Window 8 in efi mode and Ubuntu in legacy bios mode

[Jim Byrnes]

On 10/21/2013 08:53 PM, Doug wrote:
> On 10/21/2013 09:16 PM, Jim Byrnes wrote:
>> I am again trying to dual boot Win 8 and Ubuntu 13.10 on a Toshiba
>> laptop, though a different one this time.
>>
>> The only way I can get the live DVD to boot to a usable desktop is to
>> turn off the efi boot and put nomodeset in grub.
>>
>> I've done a lot of googling on dual booting and find many references
>> that basically say that both OS's must use the same scheme, ie both efi
>> or both bios.  What I can't find is the consequences of not doing that.
>> If it means to boot Win 8 I must enable efi and to boot to Ubuntu I must
>> disable it, that would be ok, but I doubt it is that simple.
>>
>> I have found some schemes to install Ubuntu in legacy mode and then
>> switch to efi but they are so complicated I doubt I could follow them.
>>
>> Does anyone have any experience with trying to install with them
>> mis-matched?
>>
>> Thanks,  Jim
>>
>>
> Not a real answer, but partially a question: When you turn off efi (on
> the computer, I think you mean) does the computer "look like" it has
> a bios? If it does, then you should be able to install Windows 8 to
> it in that mode. I have a machine with about a 3-year old mobo that has
> only bios, and I have Win 8.0 and Linux (pclos) installed, no sweat.
> Boots with grub to either system--actually to Win and three Linuxes--
> pclos kde 32, pclos kde 64, and Mint kde 64. BTW: Win 8.0 with
> Classic Shell (free) looks just like Win 7. I think you can make it
> look like XP if you wish, but not sure. Get KDE for Windows just
> to get the file finder--it also has Dolphin file manager, which is
> handy.
>
> --doug
>

I'm not sure what you mean by "look like it has a bios". If I leave efi 
enabled I boot to a text mode grub menu where I choose try Ubuntu. 
Eventually the boot process stops with a black screen and nothing 
happens after that.  I found that some people had success by adding 
nomodeset to grub. When I tried this I got further in the boot process 
but ultimately ended at a black screen.

If I disable efi and add nomodeset to grub I can boot the live dvd to a 
usable desktop, but Win 8 is already installed using efi and if that is 
the case you aren't supposed to install Ubuntu using csm.  I am 
wondering what the consequences of doing that are.

I just found a possible solution at http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/

It is a boot manager call rEFInd, but I will need to do a lot more 
reading about it before I try it.

Regards,  Jim