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I have a Dell Optiplex 9020 I’d like to install Ubuntu-Mate to on a second hard drive. I’ve downloaded the 64 bit ISO and burned it to a DVD and in case that doesn’t work, a USB stick using Rufus. The Dell has Windows 10 installed in UEFI mode so I understand that the Linux installation should also be in UEFI mode. I’m comfortable with manually partitioning this second drive using the ‘Something Else’ option on the installer.

One option which is new to me on Ubuntu-Mate 18.04 LTS is the EFI system partition. While attempting a test run (the option to go back or cancel was still available), I selected this option and expected the remaining free space to be listed but nothing happened. I’ve since read that this partition could be added last while other information suggests this is not required as there is already an EFI partion on the Windows hard drive. I’ve also read that I could use EasyBCD while another site warns against it. I am reading conflicting information which is confusing. The last thing I want is to lose Windows although I have taken a backup image using Clonezilla.

  1. Am I correct in assuming that after disabling secure boot and booting in UEFI mode, I just continue the installation as I would have done in the BIOS system, the worst scenario being that after installation the PC boots into Windows 10 only?
  2. What do I need to do so that the EFI system partition option in the ‘Something Else’ option works?
George Udosen
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user634269
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  • You can use the already existing ESP or create another ESP on the second drive. Select the partition and set the mount-point to /boot/efi. If you use the already existing ESP do NOT format it. – mook765 Aug 28 '18 at 19:46
  • You don't need EasyBCD with UEFI bios and EFI install. To install EFI booting with ubuntu, you need to specify the partition you want the EFI bootloader to be install in addition to the standard / root partition. Swap is always optional. – Bernard Wei Aug 28 '18 at 20:44
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    I always suggest an ESP on every drive as first partition. And make sure drive is gpt. Gparted likes to default to MBR(msdos). But Ubuntu's grub will not use it, unless you disconnect Windows drive. And that is often the best way to install to a second drive to make it totally bootable on its own. But standard install should work. UEFI/gpt partitioning in Advance: http://askubuntu.com/questions/743095/how-to-prepare-a-disk-on-an-efi-based-pc-for-ubuntu – oldfred Aug 28 '18 at 20:53
  • Thanks for the very quick replies. Funnily enough I was actually toying with the idea of disconnecting the Windows drive before installing Linux as I can always set the boot priority using the boot preference option. Think I might just do that. Thanks again for all your help. – user634269 Aug 30 '18 at 18:39

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