[ubuntu-za] [SOLVED] Need some URGENT help please.

[Ian Whitfield]

Hi

MANY thanks to Simon in particular for the help here. He even sent the 
reply to me directly as I requested - many, many thanks indeed Simon. 
You saved my bacon!!!!

You were right it seems as if Linux defaults to using any USB HDD that 
is attached as the "Primary Drive" by default! A couple of other Linux 
people have confirmed this to me and I'm afraid I was NOT aware of this! 
I would suggest that a _WARNING_ should be added to the installation 
process about this!! (Feature request).

I had left my USB HDD on the machine and did not pick-up the size 
difference when I installed.

So using Simon's suggestions I checked the BIOS and tried a re-boot. 
Same problem!

So I booted with the Linux CD, (a genuine Canonical Kububtu CD), and 
tried the 'Boot from First Hard Drive' option. Same problem!

So I selected the 'Try Kubuntu' option as I had heard that some people 
have even salvaged "crashed" Windows data this way. And Lo-and-Behold up 
came my original disk with all my Data on it!!!

Phew - what a relief!!!

Thanks all - great to have a List like this when you need it!!!

Ian Whitfield.

  28/11/2010 10:37, ubuntu-za-request at lists.ubuntu.com wrote:
> I need some rather urgent help with a new installation of Kubuntu 10.10
>
> Ouch, Your best bet is to remove the SATA devices while troubleshooting,
> check the BIOS is correct with the internal IDE devices and recognizes them
> still, it may not, when it does boot to a live CD or rescue disk, check you
> still have your data intact.
>
> If you do - good, you can try repair the grub boot sector, hopefully it will
> start, then check the ext USB for any data, this can happen in the install
> if you have a USB plugged in, you probably missed the reported size of the
> single device. You will probably find the bios didn't report the disks
> except the USB and CD on boot after SATA device was plugged in or something.
>
> Cheers
>
> Simon
>    
////