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GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

juliasdream
Grafter
Posts: 260
Registered: ‎09-06-2007

GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

All was fine with my system until I decided to give Ubuntu a try
I ran the CD Rom and installed Ubuntu onto a 4gb pen drive
after the install came the instructions to remove the CD Rom and press Enter
On Reboot I got the following:
GRUB loading stage 1.5.
GRUB loading, please wait
Error 21
I.m normally running Vista Home Premium with a quad core processor and 4gb Ram
I''ve been searching linux forums for solutions and saw possible solutions but they are not so easy o follow
A couple say to open a terminal and type in a code but I dont understand what is meant by opening a terminal. I cant get anywhere beyond the error message
Another says to make some changes to the CMOS but I cant get the option to enter the BIOS
I'm well and truly stuck
Can anyone please offer me a solution in plain English to work around this problem?
I am more concerned to get Windows back to normal than I am to try Linux
Thanks
26 REPLIES 26
nozzer
Hero
Posts: 3,298
Thanks: 676
Fixes: 3
Registered: ‎04-08-2009

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

Some more links in this thread, and look at the last entry in the thread...
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=62717
MisterW
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 14,572
Thanks: 5,408
Fixes: 385
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

Does it still boot Vista without the PenDrive plugged in ?

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

juliasdream
Grafter
Posts: 260
Registered: ‎09-06-2007

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

Quote from: nozzer
Some more links in this thread, and look at the last entry in the thread...
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=62717


Thanks for that. I tried it in various ways but without success.
I wasnt sure how I should burn the disc
There were 3 mirror links which were ok so I got the download ok but the two other links I needed were dead links
The links were to instructions which I needed
How do I burn Super Grub Disk Cdrom
How do I boot Super Grub Disk Cdrom
Without those instructions I am still stuck
In answer to MisterW
With the pendrive in or out I get the same error message. So I still cant get into Vista at all
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

Have you tried booting from the Vista DVD
MisterW
Superuser
Superuser
Posts: 14,572
Thanks: 5,408
Fixes: 385
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

Quote
With the pendrive in or out I get the same error message. So I still cant get into Vista at all

It looks like you asked the install to put grub on the hard disc during the Ubuntu Install than than on the USB pen drive and now its getting confused as to where it's menu.lst is due to Grub's drive numbering being different to the bios order.
I suspect the best thing to do is get the Vista bootstrap back on the hard disc using the recovery disc and bootrec.exe I think. I'm no Vista expert but  OldJim's probably your man there , he's a bit of a Vista guru ( I hope! ).
Once you've got that back then if you still want to use Ubuntu on the pen drive then we can try putting grub onto the pen drive, but that's another story.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
Thanks: 787
Fixes: 63
Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

Not guilty.
However booting from the Vista DVD should give a startup repair option
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/194765-system-recovery-options.html
MikeTheBike
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎03-09-2009

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

Hi, this is my first posting and I am a newbie to LinuxMint but I have experienced your problem, but not with a pendrive.
With your Pen Drive plugged in, boot up using your Ubuntu Install CD.
Somewhere in the Ubuntu Menu you should find an option for Terminal. Click this option and a new Terminal Window will open.
Now the commands that you referred to: Type the following commands coloured in blue.
sudo su    (not sure that you really need this when running from the CD)
grub   
find /boot/grub/stage1
this will report where the Grub Menu is installed in the form (hd0,4)
root (hd0,4)  enter whatever was previously reported as above
setup (0,4)    this will copy the grub menu to the boot sector of your hard disk.
quit
Exit from Ubuntu and remove the CD when prompted.
Reboot you computer and it should reboot to a Grub Menu offering to boot into Ununtu or Windows.
MikeTheBike
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎03-09-2009

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

Just spotted an error.
The command setup (0,4) should read setup (hd 0)
MikeTheBike
Newbie
Posts: 9
Registered: ‎03-09-2009

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

I made a bit of a mess of my previous posting so I will repost. I run a Dual Booting system with Windows XP and LinuxMint and a Grub Front Menu.
Today I removed the Grub Menu so that the system booted straight to Windows XP then I reinstalled the Grub Menu so that I could chose between booting to either Windows XP or LinuxMint.
To Remove the Grub Menu:
I booted the System using a Windows 98 Startup Floppy Disk then used the command: FDISK  /MBR
This reset the Master Boot Record and the System booted straight to windows XP.
To Reinstall the Grub Menu to the Hard Disk:
Part of the task is to find the drive and partition in which Linux/Grub is installed. This is achieved by using the command FIND. It returns the Hard Disk number and Partition number in the format  (HD0,4). 0 being the Hard Disk number and 4 being the partition number.
So off we go:
Boot the System using the Linux Live (install) CD. When Linux is active select the Terminal command from the Menu. This will open a Terminal window. Now type:
sudo su
grub
find /boot/grub/stage1              take note of what the find command returns and enter it in the following line
root (hd0,4)                                  (hd0,4) was for my system yours will be different
setup (hd0)
quit
Exit Linux, remove the CD when prompted the Reboot the System. The Grub Menu should appear offering a chose of Windows or Linux.
Not applicable

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

All fixed yet? If not, I have done this a few times before uninstalling Linux.
It is as oldjim's link i.e. start up with recovery disk in computer and select repair.
In recovery options select command prompt and type into the box  Bootrec.exe Enter then  /FixMbr  Enter and that's it.
juliasdream
Grafter
Posts: 260
Registered: ‎09-06-2007

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

I put in the vista disk supplied by Medion and tried both Repair ans System Restore
Neither worked
I called Medion Support and they said to use the  supplied Application and support CD which meant a complete system recovery back to the original factory settings
I took out the HD and backed up my data and put it back in and ran the recovery disc
I'm still getting the same problem
Since I'm using Vista and it doesnt have a floppy I think that I'm not able to use Mike's method to reset the master boot  record
juliasdream
Grafter
Posts: 260
Registered: ‎09-06-2007

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

one more thing
I'm going to try again with this supergrubdisk thing
I downloaded the file called sgd_CDRom_1.2.iso.gz from supergrubdisk.org
I understand that iso files cant be burnt in the usual way and so the problem I now have is how to do it
supergrubdisk.org have 2 links to instructions
How do I burn Super Grub Disk Cdrom
and
How do I boot Super Grub Disk Cdrom
The problem is that neither of them work, they are dead l
Not applicable

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

Sorry you have had no luck. I had a bit of trouble once - it was to do with the command prompt sequence.
I have googled it again and here is the method I recall:
Type Bootrec.exe /FixMbr, and then press ENTER.
Note the space between .exe and /FixMbr.
I apologise for previous posting but my memory is not so good as it was. I do recall that the instructions on the Microsoft site didn't work for me, but this did IIRC.
VileReynard
Hero
Posts: 12,616
Thanks: 582
Fixes: 20
Registered: ‎01-09-2007

Re: GRUB Error 21 and locked out of Windows

If you want to burn .iso files (not .iso.gz) https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto covers quite a few possibilities - Linux/Mac/Windows.

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