Booting Windows only if USB flash disk is plugged in.

[johncooool]

This is the 2nd post this year about the same subject. I am working on it with "oldfred". oldfred has asked me to open a new thread (I am also the thread starter last time) to work on it. It was solved last time under some different circumstances. The solution can be found at https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread....7#post13979067

The method worked on Legacy support motherboard of a laptop running Win7 and now I am trying it on a UEFI motherboard of a laptop running Win8.1 .

I did the same steps except for one of them all listed here below.

• Run a repair after booting into "Boot repair disk" to install MBR files that the Grub menu will see.
• Create a USB disk to boot up Grub menu. The Grub menu used is from Super GRUB2 Disk
• Make C: partition inactive from Diskpart so that windows will no longer load without the USB being plugged in to choose it from the grub menu. (I did not deactivate the grub until it works before making it inactive)

Hibernate does not work because main Win C: partition is made inactive. But Sleep still works...

It did not work on the newer motherboard using UEFI. I can still see all the partitions and I tired all the options and it just gives an error message.

[oldfred]

With UEFI, you do not use MBR.
UEFI uses gpt partitioning, but has a protective MBR, just with one gpt partition table entry. That is so old versions of partition tools see that drive is partitioned and do not immediately try to partition it.

UEFI is a lot different than the 35 year old BIOS/MBR configuration.
Windows only boots, installs or repairs UEFI systems when you have gpt partitioning.

You must always boot installers in UEFI mode, not BIOS/CSM/Legacy mode.
CSM - UEFI Compatibility Support Module (CSM), which emulates a BIOS mode, only available with secure boot off.

What brand/model system? What video card/chip?

Lot more general UEFI info in link in my signature below.
But some systems need boot parameters or settings in UEFI.

Have you updated UEFI to latest available by your system vendor?

[johncooool]

If it it cannot be done then no need to try it... If it can be then I will try it.
Does the solution have to be tailored for each device? If so then it won't be worth it...

The benefit of the other solution is that it was very easily reversible. Will this be easy to reverse it?

I did do a BIOS update to the latest version which I assume is the same one for UEFI.

The system is: Lenovo G50-80 Laptop Running Win 8.1

Why is the Video card information needed?

Video card info is:

Display Devices
---------------
          Card name: Intel(R) HD Graphics Family
       Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
          Chip type: Intel(R) HD Graphics Family
           DAC type: Internal
        Device Type: Full Device
         Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_0A16&SUBSYS_390B17AA&REV_0B
     Display Memory: 1920 MB
   Dedicated Memory: 128 MB
      Shared Memory: 1792 MB
       Current Mode: 1366 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
       Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
      Monitor Model: unknown
         Monitor Id: LGD0468
        Native Mode: 1366 x 768(p) (60.005Hz)
        Output Type: Internal
        Driver Name: igdumdim64.dll,igd10iumd64.dll,igd10iumd64.dll,igdumdim32,igd10iumd32,igd10iumd32
Driver File Version: 10.18.0014.4264 (English)
     Driver Version: 10.18.14.4264
        DDI Version: 11.1
     Feature Levels: 11.1,11.0,10.1,10.0,9.3,9.2,9.1
       Driver Model: WDDM 1.3
Graphics Preemption: Primitive
 Compute Preemption: Thread group
           Miracast: Supported
Hybrid Graphics GPU: Integrated
     Power P-states: Not Supported
  Driver Attributes: Final Retail
   Driver Date/Size: 8/9/2015 04:52:04, 25076864 bytes
        WHQL Logo'd: n/a
    WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
  Device Identifier: {D7B78E66-4956-11CF-B264-0519B6C2C735}
          Vendor ID: 0x8086
          Device ID: 0x0A16
          SubSys ID: 0x390B17AA
        Revision ID: 0x000B
 Driver Strong Name: oem44.inf:5f63e5341cc65b69:iHSWM_w81:10.18.14.4264:pci\ven_8086&dev_0a16
     Rank Of Driver: 00DA2001
        Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C ModeWMV9_C ModeVC1_C 
        DXVA2 Modes: DXVA2_ModeMPEG2_VLD  DXVA2_ModeMPEG2_IDCT  DXVA2_ModeWMV9_IDCT  DXVA2_ModeVC1_IDCT  DXVA2_ModeH264_VLD_NoFGT

