boot ubuntu from HD

boot ubuntu from HD My Ubuntu won't boot from the hard drive

#1 tomperry12

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Posted 29 March 2009 - 01:04 PM

I am preparing a computer for a donation and in the process I wiped the entire hard drive by over writing it with a pattern. I then downloaded Ubuntu and burned a disc and used the disc to install Ubuntu on the old computer. Everything went fine and I was able to install some programs, load some data files, etc but when I removed the Ubuntu CD and tried to boot from the HD, it would not boot.

BTW the BIOS is set to boot from the HD first

Help
Tom

#2 Andrew

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Posted 29 March 2009 - 05:42 PM

Hi, tomperry12, welcome to BC! :thumbsup:

What, if any, error messages are displayed? Does Ubuntu start to boot (you see the Ubuntu Logo, or text flying by on the screen) or does it just power on and stay dead?

This post has been edited by Amazing Andrew: 29 March 2009 - 05:43 PM

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#3 tomperry12

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Posted 31 March 2009 - 07:55 AM

It goes thru the BIOS and tries to boot to the HD. When it has no luck, it switches to the CD. Since I have removed the CD it halts there

#4 Andrew

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Posted 31 March 2009 - 01:02 PM

Hmmm... it sounds like the BIOS isn't finding a MBR on the hard drive. Try following the steps here to restore GRUB and the MBR.

Let us know what happens.

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#5 tomperry12

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Posted 01 April 2009 - 03:51 PM

I followed all instructions
I started by booting from the CD and selecting the first option (run from CD and make no changes to computer)

* The find command returned hd0,0
* I entered root (hd0,0)
* I then entered setup (hd0)
* The screen showed that each of the steps in the setup process completed successfully
* I then entered quit to get out and restarted

The computer ejected the CD and asked me to remove it which I did then pressed enter

Sorry about last msg, the machine still will not boot from CD

#6 Andrew

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Posted 01 April 2009 - 04:03 PM

It won't boot the CD? :thumbsup:

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#7 tomperry12

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Posted 02 April 2009 - 09:08 AM

Sorry that's a misstype. It won't boot the HD

#8 rcmck

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Posted 08 May 2009 - 12:04 AM

This may be a really dumb question, but could you possibly be mistaking running the live CD as being the actual install process?

Nevermind didn't see that last post.

The commands you entered look like those used to install just grub. You need to either click the install icon on the desktop of the live CD or choose install from the beginning.

This post has been edited by rcmck: 08 May 2009 - 12:11 AM