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
LiveWireBT
  • 29,597
Kouros
  • 762

6 Answers6

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.

Community
  • 1
Kouros
  • 762
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).

LovinBuntu
  • 3,785
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.

Community
  • 1
Lupe
  • 1
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.

user184354
  • 1
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.

vic
  • 1
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.

user200241
  • 1