8

I'm purchasing a Dell server and want to use Ubuntu 16.04 as the OS. My server will be using UEFI due to hardware restrictions.

Is Ubuntu stable under UEFI as the only OS on the system?

The Ubuntu Community Wiki page here is from 2015 and it gives me the impression that Ubuntu is difficult to install under UEFI. However most of the answers about UEFI on Ask Ubuntu and the wiki page seem pertain to dual boot systems, or allude to complications when Ubuntu is installed with alongside other operating systems.

The wiki article states under the single boot instructions:

The following sections describe how to install Ubuntu in UEFI mode, either because you're single-booting and want to try this boot mode or because you're dual-booting with another OS that's already installed in this mode.

The word "try" in the introduction tells me that in 2015 UEFI was not the preferred installation mode for Ubuntu, and further indicates that it might not have been completely stable. Since UEFI hardware is going to become more standard moving forward, I think it is important to provide an updated explanation for single boot systems that addresses stability, functionality, and standard practice.

Community
  • 1
WxPilot
  • 1,946

3 Answers3

17

Ubuntu is stable in EFI mode.

In 2015, the biggest issue was secure boot and varying implementations of EFI (some quite buggy) as manufacturers tried to do what MS wanted instead of meeting a standard.

Currently, Ubuntu has a signed loader and kernel; however, secure boot has to be turned off to install. EFI firmware has become more standardized.

Dual booting with Windows still causes some issues, as Windows always tries to take over booting.

ravery
  • 6,924
9

This is at least the third time I install Ubuntu in UEFI mode (I'm not really counting). Some of them were single-system configurations (I just erase Windows).

It's easy and stable.

Just remember to boot the LiveUSB in UEFI mode, so it will know it is supposed to install the bootloader corresponding to UEFI. (I forgot a couple of times and it's annoying to search around trying to understand what went wrong.)

You may need to disable Secure Boot at the BIOS menu.

user334639
  • 354
5

My answer is go on and install it but make sure there are no non-Unix existing OS on the system. UEFI is an open standard and any OS meant for PCs will be built with this in mind. The point is not only about Ubuntu but if the Linux kernel is aware of UEFI and my answer is yes Ubuntu (as well the Kernel) supports this. This info about EFI and the GNU/Linux kernel is here https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/EFI_stub_kernel

Here is a link for Ubuntu with regards to Dell servers including specifics on EFI. https://linux.dell.com/files/supportmatrix/Ubuntu_Support_Matrix.pdf

Here is a link showing how dedicated canonical are in supporting various hardware and mostly Dell hardware. http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter/b/techcenter/archive/2010/09/27/dell-poweredge-servers-certified-with-ubuntu-server-edition

Eliah Kagan
  • 119,640
dawyda254
  • 51
  • 3