Can't choose the OS at startup

17,448

Solution 1

Try to show the Grub menu

Hold down the Shift key as the computer attempts to boot to display the GRUB 2 menu. In certain circumstances, if holding the Shift key method does not display the menu pressing the Esc key repeatedly may display the menu.

If that doesn't work, then using Boot Repair to reinstall and fix Grub.

Boot Repair

Repair the bootloader

To restore the Grub bootloader, follow these steps.

Open a terminal, and run the following commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair
boot-repair

After a few seconds, Boot Repair's main window will open.

Click on Recommended repair.

You're done!

Reboot to test everything out.

If everything went well, you should be up and running by now.

Solution 2

Boot a live cd
Mount the partition where you want to install GRUB, likely it's the partition where Ubuntu is installed

open a terminal and run this command

sudo grub-install /dev/sdX --root-directory=/where/ubuntu/is/mounted

choose the X and the right path according to your configuration.

You do not have to run

sudo update-grub

after grub-install just reboot.

17,448

anilkumar b

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

anilkumar b over 1 year
I tried to install Ubuntu. My system already has Windows 7. I would like to keep the existing Windows installation. After installation of Ubuntu I restarted the PC, but there is no boot menu. As per the opinion of the Linux team the following commands were used.
```
sudo grub-install /dev/sda
sudo update-grub
```
The command executed correctly, but there is still no boot menu. What do I have to do?

Please help me.
- SirCharlo almost 12 years
  
  I've edited your post to remove the caps.. Please check before posting if your Caps Lock is on.. ;)
- Lilian A. Moraru almost 12 years
  
  @SirCharlo I still see it in all caps...
- SirCharlo almost 12 years
  
  Commented before actually editing :P
- SirCharlo almost 12 years
  
  WELL READING SOMETHING IN ALL CAPS IS USUALLY QUITE ANNOYING, SO TO HELP YOU GET MORE HELP I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO DO SO!!!!
- anilkumar b almost 12 years
  
  can you help me through any remote desktop management software
- SirCharlo almost 12 years
  
  About your problem, did your wipe your hard drive, or did you choose the option to keep the existing Windows installation when you installed Ubuntu?
- user68186 almost 12 years
  
  Please provide more details about the installation. Did you install Ubuntu along side Windows, or did you replace Windows during installation? If you have replaced Windows by mistake, and Ubuntu is the only operating system, grub menu does not display. @SirCharlo said it before me. The last comment makes me believe that this may be 4 existing primary partition issue, rather than grub issue.
- Admin almost 12 years
  
  how did you set up your harddisk(s)? Are you using different ones for ubuntu and windows?
- anilkumar b almost 12 years
  
  nstall Ubuntu along side Windows,during installation the option was install ubuntu inside windows. now my pc have windows7, i like to keep it
- nanofarad over 11 years
  
  Please ask a new question about the remote management software.
anilkumar b almost 12 years

what you mean by"Mount the partition where you want to install GRUB," i have no experience in ubuntu
anilkumar b almost 12 years

i tried it but no result, there is no boot repair window opened
anilkumar b almost 12 years

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair boot-repair ////////// no result