immerohnegott
May 6th, 2012, 08:03 AM
NOTE: This only applies to systems with Windows NOT running in EFI mode, which I would wager is most of them, as running in EFI mode seems to result in unstable boot behavior, at least on some platforms.
I've spent a rough couple days getting this system up and running, and in my forum searches I spotted a couple other people having issues with this, so I thought I'd put in my two cents on the matter.
Basically, the issue I first ran into that started my rapid descent into madness was that when installing Ubuntu alongside the pre-installed Windows 7, GRUB wouldn't show up and Windows was the only OS that could boot.
After much trial and error, and nearly kicking the computer out the m-f-ing window, I deduced that the Ubuntu installer was running in UEFI mode, and installing GRUB so that it would boot that way. The problem there is that the disk needs to be set up correctly with an EFI boot partition and a GUID partition table - neither of which were in place, as the pre-installed Windows was running in BIOS emulation from an MBR partition table.
The simple solution was to force Ubuntu to install in BIOS emulation (no switches in my system setup to force it) by renaming the "efi" directory at the root of my Ubuntu LiveUSB stick. This allows you to install GRUB to the master boot record the way God intended and let it coexist with the existing MBR-partitioned Windows install, just like any regular dual-boot setup.
You'll know if the Ubuntu installer is loading in BIOS emulation if you get the normal purple screen with the accessibility and keyboard icons at the bottom. In UEFI mode, it just loads a black and white GRUB menu.
It IS possible to get a working dual-boot in UEFI, but at least on this system, it results in the machine freezing every other boot and at shutdown. From what I've found Googling around for fixes, there are a number of other systems that exhibit similar instabilities when booting in UEFI mode.
</rant>
Hope someone benefits.
I've spent a rough couple days getting this system up and running, and in my forum searches I spotted a couple other people having issues with this, so I thought I'd put in my two cents on the matter.
Basically, the issue I first ran into that started my rapid descent into madness was that when installing Ubuntu alongside the pre-installed Windows 7, GRUB wouldn't show up and Windows was the only OS that could boot.
After much trial and error, and nearly kicking the computer out the m-f-ing window, I deduced that the Ubuntu installer was running in UEFI mode, and installing GRUB so that it would boot that way. The problem there is that the disk needs to be set up correctly with an EFI boot partition and a GUID partition table - neither of which were in place, as the pre-installed Windows was running in BIOS emulation from an MBR partition table.
The simple solution was to force Ubuntu to install in BIOS emulation (no switches in my system setup to force it) by renaming the "efi" directory at the root of my Ubuntu LiveUSB stick. This allows you to install GRUB to the master boot record the way God intended and let it coexist with the existing MBR-partitioned Windows install, just like any regular dual-boot setup.
You'll know if the Ubuntu installer is loading in BIOS emulation if you get the normal purple screen with the accessibility and keyboard icons at the bottom. In UEFI mode, it just loads a black and white GRUB menu.
It IS possible to get a working dual-boot in UEFI, but at least on this system, it results in the machine freezing every other boot and at shutdown. From what I've found Googling around for fixes, there are a number of other systems that exhibit similar instabilities when booting in UEFI mode.
</rant>
Hope someone benefits.