Dual boot Windows 8.1 and Ubuntu

I just got a Lenovo X1 Carbon and I am flabbergasted on dual booting -- having the record in the boot manager.

Cliff Notes

• It came with Windows 8.1.


• I shrunk the Windows partition (within windows disk management)


• I installed Ubuntu via USB


• The installation is good, but the boot loaders are wrong

Things I've tried:

• I have BIOS in Both Legacy/EUFI mode, Legacy First


• Using EasyBCD, adding an Ubuntu Record and Saving the "Deployment" (Did nothing)


• Turned off Secure Boot (Wasn't on)


• Quick Boot is still on (Does this matter? Shows Lenovo logo rather than the normal PC startup info)


• Reinstalled Grub2 Bootloader (Successfull install via link)

The Only Way it Works

• If I set BIOS to Legacy only, but then Windows won't work.

I don't care which boot loader runs, I prefer Grub but don't really care I just want the option to boot to either. Does anyone know what I can do? :)

Answer

I have solved it, here is the solution on my X1 Carbon with Windows 8.1 Pre-installed:

• First, You need to Disable Fast Boot.


• Open Control Panel and Search for Power Button.


• You should see a few lists (they might not be expanded, so click the arrow on the right).


• Look at the Shutdown Settings area.


• You want to uncheck Turn on fast startup (recommended)


• To do that, the box is grayed out so at the top click `Change settings that are currently unavailable. Then do it.

• Disable Secure Boot


• Make sure the Boot mode is UEFI (It's that by Default unless you changed it)


• Change your Boot Order so that USB HDD - This is EXTREMELY important otherwise Ubuntu will NOT install the boot record EFI mode, it will do Legacy.

Disable Secure Boot

You will probably get a "Non Secure" warning every boot, who cares.

Make Sure Boot UEFI is Set

Next, Move the USB HDD to the TOP:

In Ubuntu

• To Get into Ubuntu the only way if it's installed or not (With a live-usb or live-cd) you MUST have your USB plugged in and your BIOS to check for a USB at the top of the list (I mentioned this in BIOS


• Now you must connect to the internet (Wifi for me, there are no ethernet ports on X1 Carbon).


• You can install Ubuntu from this point OR if it's already installed follow these instructions using Boot-Repair https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair -- This will fix it since you are in the non-legacy mode VIA this USB. (Or I have simple instructions I used below)

If you did NOT already install Ubuntu, you MIGHT not have to do this -- either way It's OK to do.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair && boot-repair


I ran the Recommended

IMPORTANT -- The Boot-Repair MIGHT tell you to enter a few commands. I did them, It was about 4 or 5 lines total.

Your boot from Grub will look like this:

IMPORTANT: Do NOT Run EasyBCD and Deploy a new MBR, otherwise you have to REDO the Live-CD and Boot-Repair again. I do not mind GRUB 2 at all, I like it. However, if you choose to not listen -- Good luck! Let us know what you find!

• BCD-Edit is nice to have, but I am not sure if using this caused problems or not since I already had Windows Installed and messed around with it too much. If you get GRUB loading you are DONE.