Ubuntu install USB doesn't boot in UEFI mode on ASUS K55N laptop

[kylemsguy]

Hello,

I am trying to install Ubuntu 12.10 64-bit, on my ASUS K55N laptop that came with Windows 8 pre-installed. I wish to dual-boot Windows 8 and Ubuntu 12.10, but every time I try to boot the install medium (a USB drive), it freezes right after printing something along the lines of "binary trusted" if Secure Boot is enabled, or "Secure boot not enabled" when secure boot is disabled. I've tried two other distributions (Fedora 18 and Arch Linux), but it always freezes at the same place (right after some confirmation of the Secure Boot state). The only way that I've been able to boot anything other than Windows 8 in UEFI mode is if I boot it in BIOS-compatibility mode (with Launch CSM enabled).

I've spent a long time googling for a solution to this problem, but I've only come up with people saying how this laptop refuses to boot anything other than Windows 8 in UEFI mode (for example, http://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/22028.html?replyto=892940 or https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/foundations-bugs/2012-November/125271.html). Personally, I've tried installing Arch Linux in BIOS-compatibility mode, and then installing an UEFI bootloader, but the boot would get stuck right after printing "Loading initial ramdisk ...," which would be about the same place in the boot sequence as with the Ubuntu install USB (that is, right after the GRUB boot screen).

The reason why I prefixed this thread with "[all variants]" is because I don't think this issue is limited to any one linux distro/flavour of Ubuntu.

If anyone has anything to say about this, or any solutions, that would be great.

Laptop specs:
ASUS K55N
CPU: AMD A8-4500M
Graphics: Radeon 7460G (APU)
RAM: 8GB DDR3-1600
HDD: 750GB

Thanks.

[oldfred]

Boot-Repair will convert an Ubuntu install in gpt partition drive to UEFI install by uninstalling grub-pc and installing grub-efi. For a few systems that seems to be the only way to install. Some suggest only having Linux in BIOS mode but that is a real hassle as you have to go into UEFI/BIOS and change boot mode to match install.

How Boot-Repair fixes a Ubuntu with grub-pc with efi Windows
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=12205679&postcount=516

Boot-Repair - Updated Jan 1, 2013 to not rename first time, but rename if first time Windows does not boot. Post 706 and 711
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1769482&page=71


ASUS K55A Windows 8 & Ubuntu Some Asus need this boot parameter pci=nomsi
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2088499
Asus K55n will not boot in UEFI mode. Boot Parameters? Feb 2013
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2111720

[kylemsguy]

I've tried installing Ubuntu in BIOS-mode, and then replacing grub-pc with grub-efi with boot-repair. I am able to boot Windows, but the ubuntu boot still freezes before loading the kernel and ramdisk.

[oldfred]

What video?
Are you booting Windows directly from UEFI, or from a grub menu?

If you get grub menu have you tried nomodeset or other boot parameters or both?
Graphics Resolution- Upgrade /Blank Screen after reboot mega thread - MAFoElffen
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1743535
How to set NOMODESET and other kernel boot options in grub2 - both liveCD & first boot, but different
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1613132
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootOptions

[kylemsguy]

Booting Windows from the grub menu works. The video is the built-in radeon 7640G of the a8-4500m. I've tried nomodeset and pci=nomsi, but it doesn't work either.

[oldfred]

I do not know AMD as I have nVidia.
I thought there were some issues with the very new 7000 series. And I am not sure the links I posted above had good solutions.
Did live version boot ok?

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Troubleshooting/VideoDriverDetection
Ubuntu Precise Installation Guide - AMD/ATI
http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Ubuntu_Precise_Installation_Guide#Video_Tearing
Add Hardware Graphics - ATI: After installing ATI Driver: From QIII
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2050320
sudo apt-get install fglrx
#sudo aticonfig --initial -f
sudo aticonfig --adapter=all --initial
After reboot to get Catalyst Control Center
sudo apt-get install fglrx-amdcccle

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RadeonDriver
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Troubleshooting/FglrxInteferesWithRadeonDriver
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1558406


http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=article&item=ubuntu_1210_amdstock&num=1
On the proprietary driver side, the AMD Catalyst 12.11 Beta Linux graphics driver was used. For this initial testing, three discrete graphics cards from the AMD Radeon HD 5000/6000 series were used, since pre-HD5000 graphics cards are now on the Catalyst Legacy driver and the latest-generation Radeon HD 7000 series hardware still doesn't fully work with the open-source Gallium3D "RadeonSI" driver.

