dual boot windows10/ubuntu16.10

sadrazam · November 2016

Hello,

I have bought an Aspire TC-710 with Windows 10 pre-installed. It works fine, no problem. I would like to use Ubuntu 16.10 as alternative OS and I tried to install it on the computer.

I prepared a bootable USB stick with Ubuntu 16.10 on it and, using the F12 key to choose the first boot device, I could boot on the USB stick.

I could then install Ubuntu 16.10 on new ext4 partition, I created also a linux-swap partition.

But I am now not able to access Ubunto because I could not create the dual boot Windows10/Ubuntu16.10.

Despite reading various posts on Internet, I could not achieve the dual boot.

I don't know to use UEFI and boot managers. Does somebody how to find a solution.

Thank you for your help.

Computer
Aspire TC-710 - proceoor Intel 17-6700

The BIOS configuration is as follows:
BIOS R01-A2
v2.17.1254

BIOS menus:

Authentication
--------------
System Boot State              user
Secure Boot Mode State       enabled
Secure Boot                      enabled
Secure Boot Mode                 standard
Default Key Provisioning        enabled

Security
--------
Supervisor password           installed
User password                     not installed
TPM device selection       PTT

Boot
----
Boot priority order
1st boot device               Windows Boot Manager
2nd                                 CD & DVD
3rd                                  Removable device
4th                                   LAN

HDD priority                  Windows Boot Manager

The following information is obtained from boot-repair application:

sda1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type: Windows 8/2012: FAT32
    Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:
    Boot files:        /EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi /EFI/ubuntu/MokManager.efi
                       /EFI/ubuntu/fwupx64.efi /EFI/ubuntu/grubx64.efi
                       /EFI/ubuntu/shimx64.efi
                       /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
                       /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgr.efi
                       /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/memtest.efi
                       /EFI/OEM/Boot/bootmgfw.efi /EFI/OEM/Boot/bootmgr.efi
                       /EFI/OEM/Boot/memtest.efi

sda2: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:
    Boot sector type: -
    Boot sector info:
    Mounting failed:   mount: unknown filesystem type ''

sda3: (Windows)_________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type: Windows 8/2012: NTFS
    Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:
    Boot files:        /bootmgr /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda4: (Data) ____________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type: Windows 8/2012: NTFS
    Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:
    Boot files:

sda5: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ntfs
    Boot sector type: Windows 8/2012: NTFS
    Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:
    Boot files:

sda6: (Ubuntu) __________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type: -
    Boot sector info:
    Operating System: Ubuntu 16.10
    Boot files:        /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab

sda7: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type: -
    Boot sector info:

IronFly · November 2016

from windows 10 try this:

windows logo key + x

Command prompt (admin)

then type on the command prompt

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path \EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi

then close the command promtp and reboot

this will add an entry to windows boot manager that can let you choose between the 2 OS to boot.

IronFly · November 2016

from windows 10 try this:

windows logo key + x

Command prompt (admin)

then type on the command prompt

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path \EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi

then close the command promtp and reboot

this will add an entry to windows boot manager that can let you choose between the 2 OS to boot.

JordanB · November 2016

On my Acer desktop computer, all I did was disable secure boot. That's it. Nothing else.

Sounds like you're making something so simple........very complicated. Maybe you should just start over.

sadrazam · November 2016

Hi IronFly,

Thank you for your reply. What you proposed works well. I have just disabled the Secure Boot to make this change available.

sadrazam · November 2016

Hi JordanB,

I tried at first to only disable the Secure Boot, but it didn't work. It seems it was not sufficient. Probably we don't use the same BIOS.

I applied IronFly recommendation, but I had to disble the Secure Boot too.

I read some posts on Ubuntu forums that recommend to keep the Secure Boot enabled.

Finally it works now perfectly. Thank you for your help.

JordanB · November 2016

Right. But from the very beginning, if you would have just disabled secure boot, it would have worked fine.

When you read certain posts on this forum and the internet, you have to make sure you're reading a post about an Acer desktop. Don't read posts about Acer laptops when you're trying to install linux because you have an Acer desktop.

JordanB · November 2016

You should also update your BIOS.

http://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/support-product/6393?b=1

ArijitChoudhury · April 2017

Hi

Can you help me with the same for CentOS 7 too?

What command should I use for CentOS 7?

I have already disabled Secure Boot in UEFI/BIOS, however, I don't get the option for CentOS 7

ArijitChoudhury · April 2017

Is there a GUI approach to achieve this?

After changes have been done, if I need to restore UEFI/BIOS back to original, what needs to be done?

sadrazam · April 2017

Hi,

I don't know CentOS, but I think it is the same process as what I did to have Ubuntu/Windows dual-boot.

