[conspire] Window 7 update stepped on GRUB again; Fixed it with a Linux CD

[roger at rogerchrisman.com]

Window 7 update stepped on GRUB again. (GRUB2, on my multi-boot
laptop, actually.)

Computer gets stuck in Grub Recovery mode on boot after that. (Sorry,
I didn't write down the exact error message. Will next time.)

I fixed it with an Ubuntu 10.10 live install CD. This fix is quick and
easy with the below instructions to follow. It involves booting from a
Linux CD, mounting the hard drive, learning your drive's UUID with
mount -l, and doing a sudo grub-install something like this (using tab
completion to type your UUID): sudo grub-install
--root-directory=/media/0d104aff-ec8c-44c8-b811-92b993823444 /dev/sda

I called up this Ubuntu Help page on my iPhone and walked through it
(specifically the
"Recovery Using the Ubuntu Desktop/Live CD (RECOMMENDED)"
section 1, at page top, which worked for me):

Recovering Ubuntu After Installing Windows
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RecoveringUbuntuAfterInstallingWindows

Easy and quick, with above guide.

Beats reinstalling everything.

I don't know technically what Windows updater is doing that steps on
the GRUB process. This is the third time it has happened on my new
(month old) laptop.

Roger
--on Acer Aspire 5742 laptop, multi-boot (Windows 7, Ubuntu 10.10,
Xubuntu 10.10); screen brightness does not adjust in Linux (don't know
why)