[divine shine]

Thanks for your reply oldfred. But I'm sorry to inform you that even that didn't work. Or probably I didn't know how to set it right... This is the code that I got when I pressed the 'e' key from the GRUB2 bootloader menu.

setparams 'Install Ubuntu'
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /casper/vmlinuz.efi file=/cdrom/pressed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity quiet splash --
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
and I replaced that with...

setparams 'Install Ubuntu'
set gfxpayload=keep
linux /casper/vmlinuz.efi file=/cdrom/pressed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity nomodeset
initrd /casper/initrd.lz
Is that how it is supposed to be done?? Nothing happened when I did this... I tried other combinations as deleting the
set gfxpayload=keep line, etc but none worked.
Please help me. I'm desperately in need of installing Ubuntu. I Love Ubuntu and wanna use it permanently. But I don't wanna let go of my OEM Windows 8 either.

[oldfred]

Your nomodeset looks correct.

I think this is only grub, but you can change the gfx mode. But use your size.
replace "set gfxmode=auto" by "set gfxmode=1366x768"
If you do not know sizes supported.
At grub menu change to command line


From a grub command line to see available settings pressing <c> & escape to get back to meu
vbeinfo

But some systems need other boot parameters in addition to nomodeset.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootOptions
http://www.mjmwired.net/kernel/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt
noapic nolapic noapci noirqpoll nosmp irqpoll

And some older settings, not sure they work with UEFI. Sometimes forcing generic gets it to boot.

Some other settings:
http://ubuntu-tutorials.com/2010/05/06/ubuntu-10-04-lucid-blank-screen-at-startup-workaround/



Older Intel video card: i915.modeset=1 or i915.modeset=0 newer: i915.i915_enable_rc6=1
nVidia: nomodeset
Generic: xforcevesa or nouveau.modeset=0
Radeon: radeon.modeset=0

[blind3d]

I am having the same problem with the same laptop asus k55n,

I used boot-repair in legacy mode because the blank screen problem would happen trying to install ubuntu in UEFI mode, even with quiet splash disabled, the screen was not verbose and was blank.

After boot-repair : automatic, booting windows from grub works fine, but nomodeset does not have any effect on getting a blank screen when trying to boot ubuntu.

If I boot older version of ubuntu from grub, it shows loading Linux Generic... , and then freezes after Loading initial ramdisk.

I tried ls -l in grub <c> menu and it appears that the command list options are pointing to the correct boot partition (hd0, gpt4) , can't figure this out.

[divine shine]

In vain again. I tried putting in all the commands from the GRUB2 edit mode into the Command Line Interface, but in vain. There was some activity when I pressed <enter> after loading the kernel. But then again it went dead later.
This is the code I typed in

grub> setparams 'Install Ubuntu'
grub> set gfxpayload=keep
grub> set gfxmode=1366x768
grub> linux /casper/vmlinuz.efi file=/cdrom/pressed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper only-ubiquity nomodeset
grub> initrd /casper/initrd.lz
grub> boot

After I pressed the <Enter> key, the LED indicator on my USB PenDrive became idle and the grub refused to give me a shell (grub>). That's where I stopped. :(

[divine shine]

•Older Intel video card: i915.modeset=1 or i915.modeset=0 newer: i915.i915_enable_rc6=1
•nVidia: nomodeset
•Generic: xforcevesa or nouveau.modeset=0

got me thinking... I have Intel HD Graphics as well. So that means it might be any of the 2 drivers conflicting with Linux or with each other.
What do I do now? I tried all these codes together < i915.i915_enable_rc6=1 nomodeset xforcevesa nouveau.modeset=0 vga=791 > separated by spaces. Still to be blocked out by the same blank black screen. :(

[blind3d]

According to another thread , I read that a guy had the same problem as this and just reinstalled the OS and ubuntu started loading fine after he reformatted...I didn't want to wipe my brand new factory install of win8, but I decided I wasted enough time and I'm trying it now.

I found a pretty helpful guide here... and will post my results when I finish installing everything.
http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/29322-The-Official-Windows-8-Repository

[oldfred]

With Optimus, is it booting with Intel or nVidia. The very newest nVidia drive only runs nVidia, or no power savings. It may only work with the very newest kernel now in 13.10.
But you can install bumblebee.
But I do not know how to boot initially.
Many with the very newest Intel video have to use the exact screen settings and some have to have other boot parameters.
Force Intel Video mode as boot parameter in grub menu instead of nomodeset, but use the size that vbeinfo shows.
video=1280x1024-24@60
and if that doesn't work you can try
video=VGA-1:1280x1024-24@60

[blind3d]

@OP


http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/29322-The-Official-Windows-8-Repository

1. install windows ISO to USB stick (in ubuntu with unetbootin [can be done in windows] )
http://www.webupd8.org/2010/10/create-bootable-windows-7-usb-drive.html


2. reinstall windows CFS(legacy bios mode) enabled / bios secure boot disabled

3. format partitions at windows install screen manually to avoid windows from installing an extra partition
http://theitbros.com/how-to-avoid-reserved-or-hidden-partition-in-windows-8/
(skip last part after diskpart commands about mounting iso)


4. install ubuntu (resize partitions with gparted at "something else" screen , open new terminal[ctrl+alt+t] sudo gparted, I resized my windows partition and made 2 others 1 for "/" and one for swap)

after install I didnt have grub options so i installed EasyBCD
(added new boot option, grub2, named it ubuntu, and selected the partition)

reboot and selected ubuntu, grub loads after, select ubuntu in grub AND EVERYTHING WORKED!


notes: I did this all in the grace of asus's bios setting CSM ENABLED, which allows us to bypass UEFI all together ( a lot of manufactures dont include this), which is why the factory install has so many problems..


