Boot repair error - boot files of OS are far from the start of the disk

[kamesh-vaddina]

Hi all,

I am having trouble with dual booting Windows 8 and Kubuntu. My ultrabook (Sony Vaio duo 11) boots directly into Windows without showing me grub menu. I then do Shift+Restart to go into windows advanced startup options and choose Use a disk and then Ubuntu to get to grub menu which allows me to login into Kubuntu. I would like the system to directly present me with the grub menu instead. I tried boot repair (recommended option) and I get the following error.

http://paste.ubuntu.com/7610133/


The boot files of [The OS now in use - Ubuntu 14.04 LTS] are far from the start of the disk. Your BIOS may not detect them. You may want to retry after creating a /boot partition (EXT4, >200MB, start of the disk). This can be performed via tools such as gParted. Then select this partition via the [Separate /boot partition:] option of [Boot Repair]. (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootPartition)

I also tried the advanced option and tried to set the Grub location> Set /boot partition to sda1. I get the same error. I request you to please help me.

Thanks and regards,
Kamesh

[oldfred]

Boot-Repair reports that, but issue has only been on older BIOS systems and external drives with BIOS. I have yet to see that error really apply to a newer UEFI type system.

Your issue is with Sony.
Every Sony user posted so far has similar boot issues. Sony has modified UEFI to only boot Windows.

There choices seem to be one of the various rename functions to get the UEFI thinking it is booting Windows when it really boots grub. Boot-Repair actually renames the Windows boot file which I now consider the least desirable choice as then you can only boot Windows from grub menu. And Windows updates will reset it to be Windows again.

Sony Vaio Pro 13 - To get into UEFI press this "Assist" button BEFORE starting
http://askubuntu.com/questions/458413/how-to-fix-dual-booting-windows-8-and-ubuntu-14-04-on-a-sony-vaio
Issues on rename
https://bugs.launchpad.net/boot-repair/+bug/1315490
With encryption but you do not have to
http://steffankarger.nl/2013/12/10/ubuntu-13-10-on-the-sony-vaio-pro-13/
One Sony user

The trick was to manually copy the ubuntu Boot directory in place of the \EFI\Boot Directory, and rename shimx64.efi to \EFI\Boot\bootx64.efi (not \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi )
Dual booting with Windows 8 on a Sony Vaio
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2153589
Sony Vaio & Ubuntu 13.10
http://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/embed_code/27418512
Sony Vaio Pro hard coded to only boot "Windows Boot Manager"
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2196415
sudo efibootmgr -c -L "Windows Boot Manager" -l " \EFI\ubuntu\shimx64.efi"
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2200818


Systems that only boot Windows from UEFI. Work arounds -Often Sony & HP, maybe others
A: Manually rename files either bootmfg.efi and/or bootx64.efi :
Users who manually moved efi files around see post #6
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2101840
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2219452
some find this changing this to be shim or grub /EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi
Then booting device or hard drive works also.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2221498&p=13012109#post13012109

B:Boot_Repair rename Windows bootmfg.efi. But cannot boot Windows from UEFI only grub
Always say no until proven that you only can boot Windows entry from UEFI menu.
buggy-kernel detected. Do you want to activate [Backup and rename Windows EFI files]? yes (if any choice fails, please retry with the other)
To undo & to rename files to their original names, you just need to tick the "Restore EFI backups" option of Boot-Repair.

Any rename either manually or with Boot-Repair will need to be redone after a Windows update as it will restore Windows files.

C: Edit Windows BCD, one Alternative to Boot-Repairs rename of shim.
Some systems work better to register grub/shim from inside Windows - for those that keep resetting Windows as default
http://askubuntu.com/questions/371559/grub-not-showing-on-startup-for-windows-8-1-ubuntu-13-10-dual-boot
bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path \EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi
https://coderwall.com/p/vfyqkg

D: If Description has to be Windows then change UEFI description.
sudo efibootmgr -c -L "Windows Boot Manager" -l " \EFI\ubuntu\shimx64.efi"

E: Some install rEFInd which seems to be another workaround and has nice boot icons.
http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/index.html
http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/secureboot.html