As you have removed the Secure Boot, you can install your partitionning and CentOS on a particular partition from your USB stick.

I had also to put a BIOS password. Then follow Iron Fly recommendation (see hereunder).

from windows 10 try this:

windows logo key + x

Command prompt (admin)

then type on the command prompt

bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path \EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi

then close the command promtp and reboot

After that, it will accept the dual-boot.

DLTooley · February 2018

It's not working for me. I have an Aspire ATC 780 that I purchased just a little bit after this entry, end of January 2017. I was able to get a dual boot going, but I'm not sure how I did it. The SecureBoot fix did not work then, as now. I was doing a bunch of stuff trying to get it to work, maybe including windows boot repair. For some reason, unknown, it started to work.

With the Fall Creator's Update, which just installed, the problem has come back.

Additionally to the above I see references to 'trusting' the file with ACER UEFI, but that may have been for laptops. I have no such option in my BIOS.

JackE · February 2018

>>>It's not working for me.>>>Additionally to the above I see references to 'trusting' the file with ACER UEFI, but that may have been for laptops. I have no such option in my BIOS.>>>

Try this step-by-step with particular attention to steps 2 and 9 or you may not be able to see or enter a trusted UEFI efi file option in the BIOS menu. Because you have a desktop there may be rearrangement of options under the BIOS menu dropdown tabs.

( 0) Use Windows disk manager to pre-shrink Windows partition to make desired unallocated space for Linux installation.
( 1) Make bootable GPT/FAT32(default) stick from the Linux install iso with Rufus.
( 2) Set BIOS supervisor password(SECURITY), disable secure boot(BOOT)& enable F12 Windows boot mgr (MAIN). Save BIOS settings & exit.
( 3) Shutdown & insert bootable Linux stick
( 4) Turn back on while immediately tapping F12. Select Linux stick to run.
( 5) Preferrably select a default Linux install option
( 6) Follow on-screen instructions to install alongside Windows.
( 7) Let Linux automatically set & resize partitions for Linux & its swap. Adjust for more or less space only if absolutely necessary.
( 8) Shutdown & remove Linux stick.
( 9) Turn back on while tapping F2 or ESC or DEL.
( 9) Re-enable secure boot(BOOT) & select UEFI file as trusted(MAIN). Select HDD0, SSD0 or eMMC0, then <EFI>, then <ubuntu>, then grubx64.efi the UEFI file. Enter grubx64.efi in the space provided if selecting it doesn't automatically enter it. Save BIOS setting and exit.
(10) Boot into Windows. Then shutdown again.
(11) Turn back on while tapping F12.

Good luck

Jack E/NJ

PatReid · March 2018

JackE, I don't think that will work on my ES1-533 Aspire laptop, will it? nothing else has so far anyways.

JackE · March 2018

@PatReid Not sure Pat. Seems to be a lot of variability. Mainly due it seems to the unpredictability of the UEFI bootstrapper and the Linux installation flavor. For example, I recently learned that sometimes a UEFI will ignore boot order and won't boot from anything other than the internal Windows HDD unless secure boot is disabled. While at other times, secure boot can be left enabled, it'll follow the boot order , and boot from a USB installation stick. Just when you think that you've found the universal solution, you soon lose it again.

Jack E/NJ

PatReid · March 2018

|Hey JackE thanks for getting back. appreciate that. I am kind of going on the assumption that this is more pc specific, like I'm running Aspire ES1-533 xxx [ES1533 for my purposes] and am now looking at the relationship between the Windows EFI and Recovery partitions, the particular chipset on the ES1533, and the UEFI bios setup, which seems to surprise everyone with the fact that it does not hold the files for the HDD0 part of rewriting the files to include the 'Trusted' part of dual booting. With that partition broke, it would be impossible to get a UEFI bios dual boot going. I will keep up to date as I go along here, I haven't seen anyone else looking at that partition connection so far, but everything else I tried has failed, so here goes.....

PatReid · March 2018

I think I need to move this over to a laptop [linux] thread, 'cause this appears to be a desktop thread. \hmm, lack of sleep makes me do weird things i guess

JackE · March 2018

Pat---Do you mean your UEFI security tab doesn't show up like in this image? Jack E/NJ

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/yx/5458o9qr9cev.jpg

JackE · March 2018

Pat---Doesn't matter as far as I'm concerned. You might get more exposure to the issue by starting a thread on the regular laptop/notebook forum for the e-series. Maybe not. https://community.acer.com/en/categories/notebooks Jack E/NJ