[oldfred]

Without knowing video, do not know if any of these apply:
Some Lenovos comes with a physical switch that enables you to select which graphics adapter to use.
Some chips like nVidia need nomodeset boot parameter. Now Ubuntu offers to install proprietary driver as part of install, so boot parameter not required on first boot, just on installer or safe boot option.
Just then needed to know it was Intel and that normally just works.
Lenovo laptops containing Optimus graphics W520/T520/T530 nox2apic boot parameter
https://gist.github.com/wbond/3800562
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1178...tempts-to-boot

When I looked up specs for your model, it says Graphics. Graphics Processor. AMD Radeon R5 M330
So even looking up specs does not always match actual system configuration.

Most vendors have families of models that have similar issues & solutions.
But Lenovo seems to have many models and they all seem to be different.

Old thread says your model had issues with Wi-Fi. Not sure if not resolved as newer versions of Ubuntu fix many things. If not see this:
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2297603

Are you booting in UEFI mode?
What error code do you get.
Have you installed & its not booting. Then post link to summary report from Boot-Repair.

[johncooool]

Your knowledge of Hardware is very impressive. It is almost like you are one with it. You probably posses superior memory.

I do not have any known issues with the device. WiFi or otherwise but thanks for the consideration.

Yes it does have legacy support but I am booting in UEFI and windows works normally on it.

The only Linux I have is the Grub menu I use to login like I did before (in the old thread).

I prepared the Grub menu form Supergrub 2 with Rufus and as I prepare it. It gives option to prepare the USB for UEFI and for BIOS.

When I set the setting to login with Legacy support it boots into Grub menu normally but when I set it purely on UEFI it will see the USB in bootup menu but will not boot into it. It will skip over it and continue to Windows.

Last time other Grub menus did not work. Maybe the solution is to use another one once again. Maybe if the USB boots into UEFI then it will work.

I will get the error message when trying to login to Windows via USB Grub menu.

[oldfred]

Do you have Windows fast start up off?
Grub only boots working Windows. So no hibernation (fast start up sets a hibernation flag), nor any other issues like chkdsk required.

Are you getting grub menu which is UEFI boot or the purple BIOS boot screen?

Shows installer with screen shots. Both BIOS purple accessibility screen & UEFI black grub menu screen
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI
Also shows Windows 10 screens or similar to Windows 8
https://askubuntu.com/questions/2218...s-10-with-uefi
Linux on UEFI: A Quick Installation Guide
http://www.rodsbooks.com/linux-uefi/
More info on Windows:
http://www.eightforums.com/

Memory not so good anymore. But common questions saved into Zim file which is easy to locally search.

[johncooool]

I am not using Fast boot but there is an option in the BIOS called fast boot. It might be on.

Will Check disk stop working if booting without flag?

I am not getting a purple menu. It is in orange color.

I will add a link that has a video of the process to get all your answers.

[CelticWarrior]

Fast Boot is a UEFI ("BIOS") feature; Fast Startup is a Windows feature. There's a big difference. Anyway, you want both disabled for better results.

[oldfred]

The fast boot is an UEFI setting, where system assumes no changes and does not do POST or scan of system for your configuration. Often then you do not have time to press any key before default boot starts. While reconfiguring best to have off.
The fast start up is a Windows setting that uses a type of hibernation. That must be off for the Ubuntu NTFS driver to see NTFS partitions in normal read/write mode and for grub to boot Windows.

With UEFI, the boot/esp flag(s) must be on the ESP - efi system partition or the FAT32 partition. Only one per drive and Ubuntu & Windows will share the one on your first drive.

[johncooool]

No video but the link contains Pictures for assistance.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7709q2b41...IEWaTW5ha?dl=0

You can skip sign up if it is requested from you and get to the photos.