Boot-Repair is a simple tool to repair frequent boot issues you may encounter in Ubuntu like when you can't boot Ubuntu after installing Windows or another Linux distribution, or when you can't boot Windows after installing Ubuntu, or when GRUB is not displayed anymore, some upgrade breaks GRUB, etc.

Boot-Repair lets you fix these issues with a simple click, which (generally reinstalls GRUB and) restores access to the operating systems you had installed before the issue.

Boot-Repair also has advanced options to back up table partitions, back up bootsectors, create a Boot-Info (to get help by email or forum), or change the default repair parameters: configure GRUB, add kernel options (acpi=off ...), purge GRUB, change the default OS, restore a Windows-compatible MBR, repair a broken filesystem, specify the disk where GRUB should be installed, etc.

Boot-Repair is a free software, licensed under GNU-GPL. Boot-Repair should be soon included in Ubuntu official repositories, until then use it at your own risk.

Getting Boot-Repair

1st option : get a disk including Boot-Repair

The easiest way to use Boot-Repair is to burn one of the following disks and boot on it.

• Boot-Repair-Disk is a disk starting Boot-Repair automatically.

• Boot-Repair is also included in Linux-Secure-Remix.

Remark : you can also install the ISO on a live-USB (eg via UnetBootin or LiliUSB or Universal USB Installer).

2nd option : install Boot-Repair in Ubuntu

- either from an Ubuntu live-session (boot your computer on a Ubuntu live-CD or live-USB then choose "Try Ubuntu") or from your installed Ubuntu session (if you can access it)

- connect to the Internet

- open a new Terminal, then type the following commands (press Enter after each line):

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
sudo sed 's/trusty/saucy/g' -i /etc/apt/sources.list.d/yannubuntu-ubuntu-boot-repair-trusty.list
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair && (boot-repair &)

Note: replace trusty with utopic if you are running 14.10.

Using Boot-Repair

Recommended repair

• launch Boot-Repair from either :
  • the Dash (the Ubuntu logo at the top-left of the screen)

  • or System->Administration->Boot-Repair menu (Ubuntu 10.04 only)

  • or by typing 'boot-repair' in a terminal

• Then click the "Recommended repair" button. When repair is finished, note the URL (paste.ubuntu.com/XXXXX) that appeared on a paper, then reboot and check if you recovered access to your OSs.

• If the repair did not succeed, indicate the URL to people who help you by email or forum.

Advanced options

Warning: the default settings are the ones used by the "Recommended Repair". Changing them may worsen your problem. Don't modify them before creating a BootInfo URL, and asking for advice on Ubuntu Forums Absolute Beginners Section or in Installation and Upgrades.

Manual boot repair

Boot repair may be required when updating Windows (e.g. Windows 8 to Windows 8.1). This is especially pertinent if the computer has been configured such that Windows/Ubuntu is selected by entering the bios and changing the boot mode between "secure boot"/UEFI and CMS respectively.

The "Recommended Repair" in the Boot-Repair tool may fail with an Ubuntu 14.04 LTS installation. It is therefore recommended to manually repair Grub. To manually repair grub, see the "Manually repair Grub" section below.

Manually repair Grub

To manually repair grub (To manually repair grub (http://howtoubuntu.org/how-to-repair-restore-reinstall-grub-2-with-a-ubuntu-live-cd / http://askubuntu.com/questions/88384/how-can-i-repair-grub-how-to-get-ubuntu-back-after-installing-windows );

• Insert Ubuntu installation media (e.g. Ubuntu 14.04 LTS 64 bit DVD)
• Ensure the bios boot order is set to read the media first (consult your motherboard/computer manual) and restart the computer
• Select Ubuntu Live/Try mode (do not install)
• Click on the purple Ubuntu search button - enter "gparted" and click on its icon
• Determine the name of your linux partition (/dev/sdXY) - you should be able to identify it by recognising its format (most likely ext4) and size (number of GB)
• Click on purple Ubuntu search button - enter "gnome-terminal" and click on its icon

• sudo mount /dev/sdXY /mnt (where sdXY has previously been identified using gparted)

• sudo mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev && sudo mount --bind /dev/pts /mnt/dev/pts && sudo mount --bind /proc /mnt/proc && sudo mount --bind /sys /mnt/sys

• sudo chroot /mnt

• sudo grub-install /dev/sdX [note this is sdX not sdXY!]

• grub-install --recheck /dev/sdX [this step shouldn't be required]

• update-grub

• exit

• sudo umount /mnt/sys && sudo umount /mnt/proc && sudo umount /mnt/dev/pts && sudo umount /mnt/dev && sudo umount /mnt

Manually repair failed Boot-Repair changes

In the event Boot-Repair has been run and has failed (e.g. by attempting to install unavailable packages "sudo apt-get install linux"), grub might have to be manually reinstalled. To manually reinstall grub;

• Insert Ubuntu installation media (e.g. Ubuntu 14.04 LTS 64 bit DVD)
• Ensure the bios boot order is set to read the media first (consult your motherboard/computer manual) and restart the computer
• Select Ubuntu Live/Try mode (do not install)
• Click on the purple Ubuntu search button - enter "gparted" and click on its icon
• Determine the name of your linux partition (/dev/sdXY) - you should be able to identify it by recognising its format (most likely ext4) and size (number of GB)
• Click on the purple Ubuntu search button - enter "gnome-terminal" and click on its icon

• sudo mount /dev/sdXY /mnt

• sudo mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev && sudo mount --bind /dev/pts /mnt/dev/pts && sudo mount --bind /proc /mnt/proc && sudo mount --bind /sys /mnt/sys

• sudo chroot /mnt

• Ensure internet connection is working by opening and running firefox

• activate internet for chroot; sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf /mnt/etc/resolv.conf

• sudo apt-get update

• sudo apt-get install grub2

• Follow "Manual boot repair" instructions above (starting from point 10; "sudo grub-install...")

External Links

• Official website of Boot-Repair

• Topic "Boot-repair: Graphical tool to repair the PC boot in 1 click !" - on Ubuntu forum, for any questions/comments.

• HOWTO : easily create a Boot-Info summary