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T61 stuck at GRUB after Ubuntu and Win XP update

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JMvS
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2010 8:06 am
Location: Geneva, Switzerland

T61 stuck at GRUB after Ubuntu and Win XP update

#1 Post by JMvS » Fri May 18, 2012 6:40 am

Hello,

The last day I took out of storage my lovely 4:3 T61, running both Win XP and Ubuntu (IIRC 8.04 LTS Hardy Heron according to the screen).
After doing my tasks in Win XP, I restated the system as there were Win updates overdue. Since default GRUB selection is Ubuntu, and I wasn't in front of the screeen, it started Ubuntu. As I was in update mood, I launched all the updates available after playing a little.
The system went for a considerable overhaul, and at the end, after a couple restart, I was in Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Lucid Lynx (if my memory of the screen is correct): crisp!

So far the system was working great, so I decided to go back in Win XP, and run the Thinkvantage update manager, again there were a lot of updates overdue. It went trough the whole process and asked for the usual restart.

And that's where I have a problem, as I am stuck at the GRUB: thinkpad screen will boot and I can access the BIOS, but then afterwards I am absolutely stuck at the GRUB screen: impossible to issue any commands save for the power button.

I tried using a Super Grub2 disk, but to no avail, I get nothing but GRUB at the upper left corner of my screen. Have I missed something?

It was a second hand I got in 2008 when I was a student, and I keep it to run a few old programs and games (and for nostalgia as well), as I am absolutely not familiar with Linux arcane, any advices will be much appreciated.
Thinkpad T61 _ 14.1' 4:3 _ T7300 _ NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M _ 3 GB

Thinkpad T410s _ i5-560M _ 160GB Intel SSD _ NVIDIA NVS3100M Optimus _ 4 GB

Thinkpad W520 _ i7-2860QM _ 160GB Intel SSD _ NVIDIA Quadro 2000M _ 16 GB

Thinkpad X201t Tablet _ i7-640LM _ Outdoor 400 nits screen _ 3 GB

EasyMac308
Freshman Member
Posts: 100
Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 5:20 pm
Location: Kent, WA

Re: T61 stuck at GRUB after Ubuntu and Win XP update

#2 Post by EasyMac308 » Fri May 18, 2012 11:03 am

EasyMac308
MCITP: EDA, MCSE NT, MCSE 2000, A+
Work: Thinkpad T410 / i5-650 / 8GB / 500GB / Win7 Ent x64
Personal: T60 (4:3) / T7200 / 4GB / 500GB / Ubuntu 12.04 <scrap built>
Retired: 570E, T20, T21, T23, T30, T40, T42, T43

JMvS
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2010 8:06 am
Location: Geneva, Switzerland

Re: T61 stuck at GRUB after Ubuntu and Win XP update

#3 Post by JMvS » Fri May 18, 2012 12:16 pm

Thanks, I will try it. But first I suppose I will need a bootable media, as wathever I do, I can't go past the grub, all I get on screen is:

GRUB _

with the _ flashing

After some research, it appears that a lot of people encountered a variety of similar problems with GRUB when updating to 10.4. I hope a solution has been found for my particular problem.
Thinkpad T61 _ 14.1' 4:3 _ T7300 _ NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M _ 3 GB

Thinkpad T410s _ i5-560M _ 160GB Intel SSD _ NVIDIA NVS3100M Optimus _ 4 GB

Thinkpad W520 _ i7-2860QM _ 160GB Intel SSD _ NVIDIA Quadro 2000M _ 16 GB

Thinkpad X201t Tablet _ i7-640LM _ Outdoor 400 nits screen _ 3 GB

EasyMac308
Freshman Member
Posts: 100
Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 5:20 pm
Location: Kent, WA

Re: T61 stuck at GRUB after Ubuntu and Win XP update

#4 Post by EasyMac308 » Fri May 18, 2012 2:32 pm

When I upgraded to 10.04 I had some kind of issue... wish I could remember what it was... but I was resigned to a reinstall. A day later when I came back to it it booted up completely normally and has been fine since. I've been nervous about using Package Manager for upgrades ever since :).
EasyMac308
MCITP: EDA, MCSE NT, MCSE 2000, A+
Work: Thinkpad T410 / i5-650 / 8GB / 500GB / Win7 Ent x64
Personal: T60 (4:3) / T7200 / 4GB / 500GB / Ubuntu 12.04 <scrap built>
Retired: 570E, T20, T21, T23, T30, T40, T42, T43

JMvS
Posts: 21
Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2010 8:06 am
Location: Geneva, Switzerland

Re: T61 stuck at GRUB after Ubuntu and Win XP update

#5 Post by JMvS » Sat May 19, 2012 5:01 am

I might as well let it rest a little, too see if it evolves.

If nothing comes, guess it will be a good opportunity to do a clean install and upgrade from the 160 GB HDD (which always felt way too small partitioned in 2).
Thinkpad T61 _ 14.1' 4:3 _ T7300 _ NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M _ 3 GB

Thinkpad T410s _ i5-560M _ 160GB Intel SSD _ NVIDIA NVS3100M Optimus _ 4 GB

Thinkpad W520 _ i7-2860QM _ 160GB Intel SSD _ NVIDIA Quadro 2000M _ 16 GB

Thinkpad X201t Tablet _ i7-640LM _ Outdoor 400 nits screen _ 3 GB

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