OS uninstallable

[Bret Busby]

On 1/4/23 03:32, Bret Busby wrote:
> On 1/4/23 02:30, Liam Proven wrote:
>> On Fri, 31 Mar 2023 at 13:21, Bret Busby <bret at busby.net> wrote:
>>> How?
>>>
>>> I do not mean to be difficult - I do not know how to do it.
>>>
>>> I assume that it is done from within the OS (Linux Mint 21.1)?
>>
>> No. Well, you might be able to, but as I said in my email, I suggest
>> that you fix Windows, then do it from Windows. That is the easier way,
>> generally. That is what HP expects you to do and will describe.
>>
>> I do not have any HP laptop so I can't try it for you.
>>
>> I said in the email: download the latest Windows 10 ISO.
>>
>> It's a free download. Go to:
>>
>> https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download/windows10ISO
>>
>> You said you had Ventoy.
>>
>> Download that ISO, and copy it onto your Ventoy key.
>>
>> Also, while you are at it, download Ubuntu MATE 22.10.
>>
>> https://ubuntu-mate.org/download/amd64/kinetic/
>>
>> It's 3GB so it will take a while.
>>
>> Then you can boot it and use it to fix the Windows boot sector.
>>
>> That will stop Linux from booting but you have problems with that
>> anyway. I am suggesting updating your BIOS as a way to help with the
>> Linux boot problems.
>>
>> You said that you kept Windows 10 on your drive. So, fix it, use it to
>> update the BIOS.
>>
>> I just went to the Download page and downloaded the update. I said I
>> had Windows 10 64-bit. I got a file called `sp144301.exe`
>>
>> I am not on Windows right now, so I can't check it. It's 12.7MB in
>> size, which is quite small. I bet it is a Windows program that will
>> install and run on Windows 10 and update the UEFI firmware from within
>> Windows.
>>
>> Then you turn it off, and back on again.
>>
>> After that, I reckon you might well find that your Linux installs work
>> much better.
>>
>> After you have updated the BIOS, then install Ubuntu MATE onto you
>> computer, into a different partition from Mint.
>>
>> That will reinstall GRUB, and it will also detect and add Windows 10
>> and Mint 21 to the MATE GRUB menu.
>>
>> That should, if all goes well, leave you with a working Ubuntu MATE,
>> *and* Windows 10, *and* Mint 21.
>>
>> I suspect but do not know that updated UEFI will get you all of them
>> installing and working, side by side, much better than currently with
>> the outdated firmware.
>>
>> 22 versions different is quite a lot and that could well explain
>> problems booting Linux and problems with GRUB.
>>
>> I have personally experienced problems with Linux booting and Linux
>> installing GRUB on fairly recent UEFI computers because of outdated
>> firmware, and installing an updated version got it working. That is
>> why I suggested it.
>>
>> A second benefit of installing a newer Ubuntu MATE in a different
>> partition is that then we don't have to worry about an outdated
>> version of GRUB from Mint, and Oli Grawert will stop complaining about
>> Mint. ;-)
>>
>> (Sorry Ogra. You *are* right, and I am trying to propose a solution
>> that will keep both you and Bret happy at once.)
>>
>> Bret, the only snag with this approach is that it will leave Ubuntu
>> MATE in "control" of GRUB on your computer. If I am right, and if it
>> works, then you have two choices:
>>
>> [1] Leave Ubuntu MATE in control. If it works and you can pick Mint
>> from Ubuntu MATE's GRUB menu, Mint should boot. In Mint, you can then
>> type:
>>
>> sudo grub-install /dev/sd<BLAH>
>>
>> ... where BLAH is the Mint root partition. So if Mint is on /dev/sda5
>> (as an example) this tells Mint to manage its own copy of GRUB in its
>> own root partition. That means that from then on, Mint updates will
>> install fine and Mint won't squabble over control of GRUB in the hard
>> disk.
>>
>> Snag: every time you update Mint, afterwards, you need to boot Ubuntu
>> MATE, update it, and that will also update your GRUB menu.
>>
>> To forcibly update Ubuntu MATE and update its GRUB menu, type these 
>> commands:
>>
>> sudo -s
>> killall -9 packagekitd && apt update && apt full-upgrade -y && apt
>> clean && update-grub
>>
>> The advantage of doing it this way, in 2 commands, is that each time
>> you do it, you just type the "sudo" command, and then you can press
>> up-arrow once and it will return the old update command and you just
>> need to press Return.
>>
>> [2] If it works and Mint now works fine, then just... keep using Mint,
>> and ignore Ubuntu MATE.
>>
>>
>> There *are* ways to update system firmware from Ubuntu, e.g.
>>
>> https://itsfoss.com/update-firmware-ubuntu/
>>
>> However, Mint does not include these tools:
>>
>> https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=346494
>>
>> So, sadly, I would not recommend it.
>>
>>> I am assuming that, because the System information output, that the BIOS
>>> has been superseded, or, replaced, by the UEFI, even though, they have
>>> the same identifier (N81) ?
>>>
>>> My understanding of this, is minimal (to lacking).
>>
>> UEFI is a modern replacement for the traditional BIOS. However, just
>> to confuse matters, manufacturers often refer to UEFI firmware as
>> BIOS, and the HP download page for your laptop calls it a BIOS. That
>> is strictly speaking wrong but it's easier so I went with HP's terms.
>>
> 1. I have just updated the BIOS to 1.59, following the instructions for 
> updating it from BIOS, in the web page of HP, for the laptop, that Ralph 
> had posted. I had to find an accessible Ethernet cable, as the BIOS 
> updating process network access requires Ethernet access, and does not 
> recognise wifi. At 0330, finding obscure things that have not been used 
> for some years, is not so easy.
> 
> 2. Regarding the installing of Ubuntu 22.10, on the Ventoy drive,is 
> 22.10, with created and modified date 26 October 2022, from when I put 
> it on the drive, last year. Will that be adequate, or, do I need to 
> download a later iso for it (if one is available)?
> 

With the version of UbuntuMate 22.10 from 26 October, that is on the 
Ventoy drive, at the menu
"Try or Install UbuntuMATE"

I select that, and get

"
error: invalid magic number
error: you need to load the kernel first.
Press any key to continue...
"

If,from booting from the Ventoy drive, I select Ubuntu Mate 22.04.1, 
that boots.

..
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
(UTC+0800)
..............