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I have an HP Pavilion dv 9543 cl. I decided that I wanted to update Win Vista to Win 8 several years ago, but did not know how to remove grub 2, so I naively decided to simply remove the Ubuntu partition and assumed I would be able to recover function of the Master Boot function. My shortsighted approach has left my laptop in limbo. When I attempt to start my computer it says:

error: no such partition
Entering rescue mode....
grub rescue>

I have tried the suggestion here, however I am unable to enter the following command:

grub rescue > ls
(hd0) (hd0,msdos5) (hd0,msdos3) (hd0,msdos2) (hd0,msdos1) (hd1) (hd1,msdos1)
grub rescue > ls (hd0,msdos1) # try to recognize which partition is this
grub rescue > ls (hd0,msdos2) # let's assume this is the linux partition
grub rescue > set root=(hd0,msdos2)
grub rescue > set prefix=(hd0,msdos2)/boot/grub # or wherever grub is installed
grub rescue > insmod normal # if this produced an error, reset root and prefix to something else ..
grub rescue > normal

One question is where does the grub 2 remnant, which is interfering with the recovery of the original Disk 0 and 1 assignments, reside? Is it feasible to search and delete that code? Is there an alternative approach such as physical removal of the second hard drive (Disk 1 which became Disk 0)? Should the CMOS on the motherboard be replaced?

wjandrea
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Bill W
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1 Answers1

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You have deleted the Ubuntu partition, but the computer is still booting Grub, which cannot find the necessary boot files on the partition. You should change the boot options so that it boots Windows. Here's how:

  1. Access your BIOS. This is sometimes done by tapping F12, F10, or ESC during boot. Look up instructions for your computer model if you're not sure.

  2. Change the boot priority so that the Windows Boot Manager is at the top and Ubuntu at the bottom. Or just entirely remove Ubuntu as a boot option.

    • If the Windows Boot Manager is not present, and if I remember right, you will need a Windows repair/install disk to reinstall it, but ask over at a Windows support forum like SuperUser to be sure.

The computer should then boot Windows as it did before you installed Ubuntu.

Then once you can boot Windows you can remove all the traces of Ubuntu. See here for instructions.

Community
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wjandrea
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