Solved Please, Help! Installed Linux Mint, and now cannot access Windows 10.

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William Walker

PCHF Member
Feb 5, 2017
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Indiana
I had originally downloaded Linux Mint 18.1 Cinnamon 64-bit to my desktop. Later, I moved the files to a thumb-drive. Forgot about the thumb-drive being attached to my computer, and when I restarted the computer, it asked if I wanted to install Linux. I shouldn't have, but I went ahead and performed the install. I was under the understanding that I would be able to choose between the two OS' at startup, but any time I start my computer, I am shown the following two choices, only ...

Linux Mint 18.1 Cinnamon 64-bit
Advanced Options For Linux Mint 18.1 Cinnamon 64-bit

There is nothing whatsoever pertaining to Windows 10. It should be there somewhere!! Any Ideas as to what happened? I knew that I shouldn't have installed the OS, and now, I'm really kicking myself for doing so. I just do not have the experience. I'll be the first to admit that I'm pretty computer illiterate. What really kills me is that my computer was operating so well. Now, I'm relegated to using an OS that I know absolutely nothing about. I want my Windows 10 option back. Can someone help? I'll help out all I can from my end.

Thanks - Bill
 
Hello Bill and welcome to the forum.

Depending on how you have preformed the install yes you will be able to run both OS's.

Was install Mint along side of Windows 10?
Do you remember what was selected when you did the install?

Have you used the file explorer in Linux to see if there is a windows directory or even if your personal files are even there?
 
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Rustys said:
Hello Bill and welcome to the forum.

Depending on how you have preformed the install yes you will be able to run both OS's.

Was install Mint along side of Windows 10?
Do you remember what was selected when you did the install?

Have you used the file explorer in Linux to see if there is a windows directory or even if your personal files are even there?
Click to expand...
Hi, and thanks.

I am able to find, for example, my favorites, pictures, downloads etc. by navigating to them via the "Computer" icon, on my desktop, and then selecting my hard-drive.

As far as I know, it was supposed to be a Linux along side of Windows 10 install.

Unfortunately, I do not remember too much about the install. One thing that I thought was strange is that during the auto-partitioning segment of the install, my hard-drive was showing as being 1-TB in capacity when in actuality, it's a 500-GB. The install automatically used 400 something GB's for the Linux OS. Windows 10 showed as occupying 500 something GB's of space. I didn't adjust the size of the partition.

Sorry for not being able to be of more help ....
 
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Hi Bill, just adding to Rustys post, unless you chose to install linux beside Windows I would say Windows is gone, overwritten by Linux. Strange because installing Linux is not a one click operation, and requires you to make some choices about the install along the way.

Probably not the time to lecture you about backups but this is where they payback your small investment in time for creating them.
 
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As far as I
gus said:
Hi Bill, just adding to Rustys post, unless you chose to install linux beside Windows I would say Windows is gone, overwritten by Linux. Strange because installing Linux is not a one click operation, and requires you to make some choices about the install along the way.

Probably not the time to lecture you about backups but this is where they payback your small investment in time for creating them.
Click to expand...
Hi Gus,
I did go through steps to install, and I thought that I had made all of the correct selections, but obviously, I did something wrong. I do have a system image saved on an external hard-drive.

Thanks - Bill.
 
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Screenshot from 2017-02-15 23-10-55.png
Thanks for the link, Gus.
Hoping this works ...
 
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bootrec? /scanos then /fixmbr then /fixboot off windows dvd? maybe fix windows booting if windows is still there...... see what the other guys suggest first maybe....I don't know a lot about linux I only use it to setup private web servers to dish out websites
 
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Madmatt2006 said:
bootrec? /scanos then /fixmbr then /fixboot off windows dvd? maybe fix windows booting if windows is still there...... see what the other guys suggest first maybe....I don't know a lot about linux I only use it to setup private web servers to dish out websites
Click to expand...
I got the free upgrade to 10 so have no disk to use. I've got my Windows 7 disk, but no 10 ....

Thanks, Matt - Bill
Off to work, now. Will check back around 3:00.
 
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Not wishing you bad luck but you can also follow this guide HERE and download a legal copy of Windows 10, and you are fully entitled to re install it. As per Madmatt's advice a windows repair should get back your Boot records and loader.
 
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Did you get an option to install Linux alongside Linux? You should've gotten a screen similar to below:

ubuntuinstall5.png


All *nix installs besides Gentoo and Arch include a screen similar to above.
 
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Lets try a command and see if we can get Linux to see and add Windows 10 to the loader.

Open Terminal
Form the Menus select Accessories
From the list on the right select Terminal.

Type the following command in and press enter.
Code: 
sudo udate-grub
You will be asked to enter in your password, do not worry nothing shows just completely type it in, and press enter.

You should get a screen similar to this
Untitled.png

Reboot and see if windows 10 is listed and see if you can log in.
 
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Rustys said:
Lets try a command and see if we can get Linux to see and add Windows 10 to the loader.

Open Terminal
Form the Menus select Accessories
From the list on the right select Terminal.

Type the following command in and press enter.
Code: 
sudo udate-grub
You will be asked to enter in your password, do not worry nothing shows just completely type it in, and press enter.

You should get a screen similar to this
View attachment 1600
Reboot and see if windows 10 is listed and see if you can log in.
Click to expand...
"Terminal" does not show up in the list?
 
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