12.xx Installer does not load while trying to create a Win8 Dual Boot with EFI

[guyfromfl]

My business partner purchased an hp Pavillion P7-1417 (without talking to me first, I would have never purchased an hp..). I want to dual boot the pre-installed Windows 8 with Ubuntu Studio.

First, I tried 12.04 because I wanted the LTS version, but could not get the installer to load unless it was in Legacy mode. I read on a forum, 12.10 was signed as EFI, so tried that, with similar results/

When I boot the installer disc, I get the grub menu. No matter what option I select, the grub menu disappears and I get a blank screen.

At one time, I ran the installer in legacy and created a new installation that wiped the HDD, so I know it's not a graphics issue.

I have tried just about EVERY option in the BIOS, but cannot get the installer to load now.

If I install 12.04 with Secure Boot enabled, and custom keys (HP keys do not recognize Ubunutu), I get an

Empty Security Header

error. If I try the 12.10 disc with the same configuration, I get a blank screen and nothing ever happens. I left it there for about 15 minutes to make sure it didn't just "run slower" in secure boot mode.

To make things more annoying, the hp P7-1417 does not have an HDD or DVD light so i can't tell if the computer is doing anything!

Does anybody know what I might be doing wrong here?

This new Windows 8/EFI thing is new and a total pain for us who want to use OUR computers OUR way!

[darkod]

Yeah, I am trying to stay as far away from UEFI, and as long as possible. Lets see how long I manage...

So, first thing first, from what I have read here, 12.04 is NOT secure boot compatible, so forget about it unless you can disable the secure boot. Can you? I'm not sure if that would affect win8 boot or not. First check the bios for an option to disable secure boot.

Also, only the 64bit version of ubuntu is UEFI compatible. You didn't specify but I'm guessing you are trying to install the 64bit. It won't work with the 32bit in any case, unless you convert the machine into legacy boot completely, including win8.

Further, in order to install ubuntu in uefi mode, you have to boot the cd/usb in uefi mode too. Otherwise it will simply install in legacy mode even though the machine is using uefi boot and you won't end up with uefi dual boot. Not sure if you are aware of this.
Uefi compatible machines come with two different boot devices for the dvd drive. One will be like UEFI DVD blahblah... and the other the good old legacy DVD device. You HAVE TO boot the uefi one.
I guess it would be much easier using the one time boot menu of the machine with F12 or similar button, rather than fishing all these new boot devices and their order in the bios.
If you didn't do this with the 12.10 attempt, maybe this was the issue.

To summarize, with secure boot enabled and win8 in uefi mode, you need to use the 12.10 64bit version and make sure you boot the cd in uefi mode.

If this is an Intel core machine and whether it has issues with the Intel HD graphics after you install, I have no idea about that. I stick with ATI.

PS EDIT: I read somewhere that the second point release of 12.04, the 12.04.2 will be secure boot compatible (since you said you prefer LTS version, I do too), but not sure if you can wait for it.

[guyfromfl]

Darkod,

You are right, the UEFI bootable is only on 12.10 64-bit. I did not make it clear in my OP, that is the only reason I tried 12.10 64-bit, I would prefer 12.04 64-bit.

When I boot the install disc, I press Esc to bring up the boot menu, F9 for the boot device then select the "UEFI hp DVD<a bunch of numbers>" option.

I also read one way to tell if the installation disc is booting in EFI mode was if Grub pops up. If you get Grub then it is EFI and if you get the Ubuntu screen, it is legacy.


I will look into 12.04.02 64-bit for Ubuntu Studio. I really do not want to be doing this again in 2 years lol!

Edit/PS: It is an AMD based machine

[oldfred]

If you have a fast boot or quick boot setting you want to turn that off. Some Samsung systems have a UEFI that only lets you back into UEFI menu from Windows with fast boot on. And if you cannot boot Windows then you have bricked entire system. But some Samsungs have installed ok.
UEFI boot live-usb bricks SAMSUNG 530U3C,np700z5c laptop - fix released
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu-cdimage/+bug/1040557

One HP install that worked.
HP p6-2326 Ubuntu and windows 8 Boot DVD
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2093445

HP to get into UEFI/BIOS menu - escape then f10 as soon as it starts.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...roduct=5171079

UEFI dual boot two drives - HP Windows 7
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2072950

[guyfromfl]

OldFred,

I forgot to mention, I did have Fast Boot disabled.

Thank you for the links, I will read through them and post back with what I get.

Thanks for the help!

[guyfromfl]

To make my OP clearer, when I boot the install CD, I get a Grub menu that says:

Try Ubuntu
Install Ubuntu
Check Disc for Errors

when I select any of the options the screen goes blank and nothing happens from there.

I have been able to install it in Legacy mode.

I have tried:
-Disabling Fast Boot
-Enabling Secure Boot
-Selecting Custom Keys (not HP Keys)
-Booting the DVD from the BIOS's boot menu
--Tried selecting each of the options from the GRUB menu (Try, Install, Check DVD)
-Loading the EFI manually

No matter how I try to boot the installer, I get a blank screen.

[guyfromfl]

Ok,

I have downloaded 12.04.2 and tested, with the same results.

While doing so, I tried booting both 12.04.2 and 12.10 in legacy mode and they both will load the installer.

When I go back to the BIOS and enable secure boot, I get the blank screen after the DVD's grub menu.

And interesting side note, after I get this blank screen, Secure Boot, Legacy, and Fast Boot are ALL disabled.

[guyfromfl]

Ok sorry to be bombing my own thread.. but heres an update on the HP's UEFI..

I have determined that Secure Boot can only be enabled if I select HP keys under Key Ownership. If I select custom, it automatically disables Secure Boot.

I am using Version 2.15.1227 of American Megatrends Inc. EFI.

Could this be the reason it will not boot past the DVD's GRUB?

I don't have a clue where to go to begin fixing this!

[guyfromfl]

Another update,

To make things worse, Ubuntu doesn't load the Atheros R8161 Nic driver by default, so I can't get networking to run Boot-Repair on a LiveDVD, and Boot-Repair doesn't ship with Ubuntu Studio, even 12.10.

When I try to manually compile the driver from a LiveDVD I get an error that says "Cannot determine / from /etc/fstab"

Does anybody know why Boot-Repair REQUIRES internet!?

This is absolutely ridiculous!

[darkod]

Sorry, I can't help much. As I said, I'm staying clear of UEFI and most of the things I know I have picked up here on the forum in other threads.

From what I have seen, there were couple of general rules:
1. Disable secure boot (not sure if it's necessary or only recommended).
2. Make sure you boot the ubuntu cd/usb in uefi mode.

The screen going black sounds like hardware issue. I don't mean faulty hardware, it just has some issue with some part of the hardware. On the other hand you say it boots the live mode fine in legacy boot. I can't see why it wouldn't do the same in uefi mode since if it is a hardware issue I would expect it to affect legacy mode too.

Try the uefi boot again, highlight the Try Ubuntu entry and hit 'e' for edit. Not sure if that will open the boot lines for editing as it does in legacy mode.

If it does, try adding acpi=off towards the end of the line starting with linux. I have seen it mentioned that acpi=off sometimes solves black screens.

Not sure how it would affect the machine though and whether you can sort it out later.

PS EDIT: When you say boot-repair requires internet, do you mean to install it or just to run it? For installing the package, it's clear why it needs internet because you are getting it from the repositories.
But for running it you shouldn't need internet. I think there is a bootable cd with boot-repair that you can use to boot and run boot-repair from it. I don't think you would need internet in that case.