7 replies to this topic

[goodmorningrobot]

Hello, everyone!
Apologies in advance, this seems to have turned into a long post.

As you can probably see by somewhere near my name, I'm new to this forum, or computer help forums in general. (At least, I'm not used to posting)
I *hope* my issue belongs in this forum, because I'm just not so sure.
Since it might be asked;
I'm using an ASUS G53SW laptop, Windows 7 (64 bit), and I don't know what else to put. If you need more info, just ask.


Now, a prologue to help explain:

I go to College, and I'm in a Computer Science class. In this class we were given flash drives from which we could boot Ubuntu (via f12, select boot from usb, etc etc.)
Well, this semester, I was on Ubuntu via my flash drive, and oh boy did I hate the resolution. I noticed plenty of updates were available, and I decided to say "What the heck." and installed them.
Probably a bad move, considering I didn't look at them at all.
I go about my business and boot down my computer, only to boot it up an hour or so later, with the intention of NOT holding down my function key and NOT going to my flash drive (it isn't even in).


The issue:
Now, whenever I boot my machine, I get an error. Something along the lines of "error: no such device <numbernumbernumbernumbernumber etc.> grub rescue". Well, bummer!
When I have my flash drive in, it will automatically go to a black page (after the Asus "splash" screen (if that is what I think it is)) with its box of :
Ubuntu numbernumber.number generic
Ubuntu numbernumber.number safe mode
etc
etc
etc
etc
windows vista loader
windows 7 loader.

Now. When I go to windows 7 loader, I load my windows just fine, and it's almost like nothing ever happened; I have my programs, my happiness, etc.
The deal is, though, that I obviously don't want to have to have this USB drive on hand EVERY single time I need to boot my computer; you see? I'd also just like to get rid of whatever is causing that error message at the front. AKA, I don't want a workaround if there is one, I want that scary stuff gone.


My requests for solutions:
Surely someone out there knows a way to get rid of this message, and if that's the case, please respond.

But what I'd LOVE to do is do a Factory Install. (If it would even help.)
I THINK i have a CD still, but it is back at my permanent residence, not college with me. If need be, I can go home this weekend to use it, it is only about an hour and a half away.
But would like to get this done as soon as possible and not have to go back this weekend.

That said, I do know that I have a recovery partition, but from what I can tell, the way to access it is pressing F9 during startup; However, that's not working for me. I'm going straight to the grub error instead of anything else. Is there a way to access this from within windows itself? I don't know, maybe double-clicking "restart my stuff" or some kind of restore.exe from the command line?

Oh! And on that note, I HAVE done System Restore. I restored to two days ago, before I installed any of this rubbish.

And now, for the sake of clarification; would a factory restore even help?
I don't know near enough about computers to even be comfortable saying this, but I have this fear of the way data is handled acting like this:
Programs
^
Operating System
^
Hard Drive
^
Unchangeable level with BIOS and whatnot and my dreadful Grub Error.



Again, if there's a way for me to access my factory restore AND it would clear my issue here, then that is just what I want to do.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this. Thank you!

-Craig

[BeeCeeBee]

Just so we are sure before we get into this, you are aware that a full factory restore will delete all you existing data. I mean everything. Unless there is nothing of value to you and you just want to start over I suggest you do some backing up to an external media before you attempt a factory install.

In windows 7 you can generally reach it by tapping F8 and when the advanced boot options appear you can select Repair Your Computer. That will give you the various options.

[KenB]

Hi and welcome to CHF

Thank you for a very detailed post

I don't think you need to revert to factory settings.

I suspect your problem lies in the BIOS.
Take a look there ( It will probably be the DEL or F2 key .......tap about once per second after switching on )
Look for the Boot Order / Boot Sequence or similar.

Put your Hard Disk Drive ( HDD ) as the first boot device.
You will get a prompt on screen how to move it up the list [ usually + / - keys ]

If you do alter the position Save and Exit ( usually F10 )

Failing that It could be that the MBR has been altered somehow when you were using Ubuntu.
Using BeeCeeBee's "Repair your Computer" there should be an option to "Startup Repair"

[goodmorningrobot]

Hey yalls. Thanks for responding!
Well,
I have looked in BIOS and I only have two boot options:
PO: WDC WD6400PVT ...
P2: Slimtype BD E ....

I have tried booting from both of them, and swapping the order, and nothing seems to work, there. I still get this error message.
I spoke with a professor here and he mentioned that in my update installation I may have installed GRUB to the computer, and he described it as basically Grub took over my windows 7 bootloader and that I need it back.

That said, I do still want to do a factory restore. I really truly use this to play games on, and everything I own (with the exception of a few disc-based games) is available through Steam or other game-library clients.

But, f8 does not work.
I have tried every function button, and this is what I've got:
Esc: Boot options (the aforementioned options + this god-forsaken USB drive if it's in)
F1 : I don't remember, if anything
F2 : BIOS
F4: Something to do with flash?

and I actually think that's all I got. I probably should have written that down.

Okay, so in BIOS, I *do* see an option on the far right in a little box of "Press Esc to escape, press +/- to move up/down, etc." something that says:
F9: Optimized Defaults.

I wonder if that has anything to do with my factory restore.
Like I said, simply pressing f8 or f9 is not working.



ALSO,
Just to clarify, though, because this part of my question was not answered (not like I'm unsatisfied with my responses! :] )
Will a factory restore solve this problem?

Like I *think* i said, I do *think* i have a restore disk back home, and I can do this all this weekend. I don't REALLY have a problem booting from this flash drive for a day. (No classes on Fridays, would be able to go home tomorrow)


Thanks again for your help, and I look forward to seeing more!
-Craig

[BeeCeeBee]

Try "Enter" instead of F* ???

[goodmorningrobot]

BeeCeeBee,
Enter isn't working, either.
If there are any ways to do this from inside Windows itself?

Edited by goodmorningrobot, 01 Feb 2012 - 06:00 PM.

[DSTM]

Your Professor is right. Grub takes over Windows Boot loader and even repairing Windows you won't get the Windows Boot loader back.
Grub Boot loader will always override the Windows Boot loader.
That's what I have researched.
I think if you reinstalled Linux you wouldn't get that error.
I think your Grub Boot Loader is corrupted.
I am not a Linux expert.

[woodyblade]

I've had a similar problem as yourself in that I installed Linux and couldn't get rid of the Grub bootloader, even when I had uninstalled it from the HDD, I haven't done it in a while but I'm pretty sure I used the Windows OS disc to do a repair install, even though Windows wasn't damaged once you go through the process it rewrites the Windows bootloader onto the computer again.

Seeing as you can get in the BIOS set your CD/DVD drive to be the first boot device, insert your Windows OS disc (assuming you have one handy), boot into the disc, put in the USB if you have to just so you can get to the repair install options and follow through from there, hopefully that solves your problem.