Repair-Disk

• Burn it on a CD or put it on USB key via Unetbootin
• Insert the Boot-Repair-Disk and reboot the PC
• Choose 32 or 64bits

• Boot-Repair will automatically start. Select 'First Repair' and apply.

• Reboot without the CD. GRUB menu will appear and will propose both Ubuntu and Windows.

Using the Unofficial Rescatux

• Download Rescatux

• Burn the Rescatux ISO in a cdrom
• Make your PC boot from the cdrom
• At Boot screen
  • If your Ubuntu installation is not 64 bit (most probable) just press 'ENTER'
  • If your Ubuntu installation is 64 bit: Select 'Live 64 bit' option and press 'ENTER'
• Select 'GRUB' option and click on OK button
• Select 'Restore grub / Fix Linux Boot' option and click on OK button
• Select the partition where your Ubuntu is and click on OK button
• Select the hard disk where you want GRUB to be installed (usually the first one)
• Define hard disk order as the BIOS one
• 'Grub was installed OK' confirmation / GRUB was not installed error will appear

• Look for 'System' -> 'Shutdown' in the top tray in order to halt your machine

Using the Ubuntu Alternate CD

1. Enter your computers BIOS to check computer can boot from CD ROM. If you can boot from CD, insert CD ROM into drive. Exit the BIOS (if needed save your settings to make sure the computer boots from the CD ROM).

2. When the Ubuntu splash screen comes up with the boot: prompt, type in rescue and press enter.

3. Choose your language, location (country) and then keyboard layout as if you were doing a fresh install.
4. Enter a host name, or leave it with the default (Ubuntu).

5. At this stage you are presented with a screen where you can select which partition is your root partition (there is a list of the partitions on your hard drive, so you are required to know which partition number Ubuntu is on). This will be dev/discs/disc0/partX, where the X is a partition number.

6. You are then presented with a command prompt (a hash), type:

$ grub-install /dev/XXX

where XXX is the device of your Ubuntu install. (eg: grub-install /dev/sdb).