#1 2017-02-22 15:43:12

cyrf0006

Member

Registered: 2016-02-05

Posts: 47

[SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

Hi,
I have installed BL on a laptop where Windows 7 pro was previously installed. It is a work computer and I don't have the UEFI password, but one administrator set it to "legacy boot".

I successfully installed BL after shrinking Windows partition. I can boot BL, but Grub does not 'see' Windows (already when I installed Grub on the flash disk it did not detect).

I have seen mentions of such problem on the forum, but I did not find a thread with the following particularities: UEFI disabled, fdisk sees /dev/sda1, but update-grub no, and I don't have administrator previlege on Windows boot.

Thanks for any help.

Further info:

$ fdisk -l
Device         Start       End   Sectors   Size Type
/dev/sda1       2048 283918335 283916288 135.4G Microsoft basic data
/dev/sda2  498958336 499470335    512000   250M Windows recovery environment
/dev/sda3  499470336 499822591    352256   172M EFI System
/dev/sda4  499822592 500084735    262144   128M Microsoft reserved
/dev/sda5  283918336 283920383      2048     1M BIOS boot
/dev/sda6  283920384 490158079 206237696  98.4G Linux filesystem
/dev/sda7  490158080 498958335   8800256   4.2G Linux swap

$ sudo os-prober 
$ sudo update-grub
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found background image: /usr/share/images/desktop-base/desktop-grub.png
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.16.0-4-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.16.0-4-amd64
done

Last edited by cyrf0006 (2017-04-03 17:47:57)

hhh

Gaucho

From: High in the Custerdome

Registered: 2015-09-17

Posts: 16,169

Website

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

First thing to try, in a terminal run

sudo update-grub

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cyrf0006

Member

Registered: 2016-02-05

Posts: 47

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

Done, see the end of my original post.

hhh

Gaucho

From: High in the Custerdome

Registered: 2015-09-17

Posts: 16,169

Website

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

Right, sorry. Search engines bring up all sorts of results, but I'm about to eat lunch. Someone will sort you out shortly.

---

I don't care what you do at home. Would you care to explain?

hhh

Gaucho

From: High in the Custerdome

Registered: 2015-09-17

Posts: 16,169

Website

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

OK, had lunch and now have a clearer head.

Installed grub on the flash disk? That sounds wrong, did you follow our installation tutorial?
https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic.php?id=518

So if everything is on one drive as your first post indicates, you properly installed grub to /dev/sda with no number at the end?

Post back before panicking, you don't want to accidentally wipe your Windows install! Patience, young Jedi!

---

I don't care what you do at home. Would you care to explain?

cyrf0006

Member

Registered: 2016-02-05

Posts: 47

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

:-)

No, sorry installed Grub 'from' usb-stick. I think I installed this correctly. I have been installing BL/Crunchbang about 15 times now on several computers). But it is the first time with dual boot.

In brief: grub loads at startup, but no Windows7 at the horizon.

Actually, maybe I should mount the disk before os-prober/update-grub?
In this case, which sda I should mount (there are several partitions and I am not sure who's who)?

Last edited by cyrf0006 (2017-02-22 18:57:07)

hhh

Gaucho

From: High in the Custerdome

Registered: 2015-09-17

Posts: 16,169

Website

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

See this Arch thread and the linked wiki page first...
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=178707

If that doesn't help, wait for HoaS or someone else with recent dual boot experience to help, I haven't used Windows since XP!

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I don't care what you do at home. Would you care to explain?

Head_on_a_Stick

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From: London

Registered: 2015-09-29

Posts: 9,093

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Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

I have installed BL on a laptop where Windows 7 pro was previously installed. It is a work computer and I don't have the UEFI password, but one administrator set it to "legacy boot".

Unfortunately, the only way to switch between a non-UEFI BunsenLabs system and a UEFI Windows system is by toggling the "Legacy" mode (CSM) from the firmware ("BIOS") options.

The ArchWiki states that:

It WILL NOT WORK in BIOS installed GRUB.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GR … menu_entry

You can convert the BunsenLabs system to UEFI mode and os-prober should then pick up Windows and provide a working menu entry for it (the Windows partition does not need to be mounted), guide here:

https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic.php?id=391

Alternatively, we have a Deuterium ISO image with UEFI support that is currently being tested:

https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic.php?id=3357

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Para todos todo, para nosotros nada

hhh

Gaucho

From: High in the Custerdome

Registered: 2015-09-17

Posts: 16,169

Website

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

Thanks HoaS!

In that case, it'd probably be easiest to install the new ISO than to risk data corruption by shrinking an existing partition and adding a new one. Plus, you'll have a much smaller first upgrade since it's a new ISO build. Your system may beep when you run it live but will not after installation.

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I don't care what you do at home. Would you care to explain?

cyrf0006

Member

Registered: 2016-02-05

Posts: 47

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

Thanks for your quick replies.

Only one thing I don't understand.

the only way to switch between a non-UEFI BunsenLabs system and a UEFI Windows system is by toggling the "Legacy" mode (CSM) from the firmware ("BIOS") options

Right now the boot IS in Legacy mode. But still, I can't see windows. But I see that the partition uses 'bitlocker' if I open Gparted. So should it work?

