Wrote grub on wrong partition, cannot read bootabe CD-ROMS

[briansmith]

I just installed Ubuntu 7.10 from the alternate installation CD. Near the end, it asked me where to write the grub boot sector. I mistakenly chose (hda1,1), which is the service partition. Furthermore, while partitioning, I set the Linux partition as the boot partition.

I then suffered the following ill effects:
1. Windows refused to boot: "Error loading operating system."
2. Pressing the ThinkVantage button starts grub, from which I can start Linux (only).
3. I can no longer boot from my DVD drive, using a CD or a DVD.
4. Any CD-ROM or DVD that is bootable shows up as a blank CD-R, in both Windows and Linux. However, non-bootable discs are perfectly readable.
5. I can no longer run RR from the hard drive (I can run it from a USB HDD though).
6. The DVD drive shows up as a bootable device in the BIOS. But, there is also another, non-bootable ATA CD-ROM device that shows up in the BIOS now. I cannot move it from the unbootable section to the bootable section.

Using GParted, I was able to set the boot partition back to the first partition, so that Windows now boots. But, pressing the ThinkVantage key results in a menu (from memory: access BIOS, choose a different boot device, and rescue and recovery). When I choose the rescue and recovery option, Windows starts up, just like it does if I don't do anything. If I switch make the Linux partition the boot partition, then choosing the rescue and recovery option starts grub.

My goal is to restore the Thinkvantage RnR functionality, and restore the ability to read and boot from bootable CDs and DVDs.

I believe all my problems would be solved if I could restore the boot sector of the predesktop image. Or, if I could somehow run a "restore to factory defaults," then I would be willing to sit through that and then restore from my daily backups. I can run RnR from a bootable USB hard drive, but that doesn't give me the "restore to factory defaults." I have a set of Lenovo-issued recovery CDs, but I cannot boot from them. I have the Predesktop area otherwise intact on the primary hard drive, but I cannot reach it from F11 or the Thinkvantage button.

Any suggestions?

[briansmith]

It seems either the laser is going bad, or the DVD drive was in some kind of bad state (possibly due to switching between compatibility mode and AHCI mode and/or hard resetting the system). I burned a (bootable) CD using Sonic, and afterwards the drive was magically able to read and boot from CDs again. I think that bootable vs. non-bootable was not the issue; I think it was in a "can read DVDs but not CDs" state that seems to be common with DVD drives.

So, now my only problem is restoring the boot sector on the service partition.

[ryengineer]

snip...So, now my only problem is restoring the boot sector on the service partition.

Rescue and Recovery - Recovery repair diskette.

You'll need a floppy disk drive. The package is coded for to be used with a FDD and I don't know how to make it work through another device like bootable CD or USB, this is the question I receive in pm after mentioning it so I thought it would be good to admit before someone asks it again.