Ubuntu

Installed ubuntu 16.04.1 alongside Win 10 but how do I get into ubuntu, no option at bootup

Asked by Jim Dellow

I have just installed Ubuntu 16.04 alongside Windows 10 but don't know how to switch from Windows to Ubuntu. There isn't an option on boot up, my computer just runs straight into Windows.

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Manfred Hampl
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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

Then you didn't install GRUB correctly.

These should help
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/UEFI-and-BIOS

Not using UEFI helps.

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Jim Dellow (jaydell) said : 		#2

Sorry but I should have let you know that my computer is about a 2005 Toshiba laptop A200 that originally came with windows vista. I did have it running on Ubuntu 14.04 but for some reason, after several months, it just wouldn't update. It would download them but they just wouldn't install. I then reinstalled vista and a few months ago upgraded to Windows 10. There is a lot about Ubuntu that I liked so thought maybe I could have the best of both worlds.

Any help would be much appreciated, but I gather from the links that this laptop is running legacy BIOS, which, from what I can understand from the links, means by rights it should have worked.

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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#3

In my opinion the best approach to diagnose the problem is the following:

Start an Ubuntu live system (by booting into an installation kit on DVD or bootable USB stick in the "Try Ubuntu without installing" mode), and then install and run boot-info as shown here

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Info

(Follow the instructions in the chapter "Standard method: from an Ubuntu disc").

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Jim Dellow (jaydell) said : 		#4

I tried that but when I reinstall it it tells me I have to restart for it to work but once I restart it goes straight to windows. I then rebooted onto the install disk and tried the lines from the boot info page. When I put in the first line I got the error message "Need single repository as argument" and when I entered the second line I got the message "Unable to locate boot info".

I am just about ready to give up trying and to just stick with windows, but not quite.

Thanks

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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#5

You must have mistyped the first command. Try again with four seperete command (when booted into the installer):

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y boot-info
boot-info

Revision history for this message
Jim Dellow (jaydell) said : 		#6

Thanks Manfred

Try: HTTP://paste2.org/ALI2JXUm

Hopefully you can make some sense of it for me.....

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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#7

I do not see anything wrong in the output.
Recommended repair is re-installing grub into sda.

Try (when booted from the installer)

sudo grub-install /dev/sda

What output do you get?
If you then reboot, do you still boot into Windows?

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Jim Dellow (jaydell) said : 		#8

Tried that and got this...

Installing for i386-pc platform.
grub-install: error: failed to get canonical path of `/cow'.

Still reboots to windows as I expected as it is just an error message

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Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#9

Try the following:

When booted into the live system from the installer, issue the following commands

sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda
sudo update-grub

Revision history for this message
Jim Dellow (jaydell) said : 		#10

Hi Manfred

I tried what you suggested, this is the result. I copied and pasted this from the terminal window....

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
mount: special device /dev/sda6 does not exist
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda
Installing for i386-pc platform.
grub-install: error: failed to get canonical path of `/cow'.
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo update-grub
/usr/sbin/grub-probe: error: failed to get canonical path of `/cow'.
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

As far as I can see the problem seems to lie with the i386 ubuntu installer, but I wouldn't mind if you proved me wrong. It just seems like whatever we try is doomed to fail because something is missing from the installation.

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Jim Dellow (jaydell) said : 		#11

The only way that I can see to get around this problem is a complete switch to ubuntu and I am not sure whether I want to commit to that at this stage.

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#12

The message "special device /dev/sda6 does not exist" shows that some parameters in the command were wrong.

If you reboot into the installer in the "Try Ubuntu" mode and execute the command

sudo fdisk -l

what output do you get?

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Jim Dellow (jaydell) said : 		#13

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l
Disk /dev/ram0: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram1: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram2: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram3: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram4: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram5: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram6: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram7: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram8: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram9: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram10: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram11: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram12: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram13: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram14: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/ram15: 64 MiB, 67108864 bytes, 131072 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

Disk /dev/loop0: 1.4 GiB, 1488424960 bytes, 2907080 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk /dev/sdc: 298.1 GiB, 320072933376 bytes, 625142448 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x00025c07

Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sdc1 * 2048 368086334 368084287 175.5G 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdc2 368087038 625141759 257054722 122.6G 5 Extended
/dev/sdc5 618870784 625141759 6270976 3G 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdc6 368087040 618870783 250783744 119.6G 83 Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order.

