After Ubuntu 18.04.1 windows 10 doesn't boot. Keeps going into recovery mode.

[maheshnihar]

Hi
I recently installed Ubuntu 18.04.1. Windows was already on the laptop. When I tried to load back into windows after Ubuntu got installed it dint allow me and was always going to repair mode.

I have my Ubuntu summaru created by boot repair tool here

https://paste.ubuntu.com/p/JrBv3qpJ8H/

[westie457]

Hi, the problem is right at the start of your report 'No valid partition table found'.

Boot from your Ubuntu install media to 'Try' mode and open a terminal. Type and run the following commands
sudo apt update
sudo apt install testdisk
sudo testdisk
If your ssd is not detected in the drive selection screen restart testdisk with a parameter, something like this ​testdisk /dev/nvme0
A step by step guide is here' https://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/Running_TestDisk

[maheshnihar]

Hi I tried to install testdisk and when I go through it doesn't show the HDD on the list. Tried with parameter too.

[oldfred]

That is not issue, but bootinfoscript has not been updated to correctly see NVMe drives.
Author needs someone with NVMe to test code to know if changes are correct.
Support NVMe and MMC devices
https://github.com/arvidjaar/bootinfoscript/issues

Boot-Repair uses the script based (non-gui) bootinfoscript for about the first third of its report to parse drive info.

Have you updated UEFI from Dell and NVMe firmware?

Grub only boots working Windows.
Can you directly boot Windows from UEFI boot menu, usually f12 on Dell.
What model Dell?

Have you tried turning off UEFI Secure Boot, but still boot in UEFI mode?

[maheshnihar]

Have you updated UEFI from Dell and NVMe firmware? I remember I updated it.
Grub only boots working Windows. : My windows was working before normally. Only after installing Ubuntu this happened.
Can you directly boot Windows from UEFI boot menu, usually f12 on Dell.: I tried but still goes into recover mode.
What model Dell? It is Dell xps 9550

Have you tried turning off UEFI Secure Boot, but still boot in UEFI mode? I will try this one and let you know.

[oldfred]

Some older 9550 threads. Newer version of Ubuntu should be better.
With the mega-thread often better to start at end and work forward. Early issues are often solved.

Ubuntu 16 on the DELL XPS15 9550 Tutorial
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2345444
Ubuntu 16.04 on Dell Xps 15 9550 (i7-6700HQ - 1TB SSD - UHD 4k touch) mega-thread
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2317843
Dell Xps 15 9550 Ubuntu 15.10 on new Infinity display (i7 6gen 16gbr UHD 4k touch) post 272 says 16.04 good
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2301071

[maheshnihar]

Hi

The version I installed was 18.04.1. Is that still an issue?

[oldfred]

It should not be, but a few users seem to be having issues.
Generally better to use newest release as it has newer kernel & drivers that fix issues. And then older hardware works or works better or newer hardware then works without leaping thru hoops.

But Windows boot issues, are not related to Ubuntu install.
Windows settings, how you shrank NTFS partition and some other Windows related issues are the problem.
You may need to use your Windows repair disk and run chkdsk. Make sure Windows fast start up is off, not just a "full" shutdown but type of shutdown. You may be able to get to internal Windows repair condole with f12 then f8.

Fast Start up off (always on hibernation), note that Windows turns this back on with updates
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2324331&p=13488472#post13488472
http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4189-fast-startup-turn-off-windows-10-a.html
http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2859-hibernate-enable-disable-windows-10-a.html

[maheshnihar]

Have you tried turning off UEFI Secure Boot, but still boot in UEFI mode?Tried this but still goes into recovery mode.

Make sure Windows fast start up is off: I am going to try this now. Is there a way we can turn it off?

[maheshnihar]

Tried everything. But dint work. Disabled Fast boot and then tried to get back to Windows Still goes to recovery.

[oldfred]

I have seen this, but no idea if still valid.
Better to use Windows repair tools for Windows issues.

