Which Laptop for EASY Dual-Booting of ANY Linux Distro and Win7?

[oldfred]

Some have gotten UEFI to work, but it varies greatly by Vendor and model. The high end models are often UltraBooks that add in complications of RAID with Intel SRT and dual Video or needing bumblebee. This is not really a Linux issue, but vendors not supporting anything but Windows. And it is so much change that the reverse-engineering required to implement all the new drivers and configurations to work well in Linux is very time consumming. It will be a year or two before Linux really catches up with all the changes.

If you really want a high end system, I also recommend a Desktop and build it your self. You may not save much money, but get better components.

I find my laptop not very ergonomic and have issues when using it for longer periods when I travel. And I set it up identically to desktop and just use rsync to copy all data to it when I leave and copy all data back when I return. Some use a new fangled thing called the cloud to do the same, but I do not fully trust clouds.

[Phugoid]

The problem is not whether they list it or not. Look at HP bios for example. It's very limited, in a way not even a proper bios. It can't match the full bios you get with a motherboard. Dell does the same, other brands too.

And another thing: Your windows will come preinstalled, and they choose how to install it. You don't even get the win8 dvd which could help you reinstall it in legacy mode once you disable uefi. For example, you get your new laptop and disable uefi (lets say the option is there). Then what? Windows can't boot because it was installed in uefi.

Not sure if you can use the restore partition but make it restore in legacy mode, since that partition returns the machine to factory state, and the factory state was uefi mode.

Welcome to having no choice and control for your 600 pounds spent.

Indeed - like I said, it was a HP I just did battle with for 3 weeks before returning it. It came with Win 8 installed in UEFI mode, and I actually went to the bother of buying a Win 8 DVD to clean install it the way I wanted - only to find that Win 8 doesn't install at all in legacy mode and that if I want to have Win 8 and Linux, then they must both be in UEFI mode - which then enters me into the problems of dual booting in UEFI mode with an EXTREMELY limited BIOS menu that wouldn't give me any flexibility at all.

Most likely I'll have to do the same when I get a new Win 7 machine - i.e. pay for the machine and the licence that comes with it, and then go out and buy a new Win 7 CD just so I can do a clean install in BIOS mode.

Why are there no hardware peeps out there willing to provide a solution for us open-sourcers? Why can't you just buy a laptop without an OS, get full details on what you're buying before you buy it, and then acquire the OS that you want and configure it how you want? Surely there's money to be made by making hardware for this market? Okay, maybe not as much money as if you sell your soul to Microsoft and have them pump billions through your pipelines, but at least there'd be no competition and you'd have a guaranteed consumer-base!

The computing market really is going to the dogs.

[Redalien0304]

Have Looked at System76 laptops with Ubuntu Preinstalled. No Windows 7 but you easilly add that if want to?
https://www.system76.com/laptops/

[oldfred]

Most Windows 7 systems were in BIOS/MBR mode even with those that had UEFI capable BIOS. Only a few of the last one's made had Windows 7 in UEFI mode. And because those did not have secure boot often installed without much effort. Again we saw a few UltraBook Windows 7 systems with UEFI and those had all the other RAID & Video issues except the secure boot issues.

I liked the one poster who said he buys a moderately high end system, but without SSD. Removes hard drive with Windows and installs new SSD with Ubuntu. Only puts original hard drive back in when he decides to sell system.

[darkod]

Yeah, but swapping the disk still doesn't solve the issue that you have to buy a new win7 license to install it. On top of one license already paid, since most laptops don't ship OS free.

And I don't agree with the desktop cost, high end components will not be more expensive (maybe even cheaper) compared to high end laptop. Of course, the laptop has the mobility, you pay for that. EDIT: I double checked, Fred said you might not save much money, not that the desktop will cost you much more. I read it wrong in a hurry the first time.

But your desktop CPU will have so much more processing power, not to mention easy future upgrades, etc. But now we are starting a new thread.

[Phugoid]

Most Windows 7 systems were in BIOS/MBR mode even with those that had UEFI capable BIOS. Only a few of the last one's made had Windows 7 in UEFI mode. And because those did not have secure boot often installed without much effort. Again we saw a few UltraBook Windows 7 systems with UEFI and those had all the other RAID & Video issues except the secure boot issues.

I liked the one poster who said he buys a moderately high end system, but without SSD. Removes hard drive with Windows and installs new SSD with Ubuntu. Only puts original hard drive back in when he decides to sell system.

So you're fairly confident that MOST (not all) Laptops that ship with Win 7 will not have it installed in UEFI mode and will not pose any major issues in dual-booting?

[Phugoid]

Have Looked at System76 laptops with Ubuntu Preinstalled. No Windows 7 but you easilly add that if want to?
https://www.system76.com/laptops/

Those systems look PERFECT... although I'm in the UK and have some reservations about getting such a fragile and expensive piece of equipment shipped such a long way!

Plus they have the option to configure it with a UK keyboard, but not with a UK power plug .

[Redalien0304]

True i understand that getting it over UK. They might have UK plug as an Accessories option? Id e-mail system76 & ask yer Questions away. they have always answered my questions the same day. I am Considering buying a laptop from system76 in the future for myself. of course im in the US.

[oldfred]

If you can find a Windows 7 system, you should be able to get discounts as all new systems are Windows 8. I would avoid the UltraBooks, as they are the high end systems, but have the RAID & Video issues.

Many want the dual video for power savings with Intel internal video and performance with nVidia. Many have installed bumblebee, but I have no experience with that.

[darkod]

Those systems look PERFECT... although I'm in the UK and have some reservations about getting such a fragile and expensive piece of equipment shipped such a long way!

Plus they have the option to configure it with a UK keyboard, but not with a UK power plug .

Don't forget that they might charge you customs and VAT, the product is coming from outside the EU. Not sure if the USA shop can sell it to you tax-free though, that might compensate for any charges paid in the UK.