<div dir="ltr"><div>My problem might having something to do with EFI/UEFI support. I was reading Roderick Smith's webpage on this topic:<br><a href="http://www.rodsbooks.com/linux-uefi/#isitefi" target="_blank">www.rodsbooks.com/linux-uefi/#isitefi</a><br>
<br></div>He mentions that: you can also try booting a boot medium that contains <i>only</i> an EFI-mode boot loader. The USB flash drive or CD-R image of rEFInd is a good choice for this test. I downloaded the rEFInd utility and burned it to a CD. When I tried to boot from the CD I get a blank screen and spinning fans.<br>
<br><br>And according to Dell Support, I am running the most recent BIOS version (A12). <br><br>Interestingly,
when I purchased the laptop in ~May of 2012, I had no trouble resizing
the partition and installing Linux. I don't recall what BIOS version it
had then, but I think it was A02. I wonder if the new BIOS is causing
problems now.<br><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><br></div><br>
<div><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Nov 8, 2013 at 9:50 AM, Thomas Johnston <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:trjohnston@ucdavis.edu" target="_blank">trjohnston@ucdavis.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div><div>Alex, thanks for the reply.<br><br></div>First, how would you even turn secure boot off? I don't see it listed as an option the BIOS settings. Drop it to Legacy, how?<br>
<br></div>I primarily use Linux for my personal endeavors; however, there situations/applications for my work where I am forced to use Windows. And although I could run Windows in a virtual environment, I don't know how well that would work when I need to remote desktop into my office computer. <br>
</div><div class="HOEnZb"><div class="h5"><div class="gmail_extra"><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Nov 8, 2013 at 9:37 AM, Alex Mandel <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:tech_dev@wildintellect.com" target="_blank">tech_dev@wildintellect.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">Generally turning Secure Boot off makes life easier (Isn't supposed to<br>
be necessary after 12.10). Also turning fast boot off while working on<br>
an install generally helps make it easier to switch around settings when<br>
troubleshooting. UEFI should be ok, but if turning off Secure boot<br>
doesn't help you might have to drop it to Legacy.<br>
<br>
I've never encountered an issue where I couldn't see the existing<br>
partitions I made ahead of time but it could be secure boot related.<br>
I haven't done a recent Ubuntu fresh install but they usually have a<br>
choice to use the free space available and the advanced menu has always<br>
let me pick partitions and assign mounts.<br>
<br>
And yes if the hard drive is set earlier in the boot order you shouldn't<br>
expect other boot devices to work at all, even though some bios have a<br>
F12 boot menu it's not fool proof.<br>
<br>
Side track as others mentioned in the previous thread, what's the goal<br>
of this install? If you don't plan to primary boot linux all the time<br>
there are much easier ways (ie virtual machines).<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
Alex<br>
<div><div><br>
On 11/08/2013 09:19 AM, Thomas Johnston wrote:<br>
> I recently started a thread asking about partition schemes:<br>
> <a href="http://lists.lugod.org/pipermail/vox-tech/2013-November/016793.html" target="_blank">http://lists.lugod.org/pipermail/vox-tech/2013-November/016793.html</a><br>
><br>
> After reading the numerous helpful comments, I decided to keep it simple<br>
> and go with an NFTS partition for Win7, and an extended partition that<br>
> contained partitions for / and /home (both in ext4 format).<br>
> Great. I used GParted to format the drive and create the partitions and<br>
> then installed Windows 7 and all the updates without a problem. Windows 7<br>
> is as happy as a pig in mud.<br>
><br>
> I then created a live USB of Ubuntu 13.10 with the UNetbootin tool (in<br>
> Windows). I boot from the live USB and select the option to "Install". When<br>
> I get to the "Installation type" page, I see options for:<br>
> (a) Erase disk and install Ubuntu<br>
> (i) Encrypt the new Ubuntu installation for security<br>
> (ii) Use LVM with the new Ubuntu installation<br>
> (b) Something else<br>
><br>
> No option to install alongside Windows.<br>
><br>
> Clicking on "Something Else" would allow me to create a new partition<br>
> table, but it does not "see" the partitions that already exist.<br>
><br>
> A Google search reveals that this installation dilemma is common. Some of<br>
> the problems were due to users having more than 4 primary partitions. That<br>
> is certainly not the case here. I have also seen posts about the disk<br>
> system being "dynamic" and that causes problems with the Ubuntu installer.<br>
> Also not the case:<br>
><br>
> Current partition table (according to Windows disk management tool):<br>
> C: 150 GB, Layout = simple, File System = NTFS, Status = Healthy (System,<br>
> Boot, Page File, Active, Crash Dump, Primary Partition), Free Space =<br>
> 108.57 GB, Fault Tolerance = No, Overhead = 0%<br>
> 315.76 GB unallocated<br>
><br>
> Other posts discuss UEFI BIOS, BIOS options such as Secure Boot and<br>
> FastBoot. I cannot figure out if any of these would apply to me or not.In<br>
> Windows 7,dxdiag (direct X diagnostic tool) tells me:<br>
> System Model: Dell System XPS 15z<br>
> BIOS: Default System BIOS<br>
><br>
> BIOS settings:<br>
> Intel Speedstep = enabled<br>
> Virtualization = enabled<br>
> Integrated NIC = enabled<br>
> USB emulation = enabled<br>
> USB powershare = enabled<br>
> USB wake support = disabled<br>
> SATA operation = AHCI (other option is ATA)<br>
> Adapter warnings = enabled<br>
> Function Key Behavior = Function Key<br>
> Charger Behavior = enabled<br>
> battery health = performing normally<br>
> miscellaneous devices:<br>
> external USB ports = enabled<br>
> eSATA ports = enabled<br>
><br>
> Interesting thing about the boot order:<br>
> if I have the hard drive before the USB storage device, I cannot fully boot<br>
> into the live USB. I will see an initial splash screen that is most black<br>
> with two small icons on the bottom center that resemble a keyboard = stick<br>
> man surrounded by a circle. The system will then "hang" with a blank screen<br>
> and the fans going at about 50%. Disabling Intel Speedstep in the bios also<br>
> seems hang the live USB.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Motherboard Board:<br>
> Dell Inc.<br>
> Product: 00WW5M<br>
> Version: A00<br>
> Serial Number: .3SJSQS1.CN4864322A0095.<br>
> Bus Clock: 100 megahertz<br>
> BIOS: Dell Inc. A12 09/07/2012<br>
> example for sale on ebay: <a href="http://bit.ly/1gwcdX9" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/1gwcdX9</a><br>
><br>
> Hard drive:<br>
> Seagate Momentus: ST500LX003-1AC15G (500.11 GB) --<br>
> drive 0, s/n W2003D1H, rev DEM3<br>
> This is a hybrid drive.<br>
><br>
><br>
> Any ideas?<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
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