Grub - Add windows

[Macamba]

Nope, again. I got the same error:

error: No such device: 4a8ddd8d-09fd-4394-8f24-4631dc80ea19
Entering rescue mode ...
grub rescue>

Accompanying pastebin: https://paste.ubuntu.com/p/gBk6Hn8m2P/

But now with only 2 OS'es:

================================ 2 OS detected =================================

OS#1:   Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS on sda4
OS#2:   Windows 8 or 10 on sdb1

With the newly created sdb7:

sdb7: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type:  FAT32
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:

I now will try a reinstall, not with UEFI, but with a 1 MB biosgrub.

Warning! "No EFI SYstem Partition was found". That is new. In a previous step I removed an EFI partition on the Windows HD. Continue anyway.
https://ibb.co/QfmzK2Y

[oldfred]

This is correct as that was your old install partition. And that means you are trying to boot with the old grub in the MBR, not new UEFI grub in UEFI.

error: No such device: 4a8ddd8d-09fd-4394-8f24-4631dc80ea19

While you have what looks like a UEFI install, it seems to be missing the UEFI boot entry.

This says you booted live installer in BIOS/CSM/Legacy boot mode.

While you have what looks like a UEFI install, it seems to be missing the UEFI boot entry.

Reboot in UEFI mode and reinstall grub. It will not add Windows to grub menu as UEFI & BIOS are not compatible. Or once you start booting in one mode, you cannot switch.
You are missing UEFI boot entry:
See line 137. Or this.
sudo efibootmgr -v

To boot Windows you have to install a BIOS boot loader to sdb, it now has grub will will not work.
Either syslinux or use your Windows repair flash drive and fixMBR.

[Macamba]

Reboot in UEFI mode and reinstall grub. It will not add Windows to grub menu as UEFI & BIOS are not compatible. Or once you start booting in one mode, you cannot switch.
You are missing UEFI boot entry:
See line 137. Or this.
sudo efibootmgr -v

To boot Windows you have to install a BIOS boot loader to sdb, it now has grub will will not work.
Either syslinux or use your Windows repair flash drive and fixMBR.

My latest pastebin: https://paste.ubuntu.com/p/k75Y9Pfkp3/

I hoped on better times, with the biosboot partition. But sad to say (again), no :-{.

Use suggest syslinux? Like

syslinux --install /dev/sdb

(partly from man page)

Or otherwise l need to find out how to make a "Windows repair flash drive". The pages I find use a running Windows system, which I lack at the moment.

*Sigh*

[tea for one]

From your latest boot-repair report in post 33:-

Line 141 sdb is not GPT

Widows in EFI mode requires GPT.

Suggestion:-

Remove drive sda completely from you PC
Use a live Ubuntu session to create GPT on your drive where you wish to install Windows
Install Windows only on this drive
Verify Windows boots successfully
Restore your backup

When this is OK, please post back here and we can try to help with your Ubuntu drive (originally sda)

[oldfred]

Only because you have two drives, You can have one drive UEFI/gpt and the other BIOS/MBR. Some older UEFI required you to change settings so it knew which way to boot the drive you wanted to boot from. Most UEFI now know and let you choose which to boot and it works. But you have to choose from UEFI boot menu.

Boot-Repairs's advanced mode may install syslinux for you. You have to choose your install (Windows) and drive for boot loader, sdb. But if Windows is hibernated or fast start up on, then Boot-Repair may not see it.

Install my have syslinux.
sudo apt-get install syslinux
Not sure which path is correct, it may depend on version of Ubuntu or Linux.
sudo dd if=/usr/lib/syslinux/mbr.bin of=/dev/sdb
sudo dd if=/usr/lib/syslinux/mbr/mbr.bin of=/dev/sdb

[Macamba]

Some time has past. But I finally succeeded in booting my Windows, after disconnecting my Linux HD. Working with your counterpart from the Microsoft forums I found out I actually "may not have a UEFI capable BIOS . . . ". So can I install Ubuntu without it writing UEFI to my HD's?

[oldfred]

Your trusty Microsoft source says your system may not be UEFI capable?
Boot-Repair said this:

BIOS is EFI-compatible, and is setup in EFI-mode for this live-session.

Repeating myself several times after reviewing previous posts.
Microsoft has required vendors to install Windows in UEFI/gpt boot mode since Windows 8 released in 2012. So most hardware is UEFI.
And how you boot install media, UEFI or BIOS is then how it installs.
Microsoft only installs in UEFI mode to gpt partitioned drives.

[tea for one]

trusty Microsoft source

Touché oldfred - Best oxymoron of the day.

[Macamba]

Your trusty Microsoft source says your system may not be UEFI capable?
Boot-Repair said this:


Repeating myself several times after reviewing previous posts.
Microsoft has required vendors to install Windows in UEFI/gpt boot mode since Windows 8 released in 2012. So most hardware is UEFI.
And how you boot install media, UEFI or BIOS is then how it installs.
Microsoft only installs in UEFI mode to gpt partitioned drives.

During my forum session at Microsoft I had to offer a picture of my BIOS Security Tab. I had none.
https://ibb.co/BGrx3D6

Next I was asked to provide him with a picture of my System Information.
https://ibb.co/SrfCSMg

On seeing this picture he concluded "that Secure Boot is not supported on your motherboard, so therefore you cannot switch to UEIF, may I ask why were you going to switch to UEFI"

@oldFred: You say "So most hardware is UEFI." Might my BIOS not support UEFI despite what Boot-Repair said?

[CelticWarrior]

Might my BIOS not support UEFI despite what Boot-Repair said?

No, period. It is, sadly, a very early implementation (yes, old) that looks indistinguishable for the old BIOS at first glance. But the bare minimum features are there under Advanced BIOS features > https://download.gigabyte.com/FileLi...v.6.0_e_04.pdf pages 23-24 mention "EFI boot" and that settles the matter. Pay special attention to the "Hard Disk Boot Priority" where, if more than one disk, the first in order should always be the one containing the ESP (EFI System Partition irrespective of where the OSes are installed.

On seeing this picture he concluded "that Secure Boot is not supported on your motherboard, so therefore you cannot switch to UEIF, may I ask why were you going to switch to UEFI"

And this tells us a lot about the "support". I guess he missed the part about "BIOS mode: Legacy" that automatically implies Secure Boot unsupported. The system information page reports how it was installed only (legacy).