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From: Carl on 4 May 2010 18:34
Here, for anyone coming upon this thread and following it to the end,
is a summary of the above exchanges.

This might help someone step by step to resolve their GRUB issues.

Carl H.

If anyone sees any errors in this sequence, please note them and i
will correct this.

**************

I have a Samsung NC10 Netbook running Windows XP Home, SP3.

I set it up to dual boot with Ubuntu, so I could give Ubuntu a try.

After deciding that I did not want to keep Ubuntu, I did a search for
how to
remove the Ubuntu partition and found "How to use Disk Management
to configure basic disks in Windows XP" on the Microsoft site and
followed the
instructions there. When I then tried to boot my Netbook, I got this:

GRUB loading.
error: no such partition
grub rescue>

I Googled the GRUB problem, found lots of hits, but none seemed
particularly
promising so I posted a request for help on
microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers.

The answer I received noted that the problem sounded simple enough:
it was caused by Ubuntu having re-written the Master Boot Record
(MBR), and that Windows
most likely still existed as it was on its own partition on my
Netbook.

I was advised to download <XP_Recovery_Console_on_USB.zip>, here
http://www.4shared.com/file/t3MX2P8z/XP_Recovery_Console_on_USB.html

I did so and followed these instructions for how to set up a bootable
USB thumb drive
with the XP Recovery Console on it.

The following instructions will create a fast booting Windows XP
Recovery Console on a USB Flash Drive (UFD). It will boot straight
to the RC (no setup screen). Everything needed is included in this
package. The files are Service Pack 3, this is the final version
of the XP RC.

1. Insert your USB Flash Drive (UFD).

2. Run "hpusbfw.exe" - HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool 2.0.6.0
   (The newer version of the HP Tool, 2.1.8.0, will NOT work)
   - Choose your UFD under "Device"
   - For "File system" choose "FAT"
   - Enter a name under "Volume label" (Maximum 11 characters)
   - Leave un-checked "Quick Format" and "Create a DOS startup disk"
   - Click "Start"

3. Run "TinyHexer.exe". From the top menu, click on
   'File-->Disk-->Open drive" and select your UFD. Make sure you
   select the correct device!

4. From the top menu, click on 'Edit-->Find/Replace'. Tick the boxes
   "Find text" and "Ignore case". Enter "NTLDR" then click "Find"
   then "Replace". Enter "CMLDR" and tick the box "Is text" then
   click "Replace all". Click "Close".

5. From the top menu, click on 'File-->Save as' then browse to your
   UFD. Enter "USBLDR" then "Save". Close "Tiny Hexer".

6. Open the folder "UFD" and copy everything in it to your UFD.
   Your UFD should look like this:
   cmdcons
   boot.ini
   cmldr
   ntdetect.com
   ntldr
   usbldr

7. Defrag the UFD.

That's it! Now reboot and test it.
(Press F12 at boot time to get a menu to select your UFD)

Next step;

After booting the Netbook with this USB drive, you will be see this
text:

Which Windows installation would you like to log onto
<To cancel, press ENTER>?
Enter the numeral 1 and hit the Enter key.
Next comes the prompt for your admin password.
Ignore it and simply press Enter once again.

Now, at the > prompt, type DISKPART and hit Enter
This will produce a list of the partitions on your hard drive AND it
will allow you to delete
the partition with Ubuntu on it and thus solve your GRUB problem.

On my Netbook, DISKPART returned:

-: Partition1 <EISA Utilities> 6150 MB = RECOVERY PARTITION
C: Partition2 <NTFS> 68653 MB = WINDOWS PARTITION
E: Partition3 <NTFS> 39622 MB = UBUNTU PARTITION
D: Partition1 <KINGSTON> [FAT] = YOUR USB DRIVE

ESC=Cancel D=Delete Partition

ALSO, in addition to the DISKPART command you might also run the MAP
command.
On my Netbook, that returned:

? NTFS 6150MB \Device\Harddisk0\Partition1
C: NTFS 68653MB \Device\Harddisk0\Partition2
E: NTFS 39621MB \Device\Harddisk0\Partition3
D: FAT16 963MB \Device\Harddisk1\Partition1

Now the dicey part:
You don’t want to delete the wrong partition.

It was suggested that I remove the E: partition.

I did so, then I ran MAP again and it returned:
? NTFS 6150MB \Device\Harddisk0\Partition1
C: NTFS 653MB \Device\Harddisk0\Partition2
F: NTFS 39621MB \Device\Harddisk0\Partition3
D: FAT16 963MB \Device\Harddisk1\Partition1

The E partition had been successfully removed.

When I shut down, removed the USB flash drive then restarted, my
Netbook successfully
booted into Windows.

Problem solved.
***************

Hope this helps someone else someday.










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