Error: no such device: 658965p2-8fg5- . . . grub rescue>

My PC failed to boot into Windows XP or Ubuntu after installing the complete update for Lucid Lynx Gnome (Ubuntu inside XP). With so many attempts to restart, I always get:

Error: no such device: 658965p2-8fg5- . . .
grub rescue>

The best solution
Internet search results showed that this issue of “deleted grub(?)” has been in Lucid Lynx since before it was officially released. To new Linux users like me with little understanding on writing commands, a boot failure is terrifying.

Fortunately, a discussion on restoring the grub bootloader can be found in Ubuntu forums. Ubuntu forums has solutions to restoring XP and Ubuntu—including Vista and Windows 7.

I followed the “How to restore the Windows XP bootloader” method. I booted the PC using the XP installation CD and waited to the part where it asks me to install or repair XP. The following is the procedure I took.

1. Press “r” for repair.
2. Type 1, when prompted which Windows installation to logon to (1: C:\WINDOWS).
3. Type the Administrator password. This was tricky. I typed my logon password but it was rejected. I hit Enter instead, which means the Administrator has no password.
4. Type “fixmbr” in the new command line. Ignored the scary warning that the current hard drive would become inaccessible.
5. Type “y” for yes to confirm to write a new MBR.
6. Type “exit” in the new command line after a new MBR is written.
7. Reboot PC.
   

Problem solved!

Reference: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1014708