Alternatively, I don't mind installing the testing version if you confirm that I won't be able to recognize windows even though legacy boot is activated.

Head_on_a_Stick

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From: London

Registered: 2015-09-29

Posts: 9,093

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Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

Right now the boot IS in Legacy mode. But still, I can't see windows.

Yes, I know

To boot Windows, you need to disable "Legacy" mode and enable UEFI.

I won't be able to recognize windows even though legacy boot is activated.

Windows can only be recognised if "Legacy" boot is disabled and UEFI is enabled.

It is *not* possible to boot a UEFI-installed Windows system in "Legacy" mode.

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Para todos todo, para nosotros nada

cyrf0006

Member

Registered: 2016-02-05

Posts: 47

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

Ok, now I understand. Thanks!

I will try the testing version then.

And I imagine I have to re-enable UEFI before installing Deuterium. In this case the GRUB should be recognized at startup, right?

Head_on_a_Stick

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From: London

Registered: 2015-09-29

Posts: 9,093

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Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

I have to re-enable UEFI before installing Deuterium. In this case the GRUB should be recognized at startup, right?

Yes, that is correct.

To check UEFI status, boot the installer then switch to a console screen with <Ctrl>+<Alt>+F3 and use:

ls /sys/firmware/efi

That folder will only be present if the system is booted in UEFI mode.

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Para todos todo, para nosotros nada

cyrf0006

Member

Registered: 2016-02-05

Posts: 47

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

Just to follow up this discussion.

I successfully installed Deuterium on the second partition. However, I had to installed it in Legacy mode since the usb stick containing the iso-image was not recognized otherwise. And of course, Windows partition is still not recognized.

I have the feeling that if I enable UEFI mode at reboot, I won't be able to log in onto the Linux partition anymore. Any suggestion on how I should proceed?

Last edited by cyrf0006 (2017-02-28 20:17:40)

Head_on_a_Stick

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From: London

Registered: 2015-09-29

Posts: 9,093

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Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

I had to installed it in Legacy mode since the usb stick containing the iso-image was not recognized otherwise.

Please confirm the exact URL from which you downloaded the ISO image and please also post the exact commands used to transfer the image to the installation medium.

The image to which I linked earlier in the thread works fine on my UEFI laptops so perhaps there was an error somewhere.

I have the feeling that if I enable UEFI mode at reboot, I won't be able to log in
onto the Linux partition anymore.

No, I think that should be fine — you should be able to choose the BunsenLabs system by enabling CSM or "Legacy" mode.

Any suggestion on how I should proceed?

You can attempt to convert the non-UEFI BL system to UEFI booting by following this guide:

https://forums.bunsenlabs.org/viewtopic.php?id=391

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Para todos todo, para nosotros nada

cyrf0006

Member

Registered: 2016-02-05

Posts: 47

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

Please confirm the exact URL from which you downloaded the ISO image

I used the URL you linked above from this thread.

please also post the exact commands used to transfer the image to the installation medium.

sudo dd if=<file> of=<device> bs=4M 
sudo sync
sudo eject <device>

In UEFI mode, the bios did not offer me the option to boot on the stick. I was only able in Legacy mode so I installed the linux partition this way.

I will try to switch to UEFI mode to see if can see the GRUB. Keep you posted.

cyrf0006

Member

Registered: 2016-02-05

Posts: 47

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

Update.

Still cannot setup dual boot:
- in Legacy mode, I can only boot BL (GRUB doesn't find the Windows partition).
- in UEFI mode, computer boot directly the Windows partition.

Any idea if/how I can get out of this situation without re-installing another linux distro?

Horizon_Brave

Operating System: Linux-Nettrix

Registered: 2015-10-18

Posts: 1,473

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

Generally Windows doesn't like to recognize any other Bootloaders, so did you install Windows 7 first? then install BunsenLabs with Grub? Also did you run the update grub command once you finished configuring your grub config file?

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Head_on_a_Stick

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From: London

Registered: 2015-09-29

Posts: 9,093

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Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

@HB: please read through the thread, those questions have already been answered.

please also post the exact commands used to transfer the image to the installation medium.

sudo dd if=<file> of=<device> bs=4M 

That is *not* the exact command, is it?

What *exactly* did you type instead of <device>?

The devil is in the detail...

Any idea if/how I can get out of this situation

I have already explained your options here — either convert your installed system to UEFI mode or re-install with our UEFI-capable image.

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Para todos todo, para nosotros nada

cyrf0006

Member

Registered: 2016-02-05

Posts: 47

Re: [SOLVED] Dual boot - UEFI Windows system

That is *not* the exact command, is it?
What *exactly* did you type instead of <device>?

Fair enough:

$ sudo dd if=live-image-amd64-170211-stretch_build.hydrid.iso of=/dev/sdb bs=4M 

Either convert your installed system to UEFI mode or re-install with our UEFI-capable image.

But I re-installed my linux partition with Deuterium specially because I thought it was UEFI capable?

I think I am in a loop now: I can only access my linux partition while booting in Legacy mode, which is the reason why Grub cannot recognize the Windows partition. If I switch to UEFI, I cannot access Linux partition anymore.

Last edited by cyrf0006 (2017-03-29 20:12:20)