Force removal of hiberfil from Ubuntu
http://askubuntu.com/questions/145902/unable-to-mount-windows-ntfs-filesystem-due-to-hibernation

(http://askubuntu.com/questions/145902/unable-to-mount-windows-ntfs-filesystem-due-to-hibernation)
Windows 10 repair disk
http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4200-recovery-drive-create-windows-10-a.html
http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/36083-system-repair-disc-create-windows-10-a.html
Repair/backup/restore
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/instantanswers/3a747883-b706-43a5-a286-9e98f886d490/create-a-recovery-drive
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/windows-10-recovery-options

(http://askubuntu.com/questions/145902/unable-to-mount-windows-ntfs-filesystem-due-to-hibernation)

[maheshnihar]

I think I accidentally formatted the Win OS partition.
I was trying TEST DISK to recover files on my windows.
But when I run test disk it doesn't show up my internal hard drive at all. It just shows up only the external pen drive

[oldfred]

Post this:
sudo parted -l

And post link to a new copy of summary report from Boot-Repair.

[maheshnihar]

Hi Fred. This is what I have as below and here is the summary after boot repair.
http://paste.ubuntu.com/p/VGVK35fJnw/

Model: NVMe Device (nvme)
Disk /dev/nvme0n1: 1024GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags:

Number Start End Size File system Name Flags
1 1049kB 525MB 524MB fat32 EFI system partition boot, esp
2 525MB 660MB 134MB Microsoft reserved partition msftres
3 660MB 510GB 510GB ext4
4 510GB 511GB 964MB ntfs hidden, diag
5 511GB 958GB 447GB ntfs Basic data partition msftdata
6 958GB 1012GB 53.7GB ntfs Basic data partition msftdata
7 1012GB 1012GB 472MB ntfs hidden, diag
8 1012GB 1024GB 11.7GB ntfs hidden, diag

[oldfred]

It is unusual to see an ext4 partition before any NTFS partitions when you have a system with Windows pre-installed. Not sure how you forced that there?
And is then /dev/nvme0n1p5 your Windows install?

If you moved the NTFS partition, it will need chkdsk and hibernation removed. You can only do that from Windows repair console or your Windows installer with a repair console.

If you still can directly boot Windows from UEFI, can you also immediately press f8 and get into Windows internal repair console?
Have you tried with UEFI Secure Boot off?

If not you have to use a Windows repair flash drive. Buy two new flash drives and talk a friend or neighbor running Windows 10 to let you make two repair flash drives. And let him/her keep one. They will need it someday. And convince friend to make a full backup.

[maheshnihar]

Hey Fred
/dev/nvme0n1p5 is just data drive not an OS one

I did a full format yesterday and reloaded win 10.

What will be the best way to use Ubuntu?
Through Dual boot or Just use it through a virtual box?

[oldfred]

I am a dual booter (actually many Ubuntu installs), but have not yet tried virtual install.

Many here recommend virtual installs if you have newer hardware and extra RAM as that is shared.

[maheshnihar]

Is there a good tutorial on how to dual boot it with windows.
Also a way to selecting the OS not from GRUB menu but instead through a windows menu.

My laptop is Dell XPS 15 9550 which currently runs windows 10

[oldfred]

If you look at my signature, I posted lots of detail on dual booting with many more links for anything that you may not understand.

It looks like you may have replaced your Windows partition with the Ubuntu partition. You use Windows to shrink an NTFS partition to make room for an ext4 partition or two if you want separate /home. Always reboot into Windows so it can run chkdsk as after any resize it needs chkdsk. And make sure fast start up is off, note that Windows keeps turning it back on with updates.

Dell's need UEFI updates, and RAID or Intel SRT turned off.
Dell UEFI Dual boot instructions using Something Else
https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/SLN301754/how-to-install-ubuntu-and-a-recent-windows-operating-system-as-a-dual-boot-on-your-dell-pc?lang=EN
https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/sln142679/how-to-enable-boot-from-dvd-option-with-uefi-boot-mode-enabled--windows-8--81--10-?lang=en
Dell with NVMe needs AHCI & boot option nvme_load=YES
https://www.dell.com/support/article/us/en/19/sln299303/loading-ubuntu-on-systems-using-pcie-m2-drives?lang=en