Xubuntu install on Win7 laptop fails

[Liam Proven]

On 12 July 2017 at 01:02, MR ZenWiz <mrzenwiz at gmail.com> wrote:

> Update:
>
> I discovered that the only way to control the boot sequence was on the
> laptop's native screen, so that piece cleared up (it doesn't show on
> the dock-station connected monitors).
>
> The file systems looked fine, so I did the grub-install to no effect.

What was the *exact* command?

> The laptop still boots straight into Windows.
>
> I looked at the partition layout and this might be part of it:
>
> Disk /dev/sda: 465.8 GiB, 500107862016 bytes, 976773168 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
> Disklabel type: gpt
> Disk identifier: F3DB32EB-3851-4CC0-A57E-0B50C27DC6F3
>
> Device         Start       End   Sectors   Size Type
> /dev/sda1       2048    206847    204800   100M EFI System
> /dev/sda2     206848    468991    262144   128M Microsoft reserved
> /dev/sda3     468992 502231039 501762048 239.3G Microsoft basic data
> /dev/sda4  943554560 976773119  33218560  15.9G Microsoft basic data
> /dev/sda5  502231040 502233087      2048     1M BIOS boot
> /dev/sda6  502233088 935806975 433573888 206.8G Linux filesystem
> /dev/sda7  935806976 943554559   7747584   3.7G Linux swap
>
> Partition table entries are not in disk order.

That last line is a danger sign although not necessarily fatal.

But you have lots of primary partitions -- therefore this is not a
traditional MBR disk. It must therefore be a GUID Partition Table
(GPT) disk. I do not recall you specifying that before.

Please please please try to give us all as much information as
possible, or else we are just guessing in the dark.

If it is a GUID disk, then the laptop has UEFI, not a BIOS. I don't
recall you specifying _that_ either.

That being so, almost all bets are off.

GPT is only _needed_ for disks over 2TB. For 500GB it's not needed.
So, if it was me, for simplicity, I'd repartition with MBR. In my
experience it is much easier to troubleshoot.

In your UEFI settings, have you disabled Secure Boot?

This is what I'd do if this were my machine:

* Download a Windows 10 install ISO from microsoft.com.
* Write it to DVD or USB or your preferred media.
* Ensure you have an offline copy of any important Windows files, and
also of your Windows product key. (PRODUKEY.EXE is a free download and
will retrieve this for you.)

* Also ensure you have a bootable device with your preferred Ubuntu remix on it.

* Go into UEFI settings. Disable Secure Boot. (Google for how, it's
machine-specific.)

* With Gparted, wipe the disk and partition with MBR.
* Install a clean copy of Windows into a smallish primary partition at
the start of the disk. 64GB is enough.
* Check it works. Update as necessary.
* Now install Ubuntu into logical partitions inside an extended
partition after the Windows partition.

That's my hap'orth.

-- 
Liam Proven • Profile: https://about.me/liamproven
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