[MBR on key]["error: no such device"]Installation Failure on Netbook

I've heard that grub can get installed to the wrong place when installing from a USB - sometimes it tries to install it on the USB used to install, not the drive. There should be an Advanced button during the install process where you can tell it where to place the bootloader.

You can try manually installing the bootloader: boot from the Ubuntu USB again - select "try without installing". Then reinstall grub manually (this example assumes you installed Ubuntu to /dev/sda1, if it's a dual boot you likely installed to /dev/sda5 so change as appropriate):
sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sda

Reboot...

If you're not sure where you installed Ubuntu run "sudo blkid" and look for the partition that's type 'ext4'

Hi,

After typing in "sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sda" into a terminal, I turned my machine off, removed the USB, turned it back on, and got the following message:

"GNU GRUB version 1.98-1ubuntu5
Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported.  For the first word, TAB lists possible command completions.  Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or file completions."

I pressed "TAB" and a bunch of writing popped up.  I'm not sure what to do next.  Any additional advice is appreciated, thank you.

Brandon

--- On Fri, 9/24/10, bcbc <email address hidden> wrote:

From: bcbc <email address hidden>
Subject: Re: [Question #126725]: Installation Failure on Netbook
To: <email address hidden>
Date: Friday, September 24, 2010, 5:59 PM

Your question #126725 on Ubuntu changed:
https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/126725

    Status: Open => Answered

bcbc proposed the following answer:
I've heard that grub can get installed to the wrong place when
installing from a USB - sometimes it tries to install it on the USB used
to install, not the drive. There should be an Advanced button during the
install process where you can tell it where to place the bootloader.

You can try manually installing the bootloader: boot from the Ubuntu USB again - select "try without installing". Then reinstall grub manually (this example assumes you installed Ubuntu to /dev/sda1, if it's a dual boot you likely installed to /dev/sda5 so change as appropriate):
sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/ /dev/sda

Reboot...

If you're not sure where you installed Ubuntu run "sudo blkid" and look
for the partition that's type 'ext4'

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Hello, is your problem solved.
If yes, could you mark this as "Solved" in Launchapd.
If not, could you describe your current status.
Please, don't answer with previous message in you next post.

After performing the suggested solution, I turned on my machine off, removed the USB flash drive, turned my machine back on, and got this message on the black screen:

"GNU GRUB version 1.98-1ubuntu5
Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. For the first word, TAB lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or file completions."

I pressed the tab button on my machine and a paragraph worth of words popped up but I don't know what any of them mean. I don't have a lot of experience with this stuff, so I am not sure where to go from here. I can't get my machine to go any farther than that GNU Grub version 1.98 message. So far, Ubuntu 10.04 will only work when I boot from my USB flash drive.

Do you mean that when your USB key is connected, you can launch Ubuntu from Grub menu ?
Can you post result of command:
   sudo parted -l
where "-l" is lower case "-L".
What is the model of your computer ?

I mean that when I turn my machine on with the USB flash drive, I can launch Ubuntu from the installer boot menu. Without the USB flash drive, I get a blank screen with the message I mentioned above. I have a Dell Inspiron netbook.

Here are the results of the command sudo parted -l:

Model: ATA STEC ATA DISK vS (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 3791MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 33.0MB 33.0MB primary fat16
2 33.0MB 3786MB 3753MB primary ext3 boot

Model: USB Flash Memory (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 2031MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 4129kB 2031MB 2027MB primary fat32 boot

Model: SD SD04G (sd/mmc)
Disk /dev/mmcblk0: 4075MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 1049kB 3838MB 3837MB primary ext4
2 3839MB 4075MB 236MB extended
5 3839MB 4075MB 236MB logical linux-swap(v1)

Thanks delance, that solved my question.

http://www.nv-stroy.com/hcxjthzz/ypr/lah/eypaw/jrgyypifrp