Recover Windows 7

If you have a tutorial or tip related to the UBCD, why not share it with other users here?

Moderators: Icecube, StopSpazzing

Post Reply
Message
Author
amdupont
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Sep 11, 2010 6:31 am

Recover Windows 7

#1 Post by amdupont » Sat Sep 11, 2010 7:00 am

Hello all,

I consider myself pretty good with computers but I recently really screwed up my new Acer Aspire AS3810T-8501. I shrunk the C: drive b y 30GB with the intention of creating a partition for a Ubuntu install. After unsuccessfully being able to install Ubuntu from a USB installer, I went ahead and installed Ubuntu to the newly created 30GB partition using Wubi. All worked great except I couldn't hibernate the newly installed Ubuntu. I shrunk the 30GB partition to 27GB as I wanted to create a linux-swap drive within the same 30GB thinking that this might solve the hibernate problem. After doing this I didn't even get the option to select Ubuntu at the initial dual boot menu, only Windows 7 which still worked great. I rebooted Ubuntu from USB drive and used the Disk Utility in Ubuntu to check mark "make bootable" the 30GB partition. After doing this all I get is "no operating system found". All the original files, including windows, I can browse to and manipulate just find with a boot from Ubuntu USB. I'm not sure what is screwed up but I believe it can be fixed. I have a perfectly working USB load of Ultimate BootCD but don't know where to start. If anyone has any idea of which tools which could be used to attempt a boot repair from the Ultimate BootCD USB I would be forever in debt and would be greatly appreciated.

Thank very much,

Andy

Icecube
Posts: 1278
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 2:52 pm
Contact:

Re: Recover Windows 7

#2 Post by Icecube » Sat Sep 11, 2010 11:31 am

Boot "Super GRUB2 disk" (included in UBCD):
http://www.supergrubdisk.org/

It should detect your Ubuntu install, so you can boot it.
Then from within your Ubuntu install you can reinstall grub2.

I am not familiar with wubi, so I don't know if it installs grub2 in the MBR or that it lauches grub2 from the Windows boot menu.

You can install grub2 in the MBR (+ hidden sectors) or in the partition boot sector (should keep the MBR untouched.

This will install grub2 in the MBR:

Code: Select all

$ sudo grub-install /dev/sda
This will install grub2 in the partition boot sector of the third primary partition (not sure if it is already supported in the grub2 version of Ubuntu) (first check if /dev/sda3 is your Ubuntu partition):

Code: Select all

$ sudo grub-install /dev/sda3
Then update the configuration file (grub.cfg):

Code: Select all

sudo update-grub
Download Ultimate Boot CD v5.0: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html
Use Parted Magic for handling all partitioning task: http://partedmagic.com/

Jaco
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2010 12:25 am

Re: Recover Windows 7

#3 Post by Jaco » Thu Nov 04, 2010 12:30 am

I hope you were able to fix it.

Next time just use a free virtualisation program like VirtualBox and leave your disk in one partition. It's much more flexible and much less risk.

StopSpazzing
Posts: 462
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:37 pm
Location: California, USA
Contact:

Re: Recover Windows 7

#4 Post by StopSpazzing » Sun Nov 07, 2010 9:36 pm

Jaco wrote:I hope you were able to fix it.

Next time just use a free virtualisation program like VirtualBox and leave your disk in one partition. It's much more flexible and much less risk.
Or make a hard copy of your drive before attempting to play around with it.
~Just StopSpazzing~

Visit the UBCD Wiki: http://wiki.ultimatebootcd.com
Please check your UBCD ISO MD5 Hash Sum; May prevent issues later on by not having an exact copy.

Currently Working on Common Issues and Repair Tips on the Wiki.

jaylach
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2010 3:15 pm

Re: Recover Windows 7

#5 Post by jaylach » Mon Nov 08, 2010 5:21 pm

StopSpazzing wrote:
Jaco wrote:I hope you were able to fix it.

Next time just use a free virtualisation program like VirtualBox and leave your disk in one partition. It's much more flexible and much less risk.
Or make a hard copy of your drive before attempting to play around with it.
Especially in Win 7. The built in image backup works very well.

StopSpazzing
Posts: 462
Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:37 pm
Location: California, USA
Contact:

Re: Recover Windows 7

#6 Post by StopSpazzing » Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:05 pm

jaylach wrote:
Especially in Win 7. The built in image backup works very well.
Exactly and considering its ease of use and being free...there really is no reason to not use it. :)
~Just StopSpazzing~

Visit the UBCD Wiki: http://wiki.ultimatebootcd.com
Please check your UBCD ISO MD5 Hash Sum; May prevent issues later on by not having an exact copy.

Currently Working on Common Issues and Repair Tips on the Wiki.

jaylach
Posts: 8
Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2010 3:15 pm

Re: Recover Windows 7

#7 Post by jaylach » Tue Nov 09, 2010 8:12 am

One of the biggest complaints I've heard about Win 7 image backup is that you can not do multiple images. This is just not true.

I don't really care for incremental backups, I prefer to have complete images in one lump. To do this you just partition your backup drive into as many partitions as you want images. Just rotate which partition you use for the image

Another nice thing about Win 7 images is that they are .vhd files which means you can mount them in a virtual machine. Nice if you need to just recover one file or folder.

Post Reply