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I have a new HP laptop with Windows 8 pre-installed. To try Linux I downloaded Ubuntu 64 bit and burned it to a DVD. The install seemed successful but I didn't get the option to boot into Ubuntu or Windows, just straight to Windows.

I tried a variety of things to get the dual-boot option:

  • I tried the repair disc method by heading into "try Ubuntu" from the disc and typing a few commands from the terminal. That seemed to work fine within Ubuntu but to no avail after a reboot.

  • I tried downloading a program called EasyBCD 2.2 and while this brought up the windows boot manager on restart when I chose the Linux boot menu entry I created it kept giving me errors about a missing file(\NST\AutoNeoGrub0.mbr).

  • At this point that I finally turned off secure boot in the BIOS, again to no avail.

  • I tried using the wubi windows installer program as well and that didn't work. This just gave me anther Ubuntu option on my boot manager which again tells me I am missing files(\ubuntu\winboot\wubiulder.mbr)

Now here is the odd thing. I can, in fact, get Ubuntu to load through a very complex method of booting from my burned DVD which is as follows. When I boot from the disc I get a black grub menu with only 4 options: 

1-try ubuntu 
2-install ubuntu 
3-OEM install 
4-check disc.

Here I press escape and am taken to a command line with grub>. On typing exit I'm taken to yet a different boot manager (blue & grey) with 5 options: 

1-OS boot manager 
2-ubuntuST9500325AS 
3-ubuntuST9500325AS 
4-internal cd/dvd 
5-boot from EFI.

If I choose either 2 or 3 (doesn't seem to be a difference other than a capital letter) I am then taken to the more familiar purple grub menu. Here there are quite a few options including Ubuntu and Windows 8. Note: Windows 8 does not load from this menu! Ubuntu does seem to load and run from here. Obviously, I do not want to go through this every time!!!

So basically at the end of day when I restart or boot up I have the regular windows boot manager that comes up after I installed EasyBCD but the only option that works is of course Windows 8.

I know it's a lot to take in but any help would be much appreciated.

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When the little pop-up box saying What's your question? be specific. says that - it means it. Please edit your title to be more relevant to the problem you are having. Thanks :) – Mochan Jan 14 at 5:46

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