Dual-boot - Windows 7 & Ubuntu with UEFI

[Shadius]

Hey everybody! :)

I've managed to persuade my friend to give Ubuntu a try. He's running Windows 7 on his system. I'm going to tell him to sign up on the Ubuntu Forums, but I'd also like to be able to provide support, if he runs into any problems while attempting to dual-boot. I've suggested that he burn an Ubuntu LiveCD and test it out on his system before going for the installation. Now, what I would like to know is if there are any differences in dual-booting when a system has UEFI? His motherboard has UEFI. To my understanding, UEFI is supposed to be a replacement for BIOS? I'd basically like to know how to dual-boot Ubuntu with Windows 7 on a system with UEFI. Any help is appreciated!

[UltimateCat]

I know that you need information for UEFI and Ubuntu but I was only able to find info. for Windows 8 and Fedora.
Perhaps this will help you. Trying to help-

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/linus-torvalds-on-windows-8-uefi-and-fedora/11187

http://www.linuxfoundation.org/publications/making-uefi-secure-boot-work-with-open-platforms

This website is about UEFI and Ubuntu ( this might be the help you need)
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/shuttleworth-on-ubuntu-linux-fedora-and-the-uefi-problem/11270

I'm dual booted with Windows XP and have Ubuntu 10.04...but I have an MSI motherboard. I've never had any problems with a dual boot.

Best Regards

[derekpock]

Basically you just need to have the Ubuntu disk to boot first before the hard drive and everything else should fall into place. No other configuration with or without a certain BIOS is needed.:popcorn:

[Shadius]

I know that you need information for UEFI and Ubuntu but I was only able to find info. for Windows 8 and Fedora.
Perhaps this will help you. Trying to help-

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/linus-torvalds-on-windows-8-uefi-and-fedora/11187

http://www.linuxfoundation.org/publications/making-uefi-secure-boot-work-with-open-platforms

This website is about UEFI and Ubuntu ( this might be the help you need)
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/open-source/shuttleworth-on-ubuntu-linux-fedora-and-the-uefi-problem/11270

I'm dual booted with Windows XP and have Ubuntu 10.04...but I have an MSI motherboard. I've never had any problems with a dual boot.

Best Regards

Thank you. Will check these out.

[Shadius]

Basically you just need to have the Ubuntu disk to boot first before the hard drive and everything else should fall into place. No other configuration with or without a certain BIOS is needed.:popcorn:

So there's no difference in installing Ubuntu on a system with UEFI? It's the same as creating the necessary partitions? I was under the impression that there had to be an EFI partition or something like that.

[derekpock]

So there's no difference in installing Ubuntu on a system with UEFI? It's the same as creating the necessary partitions? I was under the impression that there had to be an EFI partition or something like that.

Not really no. Ubuntu, if you are using the Live CD, will go though the basic steps of partitioning drives during installation.

[Shadius]

Not really no. Ubuntu, if you are using the Live CD, will go though the basic steps of partitioning drives during installation.

Okay, thank you. That's basically what I needed to know. So I won't encounter anything out of the ordinary from what I usually see when installing Ubuntu. Much appreciated.

[derekpock]

Okay, thank you. That's basically what I needed to know. So I won't encounter anything out of the ordinary from what I usually see when installing Ubuntu. Much appreciated.

Basically no you shouldn't. Ubuntu is advanced enough to detect such hardware and is able to cope with it. Be sure to have an internet connection when installing, Ubuntu might need to install a driver for restricted hardware first before installing.

[Shadius]

Basically no you shouldn't. Ubuntu is advanced enough to detect such hardware and is able to cope with it. Be sure to have an internet connection when installing, Ubuntu might need to install a driver for restricted hardware first before installing.

Oh yes, I forgot about the graphics card. Will do.

[mastablasta]

So there's no difference in installing Ubuntu on a system with UEFI? It's the same as creating the necessary partitions? I was under the impression that there had to be an EFI partition or something like that.


Not really no. Ubuntu, if you are using the Live CD, will go though the basic steps of partitioning drives during installation.


there actually is a difference: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFIBooting

[vasa1]

I'll be watching this thread with great interest. I wish there's a way to add UEFI to the title since that's the main thing.

My suspicion is that it is not going to be straightforward. I hope I'm wrong.

Anyway, all the best.

[nothingspecial]

Added UEFI to thread title.

[Shadius]

Added UEFI to thread title.

That was fast! Thank you!!

[oldfred]

There is a lot of difference and many are confused. There also was a bug (one of many) with UEFI and grub that it erased the efi partition, so best to backup the efi partition before installing. Depends on version as supposed fixed in newest.

UEFI bugs:
UEFI computer in BIOS mode, installer installs grub-efi - New July 2012
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubiquity/+bug/1026616
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2028699

Deletes Windows efi partition Fixed March 2012 partman-efi (24ubuntu3)
Installer should not format an existing EFI System Partition
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/partman-efi/+bug/769669
EFI SYSTEM PARTITION should be atleast 100 MiB size and formatted as FAT32, not FAT16 Fixed March 2012
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/partman-efi/+bug/811485
ctrl-x does not work in grub-efi
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/722950

Grub2 efi info ArchLinux - Arch but grub2 is grub2 with maybe minor differences by distribution
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GRUB2#Bootloader_Installation_for_UEFI_systems

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_Interface
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/UEFI
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GPT
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Grub2

Some threads:
UEFI dual boot trouble: Win7x64 - Ubuntu 12.04 LTS amd64
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2003442
GUIDE: (U)EFI installation Also full install post *52 superfreak pg.6
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1958383
UEFI screen shots with choice to boot
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=12030957#post12030957
Asus UEFI instructions (except efi should be first partition, but must not have to be)
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=11842855

[nehaljwani]

You don't necessarily need to dual boot Windows and Linux on UEFI. Follow the guide http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEou2dIcMSE to convert your UEFI to MBR-BIOS without loss of data. Or read about it here: http://commandlinewani.blogspot.com/2012/09/how-to-install-ubuntu-1204-in-sony-vaio.html

[Mohamed Badawi]

In fact, I have been using Ubuntu since 2005. I had no problems in dual-booting it with windows Vista or Windows 7, whether 32-bit or 64-bit. But when I tried to dual-boot them on my new laptop (Dell Inspiron 15R 5520 core i5) I am stucked with the issue of "UEFI". All my attempts went in vein up till now. I heard Ubuntu is working on solving this problem. I hope it is solved soon!