boot Windows from GRUB rescue

This is my situation:

• installed Ubuntu without a CD (using unetbootin)
• dual boot installation (Windows XP+Ubuntu)
• didn't like the installation and decided to boot into Windows and delete the Linux partitions
• forgot to fix the mbr from within Windows

Now, when I boot, I am stuck in the GRUB rescue limbo.

Simple question: How can I boot into Windows from GRUB rescue?

I cannot boot from CD, therefore the usual solutions (recovery CD etc) do not work. An older question mentions the possibility to boot Windows but doesn't specify details: Ubuntu grub rescue prompt

Any hints?

Solution 1:

When GRUB is gone, so is the ability to boot into Windows. You would now need to boot from the Windows CD to restore the Master Boot Record (MBR). You can also use other boot CDs such as the Ultimate Boot CD for Windows, Bart PE or Hiren's Boot CD in case you don't have Windows installation media handy. Here are the steps:

• Boot from the Windows CD and choose "Repair". Alternatively, boot from one of the other aforementioned boot CDs and run a command prompt.

• For Windows 8 computers:

  1. Insert disc
  2. set boot order to disc at first priority
  3. reboot, wait for installer to load
  4. select language and keyboard type and click continue
  5. DO NOT CLICK INSTALL, instead click repair my computer in the bottom left corner
  6. click troubleshoot
  7. click advanced
  8. click command prompt and enter the commands below.
  

Add more tutorials for Operating Systems please.

• Run the the following two commands in a command prompt:

  bootrec /fixmbr
  bootrec /fixboot
  

Solution 2:

As Gilles already pointed out, grub rescue only has a few commands which allow you to load modules (e.g. from a grub rescue disk).

In my case - booting from another source wasn't possible - the only option was to remove the hdd from the computer and use a cheap external hd case to connect the disk to another computer via USB. On that computer, I used MbrFix to fix the mbr.

Solution 3:

Another tool to add to what Ricky and preufsumme have to say is boot-repair-disk.

Solution 4:

I had this issue just today and solved it by burning boot-repair-disk-64bit.iso to a USB stick (on a Mac using balenaEtcher). Then changed BIOS boot priority to USB stick first and booted it.

In the boot menu selected failsafe mode (normal mode wouldn't work), and it then suggested to try default recovery. I tried that, it fixed my MBR, and I was then able to boot to Windows 10 again.