10

Hello after a successfull installation of Ubuntu 12.10 amd64, I am now unable to boot Windows 8.

Here are my actions:

  1. Made room (15 GB) for Ubuntu from Windows 8 Computer Managment
  2. Boot Ubuntu 12.10 amd64 LiveUSB with EFI and with Secure Boot enabled
  3. Created 2 new partitions at the end (13 GB Ext4 Root amd 2 GB Swap)
  4. Selected Windows 8 EFI System Partition to install bootloader

Grub gives me at boot:

  1. Ubuntu (works without problems)
  2. Windows Recovery Environment (lots of errors)
  3. Windows 8 (2 error messages describe just below)

The 2 error messages are:

  • error: can't find command drivemap.
  • error: invalid EFI file path
5
  • Rectification I selected "the newly created EFI System Partition" to install the bootloader, but in reallity it installed the bootloader on the Windows 8 EFS...
    – Kouros
    Dec 28, 2012 at 17:07
  • Did you do a backup beforehand? i.e the windows 8 start/system partition is something small like 150-350 MB so maybe you did dd if=/dev/sda1 of=/media/some_usb_pendrive/backupfile? If such a backup exists I would restore the windows system/start partitio which might have been "damaged". Dec 28, 2012 at 17:58
  • Sorry no backup but I managed to get Windows 8 back using Recovery Environment (by pressing the assist button instead of the power on button)
    – Kouros
    Jan 4, 2013 at 10:39
  • did you seriously make a duplicate of your own question? Install Ubuntu 12.10 on UEFI along Windows 8
    – duxk.gh
    Jan 4, 2013 at 10:49
  • NOTE: upgrading to 13.04 removed this change in my install.
    – gcb
    Jun 20, 2013 at 6:22

6 Answers 6

6

I found a temporary solution.

Add a custom entry to GRUB bootmenu

Append the code below to /etc/grub.d/40_custom.

menuentry "Windows 8" {
    insmod part_gpt
    insmod chain
    set root='(hd0,gpt1)'
    chainloader /EFI/microsoft/BOOT/bootmgfw.efi
}

You can use Ctrl+Alt+T to open a terminal and run sudo nano /etc/grub.d/40_custom, then copy and paste the code. Finally then press Ctrl+O to save and Ctrl+X to leave.

Heads up: hd0,gpt1 here is the ID of my EFI System Partition (ESP). If your ESP is not the first partition on your first harddrive during boot, then yours is different! E.g. hd1,gpt2 for the second partition on the second drive.

Replace part_gpt with part_msdos if the drive uses MBR and legacy partitioning and also change hd0,gpt1 to hd0,msdos1 respectively.

Apply changes to GRUB

Simply run the following command, which should generate a new GRUB configuration, including the new custom entry:

sudo update-grub

Now reboot, you should be able to boot Windows 8 now. If not, and Windows complains about corrupted BCD configuration, then continue on superuser: How can I repair the Windows 8 EFI Bootloader?


Warning: On some occasions, if you boot Windows 8, GRUB will be replaced by Windows Boot Manager as default boot manager.

2
  • what should i 'aim' for? i thought it was the windows data partition (gpt4 here) but it worked with gpt1, which is the only EFI partition i have. i though installing ubuntu would have overwritten the windows content of the EFI partition, like grub does to the MBR...
    – gcb
    Feb 15, 2013 at 6:16
  • 1
    This solution is not working for me. Is the character ` appearing in the set root='(hd0,gpt1)' intended. It gives error for me (I try with gpt3) even without that character also. The error is like (hd0,gpt1) is not found.
    – iammilind
    Aug 2, 2013 at 12:12
3

The wrong Windows entries in GRUB are due to this bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/grub2/+bug/1024383

Solution: run Boot-Repair's Recommended Repair from a liveCD (or liveUSB).

2
  • 1
    I had to disable "secure boot" in the bios before this would work. Apr 30, 2013 at 16:21
  • @RobinWinslow Yes, Boot-Repair also worked for me (Lenovo Thinkpad S540) but only if I disabled SecureBootin the bios, otherwise Windows 8 still complains...Would be nice if this could be made to work whilst retaining SecureBoot
    – fpghost
    Dec 19, 2013 at 10:04
0

I found a way to shut Windows 8 up. See https://superuser.com/questions/499923/preinstalled-windows-8-and-linux-uefi-dual-boot-on-a-laptop/528581

Under W8, in an elevated privilege command window, run powercfg /h off. By the time you do this, W8 may already have overwritten the EFI partition. It took me a few iterations of changing bootmgfw.efi and having it reset until it stuck, but now I'm happy.

I can't tell if just booting W8 is enough, or if you have to log in and then reboot. Perhaps somebody with more patience (I was working on this for more than half a day) can tell.

0

I have the same problem on my Asus-x202 laptop (running W8 & Ubuntu 13.04).

A slightly annoying work around is good enough for me for the moment: in the boot menu go to system (or start bios from the start using probably f2). If you use the override to boot, Windows will start as usual.

1
  • 1
    What exactly are you referring to by "the override to boot"? I don't understand that part of your answer.
    – gertvdijk
    Aug 15, 2013 at 15:09
0

The "override to boot" is a menu on the "boot" tab of the motherboards configuration menu. It lets you select and start instantly any boot loader installed yet on your rig.

1
  • 1
    @edwin This answer could use expanding, but it does appear to be an attempt to answer the question that was asked. vic: Welcome to Ask Ubuntu! I recommend editing this to add more information about how to use that feature, as well as a more thorough explanation of why it solves this problem. Thanks. Aug 16, 2013 at 0:58
0

I have a similar issue with my new HP Pavillion Sleekbook, Model 15-b142dx. It came with W8 pre-loaded. I was able to re-size the Windows partition from within Windows, then installed 64-bit Ubuntu 13.04 from a thumb drive. However, on reboot, W8 started normally, with no boot menu. So, I used "boot-repair", which made the system unbootable. On start-up, it would print:

Failed to open \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\grubx64.efi - 800000000000000E 
Failed to load grub
Failed to open \EFI\BOOT\grubx64.efi - 800000000000000E
Failed to load grub
Failed to open \EFI\BOOT\grubx64.efi - 800000000000000E
Failed to load grub

It would then shut down.

After some trial and error, I found that pressing F10 during boot would take me to the BIOS, where I could disable Secure Boot. The next boot, I got a LONG menu from grub, with lots of entries like:

Windows UEFI bkpbootmgfw.efi
Windows Boot UEFI loader
EFI/HP/BIOSUpdate/CryptRSA32.efi
.
.
.

These were all contained in a file, "/etc/grub.d/25_custom". I made a backup copy of that file, then eliminated all the entries except Windows Boot UEFI loader. (This is one of the entries that allows W8 to boot). I then ran "update-grub", and wound up with a much nicer boot menu, and can boot either OS.

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