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I'm trying to install Ubuntu 18.10 on a new not partitioned HDD (using a VMWare machine). I try with manual partitioning to create the EFI System Partition but there is no EFI System Partition option (or other option containing the EFI word). I tried with 100M, 300M, 500M, 512M sizes but no luck. What's the solution for this?

PS: the similar question related to Ubuntu 15.10 doesn't help

Adrian
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  • hi. I'm a bit surprized by your wording here, maybe I'm missunderstanding, would you mind editing your post to go through what you expect, what unfortunately is the case instead and a picture of the screen you're seeing durring what I assume is the install process from the Live CD? (if you choose "try ubuntu" instead of "install ubuntu" while booting you'll be able to run the same install process from the desktop icon but also take screencap, with the screencap app and upload it here.) – tatsu Mar 26 '19 at 12:03
  • Are you using USB installable stick for Ubuntu 18.10? You may refer Ubuntu 18.04.02 Bionic Beaver to prepare USB stick with UEFI (non CSM) and “Partition scheme” to “GPT”. Although this procedure is for Ubuntu 18.04, but you can use the same procedure to prepare USB bootable stick for Ubuntu 18.10. – Marmayogi Mar 26 '19 at 12:16
  • As you imagine I try the installation process at PC boot time. I’m simply creating a VMWare machine with Ubuntu, nothing fancy besides the manual partitioning. – Adrian Mar 26 '19 at 12:16
  • I use an iso file with VMWare. – Adrian Mar 26 '19 at 12:17
  • My whole purpose is to play with the manual partitioning feature. – Adrian Mar 26 '19 at 12:19
  • Are you using a VMware program to load your ISO image? If so, can you please give some more details @adrhc? – Marmayogi Mar 26 '19 at 12:31
  • What is your VMWare version? Are you using workstation or Server/ESXi? – Marmayogi Mar 26 '19 at 12:50

1 Answers1

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The EFI System Partition (ESP)

The requirements for the ESP partition are:

  1. It must be a primary partition (relevant only for MBR based partition table)
  2. It must be a FAT32 partition
  3. The boot flag must be set

Ubuntu 18.10 Installation Something Else option

Before we get to the Something else option and manual partition of the hard drive, we have to make sure the Live USB/DVD or the ISO (in case of virtual machines) boot in the UEFI mode and not the legacy BIOS mode. I will describe both below:

Live USB/DVD/ISO in BIOS Legacy Mode

The first clue that the computer booted in BIOS Legacy mode is from the Live USB/DVD/ISO boot screen. If you see:

enter image description here

Then you have booted in BIOS mode!

In this mode, the installer does not show an option to create an ESP partition. There is no ESP option because in this mode one does not need an ESP partition.

enter image description here

If you get this, cancel the installation and figure out how to boot from the Live USB/DVD/ISO in the UEFI mode. (More on this for virtual machines later in the answer.)

Live USB/DVD/ISO in UEFI Mode

When you boot the Live USB/DVD/ISO using the UEFI mode you will see:

enter image description here

As you see below in this mode, the installer will show an option to create an ESP partition:

Note: It may say EFI Boot Partiion in some version of Ubuntu instead of EFI System Partiion as it shows in the image below.

enter image description here

Once you select the right partition type you will see:

enter image description here

After you click the OK button above you will get:

enter image description here

Select UEFI boot in VMWare workstation

When you create the new VM and before you try to install Ubuntu, On VMware Workstation, go into VM > Settings > Options > Advanced, and check Boot with EFI instead of BIOS.

enter image description here

Select UEFI boot in QEMU Virtual Machine Manager

I assume you have qemu virtual machine already setup in an Ubuntu host machine. You need to install the virtual firmware for UEFI, ovmf in the host:

sudo apt install qemu ovmf

The next step must be done when you create a new virtual machine. Once the VM is created the boot option cannot be changed from BIOS to UEFI or vice versa. Check the box Customize configuration before install in Step 5:

enter image description here

In the Overview tab change the 'Firmware' field from BIOS to select the 'UEFI x86_64' option.

enter image description here

Then continue with the installation by clicking the green check mark at the top right ✅ Begin Installation

Customize configuration before install

Hope this helps

user68186
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