Ubuntu Error 21

not sure on this one Ubuntu likes to be installed last after windows is set up. I would think that you would have to blow away the ubuntu partitions by resizing the partitions to one partion. But you would want to be extremely careful not to touch the hidden recovery partition. You could use a program called gparted to see what the partions are and resize the partion. Extreme caution is needed as if you get it wrong you will not be able to undo it. The problem you are experiencing is because the boot loader is ubuntu grub. You will need another computer to download a gparted iso file and then use infrarecorder to make a boot cd. it can be found at http://gparted.org/ see http://www.ehow.com/how_6540931_remove-ubuntu.html
see also https://help.ubuntu.com/community/OS-Uninstaller
not sure if it will work on version 14

Backup, Repairing and Reinstalling GRUB

• To make a backup a copy of the existing menu.lst file use: cp /boot/grub/menu.lst /boot/grub/menu.lst.oldYou can try re-installing the grub using the Ubuntu Live CD, in two different ways.

GUI

1. Boot your computer up with Ubuntu CD
2. Go through all the process until you reach "[!!!] Disk Partition"
3. Select Manual Partition
4. Mount your appropriate linux partions / /boot swap .....
   
5. DO NOT FORMAT THEM.
   
6. Finish the manual partition
7. Say "Yes" when it asks you to save the changes
8. It will give you errors saying that "the system couldn't install ....." after that
9. Ignore them, keep select "continue" until you get back to the Ubuntu installation menu
10. Jump to "Install Grub ...."
11. Once it is finished, just restart your computer

How to remove Ubuntu from a Vista dual-boot config

On my new PC I wanted (still want) to have toa go with Linux. I chose to experiment with Ubuntu. I downloaded thedesktop CD, burned it, freed up some disk space (inside Vista) andloaded up Ubuntu from the CD. After some experimenting I figured outhow to install Ubuntu in the empty disk space and it all worked fine(GRUB took over my booting (recognized Vista automatically!) and Ubuntuloaded up fine).

Then I tried to install my GPU drivers andeverything went wrong.. For some reason Ubuntu wouldn't boot anymore(failed to load X-Server or something). I was completely lost andwanted to remove Ubuntu.

This is where things start to get really messy!

Ifyou simply remove the Ubuntu partition, GRUB (Linux boot loader) willstill be on your PC (in control). It will trip out, as the Ubuntupartition will be removed.. Bad thing!

So you need to restore your Master Boot Record (MBR) for Vista (so that Vista will handle the booting, not GRUB).

Googleonly pointed me to sites that explained how to REMOVE VISTA, whichisn't what I wanted. Many sites talked about the 'fixmbr' command, butthis is really only available in Windows XP.

So how do you restore your MBR for Windows Vista?

1. Put the Windows Vista installation disc in the disc drive, and then start the computer.
2. Press a key when you are prompted.
3. Select a language, a time, a currency, a keyboard or an input method, and then click Next.
4. Click Repair your computer.
5. Click the operating system that you want to repair, and then click Next.
6. In the System Recovery Options dialog box, click Command Prompt.
7. Type Bootrec.exe /FixMbr, and then press ENTER.

That'sit. Now when you reboot your PC, Vista will load automatically... Youcan now safely boot using your Ubuntu desktop CD, to use the built inGnome Partition Manager to remove your Ubuntu partition!

Its GRand Unified Bootloader used in Linux OS.
Normally you get this error when GRUB is not able recognise the partition from which you are trying to boot the system. Make sure the boot partition on your system is recognisable by GRUB (such as EXT3).

You can try to restore the GRUB using the LIVE CD

1. Boot From Live CD
2. Open Terminal Window
3. type >sudo grub
4. then type : find /boot/grub/stage1
5. you'll get something like: (hd0, 1)
6. then type : >root (hd0, 1)
7. type: > setup (hd0)
8. >quit
9. >exit

Remove the Live CD and reboot the system.


Please let me know if you need any further assistance.


Thank you for choosing Fixya

Hello,
You should install Ubuntu from inside Windows with the wubi program. When you boot you will have Windows as the default boot option and Ubuntu as a second option. Choose the Ubuntu installation to reside on the external drive. You will connect the drive if you use Ubuntu.

If you do not do that, reinstall ubuntu on the external drive and choose to write the boot sector for GRUB or LILO on the external drive, not on the MBR of the primary drive.
Hope it helps.

- reboot with LiveCD
- in CMD run command fixmbr, fixboot
restart, load Windows XP.
OR in Unbuntu Grub write XP portition

Boot up from Installation CD/DVD and type 'linux rescue' at boot: prompt, This will drop you at 'shell' prompt.
execute this

chroot /mnt/sysimage
cd /boot/grub
less grub.conf
less device.map


post the contents of device.map and grub.conf files ( first title, root and kernel lines of grub.conf ).

You have to delete the ubuntu partition completely and recreate a new partition for the vista install. You can do this during the vista setup.

While in Ubuntu do:

sudo fdisk -l to find the drive you want to boot to.

On the command line type:
"sudo grub", this will give you the grub shell >

If the disk you want to install the MBR is sda* for instance, then type (at the grub prompt):
"setup (hd0)"

then type "quit" at the prompt.