During the windows install never once did I need to enter a product key, and it auto activated as soon as i conntected to the net. I used to the 64 bit ISO ending in the md5 checksum of "beeec4"


also the only downfall to this is having to select ubuntu in windows bootloader first, then select ubuntu again in grub, not sure if theres a way around this , but i am happy now, after hours of trying to fix this , good luck, and always be careful when deleting OEM partitions, luckily asus rocks my socks and if id gotten another manufacturers laptop, it wouldnt have been this easy to reinstall win8 without key

[divine shine]

that didn't work either @oldfred. Nothing seems to fix my problem. :(
@blind3d : I don't wanna let go of my OEM Windows8. If that was the case, I'd never come back. I'd stay back for WWindows 7, cuz I seldom use Windows. I prefer to use Ubuntu more for everything.

[oldfred]

@devine shine
Can you boot in live mode? And what video is that using?
LiveCD shows this:
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ lspci -nnk | grep -iA3 vga

Intel HD4000
http://communities.intel.com/thread/34221
Also one used nolapic.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2133816
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="acpi_osi=Linux quiet splash"
have you tried either or both of these with the Intel or nVidia setting.
What video mode does it boot with? Intel or nVidia? That would help narrow down which settings to try.

edit
do you have the K55N? Others also have had issues booting in UEFI mode. It must not report it correctly with UEFI to system. If you have not updated UEFI/BIOS I would do that. Or you may be able to instal in BIOS mode, update video, then use Boot-Repair to convert to UEFI mode. Or you may only be able to boot Ubuntu in BIOS mode by going into UEFI and change to BIOS everything you boot Ubuntu and change to UEFI to boot Windows.

[blind3d]

@devine
I messed with it for hours, I really don't think there is a way to get it, there is something wrong with the factory install.

At first boot the laptop had 4 partitions, one for UEFI, windows 8 recovery environment, C:, and asus restore partition.

Trust me I didn't want to mess up my OEM either. The part that makes this tricky is that it's using a hybrid video card setup that is probably conflicting with booting and installing ubuntu install in UEFI mode, thus you have to install it in legacy mode, with safeboot off.
This is bad, because when you run boot-repair, it then complains that legacy mode being detected, when you were supposed to be booted into UEFI mode all along, and nobody notices that, but that is where the problem is IMO.
You need to run boot-repair in UEFI mode in order for it to work properly, but you can't, because you cant even boot Ubuntu outside of legacy mode.

Download the ISO I mentioned anywhere you can find it, as long as the checksum matches, it's clean. And follow the other steps and I guarantee you should have it working within 2 hours tops of burning the ISO to USB with unetbootin, and your windows8 oem will instantly be activated.

I found this version on the ASUS website, from an ASUS member reccomending that specific version for k55n. The OEM key is built into the bios/uefi chip, so it automatically picks it up when you install this version of windows 8 from the ISO.

Windows 8 RTM English, 64-bit (x64)
Size: 3.33 GB SHA-1: 1CE53AD5F60419CF04A715CF3233F247E48BEEC4


Note: It's the RTM edition for manufacturers. AKA ASUS OEM. I would get it while you can, and burn a few copies, before microsoft takes them down, they got cracked.
If you come to the descision to go through with this, private message me on here if you need help or have questions, I'll be on all day today.
(And I'm not condoning piracy, these are legit downloads on mSDN.)

[divine shine]

ok, oldfred, I finally got into the Ubuntu Live Session by disabling the Integrated NIC. But now the problem seem to have changed. Now Ubuntu doesn't seem to recognize my internal harddrive. The installer just skips the page where it is supposed to show the type of install that I might want to perform (like Install Ubuntu alongside Windows, Erase Windows and Install Ubuntu, etc), it doesn't even show whether I have another OS or not. It doesn't even tell me that I do not have another OS. Instead it directly takes me to the partitioning window where there is a table that is blank. There are no partitions to install Ubuntu on. Earlier when I logged into Ubuntu using the Legacy (CSM) mode, the installer atleast did show the partition of my PenDrive that I was using to boot into Ubuntu though it didn't seem to recognize my internal hard-drive. But this is like blank. Totally blank table. What do I do now?

[oldfred]

Moved Devine Shine to this threads. Since there may be some overlap it may be a bit confusing, but Devine Shine is a Dell and that is different than the Asus.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2144853