(Warning: typed on an iPod touch)

I downloaded 13.10 (from 13.04) today as recommended by the software updater. I left it to download for a couple hours (it said at the beginning it should 41 minutes with my connection) and came back and it wasn't done and showed no progress for quite awhile.

I continued browsing the internet (videos didn't work because of a lack of flash). I noticed the top icon (I think it's called system launcher) didn't have it's picture and tried clicking it to go to the terminal. As soon as I clicked on it, the side bar with app and top bar disappeared (the wallpaper was visible) but Chromium was still working. I thought the installer was close to restarting so after leaving the screen like that for awhile.

I did a hard restart (hold power button). Tried starting it back up and can't remember what came up first (I've been reading and trying advice on similar problems) but it didn't start right up to 13.10. (I think I had accidentally started the guest account a while before if that makes any difference)

When I start it up, it goes to GNU GRUB version 2.00-13ubuntu3 with the options:

• Ubuntu


• Advanced options for Ubuntu


• Memory test (memtest86+)


• Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)

and at the bottom it says Use the [up] and [down] keys to select the highlighted entry.
Press enter to boot the selected OS, 'e' to edit the commands before booting or 'c' for a command-line.

When I select the "Ubuntu" option, I get:

File system check or mount failed.

A maintenance shell will terminate this shell and continue booting after 

re-trying file systems. Any further errors will be ignored.

root@[my name]-G41M-ES2L:~#

and nothing happens when I press any key.

On other threads, they talked about booting in recovery mode by going to Advanced options for Ubuntu > Ubuntu with Linux 3.8.0-33-generic (recovery mode).

When I do that, some code scrolls through the screen for a few seconds and then a recovery menu pops up.

Recovery Menu (filesystem state: read only)

        resume         Resume normal boot

        clean             Try to make free space

        dpkg              Repair broken packages

        failsafex         Run in failsafe graphic mode

        fsck                Check in al file systems

        grub               Update grub bootloader

        network          Enable networking 

        root                Drop to root shell prompt

        system-summary       System summary



                <OK>                 "

On the threads, they recommended people select the Drop to root shell prompt.
When I select it, I get:

root@[my name]-G41M-ES2L:~#

How I can get my computer to boot without wiping my hard drive and starting over ?

I really appreciate taking your time to help me.