Disk /dev/sda: 1.8 TiB, 2000398933504 bytes, 3907029167 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 33553920 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xb2c7ace5

Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sda1 * 64 3907029055 3907028992 1.8T 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Disk /dev/sdb: 1.8 TiB, 2000398933504 bytes, 3907029167 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 33553920 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xd04cbd71

Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
/dev/sdb1 1985 3907022847 3907020863 1.8T f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sdb5 2048 3907022847 3907020800 1.8T 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Partition 1 does not start on physical sector boundary.
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#14

sudo mount /dev/sdc6 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sdc
sudo update-grub

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#15

Apparently your main hard disk is named sdc when booted from the installer.

So the commands must most probably be

sudo mount /dev/sdc6 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sdc
sudo update-grub

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Jim Dellow (jaydell) said : 		#16

sudo mount /dev/sdc6 /mnt
mount: special device /dev/sdc6 does not exist

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Jim Dellow (jaydell) said : 		#17

I stated in an earlier communication (10) that I thought that the problem is in the installer. I have to reiterate that sentiment as I swapped the normal hard drive for a spare that I have that had had ubuntu installed on it previously. I did a complete clean install of 16.04 using the entire drive. After the installation had completed I had to reboot the system, which I did, but once the computer restarted it just sat there and did nothing.

Just to make sure that it wasn't a one-off glitch I switched the computer off for about 30 seconds and then restarted it and got the same result, nothing. I am back on the normal drive and hope that this information will help you.

For your information the installer package is... Ubuntu 16.04.1-desktop-i386.iso

If you could please let me know when this is sorted I would appreciate it.

Thank you

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Best Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#18

Your output is contradictory.

at 16:40 UTC the output lists
...
/dev/sdc6 368087040 618870783 250783744 119.6G 83 Linux
...
but at 20:35 UTC you get
mount: special device /dev/sdc6 does not exist

Can you try the following:

Boot into a live system, issue the command
sudo fdisk -l | grep Linux
identify the device name of your Linux partition (probably /dev/sda6 or /dev/sdb6 or /dev/sdc6)

If it is /dev/sda6, then issue the commands
sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda
sudo update-grub

If it is /dev/sdb6, then issue the commands
sudo mount /dev/sdb6 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sdb
sudo update-grub

If it is /dev/sdc6, then issue the commands
sudo mount /dev/sdc6 /mnt
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sdc
sudo update-grub

If you want a dual boot with Windows, you probably better install the 64 bit version with Ubuntu 16.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso

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Jim Dellow (jaydell) said : 		#19

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l | grep Linux
/dev/sda5 618870784 625141759 6270976 3G 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 368087040 618870783 250783744 119.6G 83 Linux
Partition 1 does not start on physical sector boundary.
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda
Installing for i386-pc platform.
grub-install: warning: Sector 32 is already in use by the program `FlexNet'; avoiding it. This software may cause boot or other problems in future. Please ask its authors not to store data in the boot track.
Installation finished. No error reported.
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo update-grub
/usr/sbin/grub-probe: error: failed to get canonical path of `/cow'.
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

Hi

I have rebooted and we have had some success. My computer booted up into Ubuntu but now it isn't giving me the option of going into Windows. I have no idea what the program "Flexnet" is and to be honest I do not understand "/Cow" but possibly it is best if I don't know.

I am not sure about installing 64 bit Ubuntu onto a 32 bit machine so will seek your guidance on this.

Thank you

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Jim Dellow (jaydell) said : 		#20

Hi

Sorry but I didn't recognize the option to switch to Windows but now have it sussed. I would still appreciate your opinion regarding the installation of 64 bit Ubuntu on a 32 bit machine, or maybe we should just leave well alone now that things are finally working. Once again, thank you for your time and especially your patience.

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Jim Dellow (jaydell) said : 		#21

Thanks Manfred Hampl, that solved my question.

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actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#22

You cannot install a 64bit OS on a 32bit CPU but you can install a 32bit OS on a 64bit CPU.

Revision history for this message
Manfred Hampl (m-hampl) said : 		#23

For that 'flexnet on sector 32' warning (which is something seen quite often) grub did a workaround. So you can ignore it.

You should see an option for 'Windows Loader' in the grub menu.
And when you execute "sudo update-grub" inside the Ubuntu installation, you also should see Windows being listed.

If the 32 bit installation is well working, you probably better keep it as it is, and do not try overwriting it with a 64 bit installation.