HELP! - installing Ubuntu to USB stick "trashes" hard drive

[Conny Enström]

2011-10-14 17:59, Richard Owlett skrev:
> That's a lot milder subject line than I was considering yesterday.
>
> I downloaded the Ubuntu 10.10 iso {back when it was latest} and burned a
> CD.
> I had been referred to Ubuntu as it was reportedly "new user friendly"
> and that the applications I wished to use were available in its or
> Debian's repositories.
>
> Although it would run on both my machines (a desktop and a laptop), the
> initial experience was anything but pleasant. It was bloated with
> applications I would not use and lacked those I would use routinely. The
> *critical* deficiencies were ability (as delivered) to connect to the
> internet via dial-up (USROBOTIC USB modem) and apparently no simple way
> have on a USB stick. The laptop, though lacking a working CD, can be
> taken to local library and connect to internet via WiFi hotspot. *BUT* I
> would need to be able to boot from a USB stick.
>
> Many here "just go for it the repositories will take care of every
> thing" [LOL]
>
> So with Live CD and 8GB USB stick in hand, I sat down at my desktop.
> Brought up Ubuntu and with trepidation clicked Install.
> Trepidation, my credo being *ABSOLUTELY NO UNTRIED OS ON HARD-DRIVE* as
> I've
> have had past bad experiences ;/
> With further fear and trembling, I chose use whole disk.
> I breathed a PREMATURE sigh of relief when it asked "Which drive?".
> Chose the USB stick and it chugged along copying files.
> When complete, quit the Live session and rebooted.
>
> When my BIOS gave me the option to boot from an alternate device, I
> chose the USB stick. All _appeared_ well.
>
> I found I'd been sucker punched on the next reboot :<
> The BIOS driven screen comes up.
> I let it time out, vainly innocently expecting Windows to come up.
> I get a simple menu the first several items are Ubuntu specific.
> The last option is Windows which I had explicitly "chosen" by *NOT*
> choosing an alternate boot device.
> *EVEN WORSE* if the USB stick is not there, I get an error message
> and a "grub rescue" CLI prompt.
>
>
> How do I rescue my system from Ubuntu which seems to be as monomaniacal
> as Microsoft ever thought of being?
> [There's a reason I was trying to escape M$ ;]
>

If I got it right, you installed Ubuntu from the CD to a 8 GB USB stick 
on a system with a harddrive with Windows on it?

Use 'Unetbotin' to create a bootable USB stick......