Bypass GRUB Rescue and Boot into Windows

If you find yourself stuck in the GRUB rescue prompt and want to boot into Windows, the following steps will guide you through the process. This article will provide detailed instructions and alternative methods to get you back to your Windows operating system.

Step 1: Identify the Windows Partition

Begin by booting into GRUB rescue mode. At the prompt, you should see:

grub rescue

To list the available partitions, type the following command:

:ls

This will display a list of partitions, such as:

hd0msdos1hd0msdos2

Identify the partition that contains the Windows files. Typically, it will have folders such as:

WindowsProgram Files

To confirm, use the command:

:ls hd0msdos1/

Replace hd0msdos1 with the relevant partition you find.

Step 2: Set the Root and Boot

Once you have identified the correct partition, set the root and then load the Windows boot manager:

To set the root, type:

:set roothd0msdos1

Load the Windows boot manager:

:chainloader  1

Bootstrap into Windows:

:boot

Step 3: Fix GRUB (Optional)

To prevent future issues with GRUB rescue, you can repair GRUB:

If you are using a Linux distribution, boot into it and run:

:sudo update-grub

If you are using a live CD/USB of your Linux distribution:

Boot from the live CD/USB. Open a terminal and run:

:bash

:sudo mount /dev/sdXY /mnt Replace sdXY with your Linux partition

:sudo grub-install --root-directory/mnt /dev/sdX Replace sdX with your drive

Note: If you cannot find the correct partition or the above steps don’t work, consider using a Windows installation or recovery disk to repair the bootloader. Boot from the installation media and follow the on-screen instructions to repair the bootloader.

Additional Tips

For easier future boot management:

Select the Windows partition from the boot menu during startup. To make this permanent, go to the BIOS and set Windows to be the first priority in the boot order.

If you have installed Windows and Linux on separate drives, use the boot select key during startup (F12 in many BIOSes) or set the drive with Windows higher in the 'boot order' in the BIOS settings.

If you require further assistance, feel free to ask! This guide should help you address any issues related to booting Windows from GRUB rescue.