11.10 install on thinkpad x120 -- boots into windows (no grub)!

[substanceneil]

I am trying to fix my sister's uselessly slow Thinkpad X120 by installing Ubuntu. Unfortunately, she wants to keep her Windows so that she can use Netflix and a few other applications.

I tried to set up a dual boot, which I have done many times before.

I created partions manually:

/dev/sda1, ntfs, 419 mb is a mystery partition that already existed.
/dev/sda2, ntfs, 36 gb is my preinstalled windows partition
/dev/sda5, ext4, 36 gb is my ubuntu (root) partition
/dev/sda6, fat32, 162 gb is my data partition
/dev/sda7, 2 gb swap
/dev/sda3, ntfs, preloaded partion, i think this is the recovery.

the bootloader is set (by default) to install to /dev/sda.

The install went smoothly, but when I reboot, the system boots straight into windows without a grub menu.

I did check the live-usb for defects.

I tried booting with the live-usb and installing/running boot-repair, but to no avail.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Neil

[fantab]

I am trying to fix my sister's uselessly slow Thinkpad X120 by installing Ubuntu. Unfortunately, she wants to keep her Windows so that she can use Netflix and a few other applications.

I tried to set up a dual boot, which I have done many times before.

I created partions manually:

/dev/sda1, ntfs, 419 mb is a mystery partition that already existed.
/dev/sda2, ntfs, 36 gb is my preinstalled windows partition
/dev/sda5, ext4, 36 gb is my ubuntu (root) partition
/dev/sda6, fat32, 162 gb is my data partition
/dev/sda7, 2 gb swap
/dev/sda3, ntfs, preloaded partion, i think this is the recovery.

the bootloader is set (by default) to install to /dev/sda.

The install went smoothly, but when I reboot, the system boots straight into windows without a grub menu.

I did check the live-usb for defects.

I tried booting with the live-usb and installing/running boot-repair, but to no avail.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Neil

I would think that /dev/sda1 is the MBR/GRUB or /boot partition. Anyways I suggest you reinstall Ubuntu with Grub on /dev/sda... all I could think of is that somehow Grub did not install properly.

If that doesn't help try installing Grub to your mystery partition after formating it as ext3-4 /boot and do this ONLY if you have a windows recovery disk or recovery partition. If not wait for more technical help by experts.

[substanceneil]

I tried a second installation, this time choosing /dev/sda1 for the bootloader. (The default was /dev/sda). Still the same result: normal installation, but boots straight into Windows. I can't see to figure out why Ubuntu cannot make the bootloader work.

Any more advice?

Frustrated,
Neil

[substanceneil]

I found this in community x120e documentation:


problems with EFI grub
Some problems with EFI boot in BIOS are possible when trying to boot after otherwise successful installation. It happens because installer tries to install grub-efi, but EFI boot does not work.

Possible solution, assuming you have installed Ubuntu, but can't boot:

set BIOS to allow non-EFI boot
boot to Live CD
make directiry /mnt/1 , mount installed partition to /mnt/1
mount --bind /dev /mnt/1/dev ,same to /proc, /sys
chroot /mnt/1
aptitude update; aptitude purge grub-efi ; aptitude install grub-pc

when i try to run the commands, i get errors that aptitude is obsolete. Any advice?

[substanceneil]

Solved.

I think the main intervention was entering the bios and changing the bios to allow a non-EFI boot. After doing this, I reinstalled from scratch, making sure the boot loader was set to sda. (Not sda1). Works perfectly!