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I have an old laptop running Windows 10, I bought a new hard drive where I want to install Lubuntu. I thought it was going to be super straight forward but when I started to do some research online I found different posts/articles about problems with GRUB2 and/or the BIOS/UEFI mode, so I would like to ask if the following procedure makes sense.

I know there's a lot of material out there, but it is complicated to know what to do, because some people make extremely complicated instructions while others make it really simple.

Some sources I already checked include:

The procedure I propose here is the conclusion I arrived at after the research.

Current system:

  • Hard drive with Windows 10 (disk 1)
  • boots with BIOS in Legacy mode

Proposed procedure:

  1. Change BIOS Legacy to UEFI

1.1 Use Windows MBR2GPT tool

1.2 Change BOOT mode from the Bios settings to UEFI

  1. Remove Disk 1

  2. Plug Disk 2 and install Lubuntu from bootable flashdrive (any special requirements when creating the drive with Rufus?)

  3. Turn off laptop and Plug Disk 2 again

After that I could, as far as I know, choose from which disk to boot when I turn it on.

Am I missing something? Is there any special consideration I should not overlook? Will I have any trouble with GRUB2 or the Windows Boot Loader?

Thank you a lot in advance!

nico_so
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  • If your box is already in BIOS mode, why not leave it there? You weren't specific with what release of Lubuntu you intend using (meaning we don't know which installer of the three supported you intend using, thus what limitations apply), but install alongside QA testing was done (long ago now with the di installer) – guiverc Nov 22 '20 at 22:54
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    How old is laptop? What brand/model? Pre-installed Windows 8 or 10 is UEFI. Only if upgrade from Windows 7 may it be BIOS/CSM/Legacy, but system then may not be UEFI. You cannot just convert drive to gpt, but Windows wants extra partitions. If you can unplug Windows drive, then default install of Ubuntu will work whether UEFI or BIOS mode. But make sure same boot mode as Windows. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/dn898504%28v=vs.85%29.aspx & https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/dn898510%28v=vs.85%29.aspx#RecommendedPartitionConfigurations – oldfred Nov 22 '20 at 22:54
  • Hi, thanks @oldfred The laptop is a Dell Inspiron from about 2012/3. It came with Windows 7 and upgraded to Windows 10 later. When I boot on the BIOS Screen I have the option to change to UEFI Mode. I have no problem with unplugging/plugging drives, so that is fine.
    How can be sure that I install it with the same boot mode as windows?     – nico_so Nov 22 '20 at 23:12
  • @guiverc Thank you! I want to install latest Lubuntu LTS release, I understand it is 16.04.3 – nico_so Nov 22 '20 at 23:12
  • Lubuntu 16.04.3 translates as the 2016-April (Ubuntu releases are year.month in format; the .3 shows the upgrade level; 16.04.7 is the latest 16.04. Lubuntu also, being a flavor, comes with 3 years of supported life, so Lubuntu 16.04 LTS reached EOL in 2019-April (https://lubuntu.me/xenial-released/ https://lubuntu.me/test-xenial-6/). The latest Lubuntu LTS release is the 2020-April release, ie. 20.04 LTS ; refer https://lubuntu.me/ – guiverc Nov 22 '20 at 23:25
  • Yes, you're right 20.04.1 LTS (Focal Fossa), thanks. With this information, is there anything else you could add regarding what should I do? Or what I described should work fine? Thanks for your replies! @guiverc – nico_so Nov 23 '20 at 01:01
  • Sorry I can't advise on what you plan to do, I like oldfred's suggestion more, but on your hardware I'd boot up Lubuntu and see what the installer (calamares for 20.04) offers stopping at the final summary/acceptance screen to ensure it'll do what you require (you can abort till that point with no changes unless you made partition changes). Of course you should backup first (mistakes are easily made); though I'm somewhat familiar with calamares installs so recognize details you may not as easily. – guiverc Nov 23 '20 at 01:10
  • Ok thank you @guiverc I would like to bring this https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/mbr-to-gpt, because it is MS Source for converting from MBR to GPT, according to Microsoft "Convert any attached MBR-formatted system disk to the GPT partition format." But I am not sure if that matters, given that I want to use a completely different disk. – nico_so Nov 23 '20 at 01:25
  • FYI: I noticed I mentioned Install Alongside in my first comment; the Lubuntu manual page for installations can be found at https://manual.lubuntu.me/stable/1/1.3/installation.html which doesn't show that option, however I'd far more likely use the "Manual Partitioning" which the manual does show. (you hadn't given release details or which ISO/installer [of the 3] you were using initially, so I used Install Alongside as example primarily) Manual Partitioning (or "Something else" on ubiquity installs) provide the most flexibility as you control what occurs. – guiverc Nov 23 '20 at 01:35
  • Rufus has an option to ensure a UEFI only install, see: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1278772/unable-to-access-ubuntu-from-uefi You can only add Windows to Ubuntu's GRUB boot menu if Both are the same BIOS/UEFI mode. – C.S.Cameron Nov 23 '20 at 01:59
  • Since I am really new to this, it is difficult for me to give you more details (such as which ISO/Installer) as I do not fully understand/am not aware of. But thank you all for your replies, i'll try to make something out of all this. – nico_so Nov 23 '20 at 13:53
  • I don't expect you to be able to tell me installer, but the ISO name (eg. lubuntu-20.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso tells me it's 20.04 & using the calamares installer. If you'd have said 18.04 I'd know ubiquity or di (di being the alternate installer available for 18.04; alternate is in the filename). The release info narrows down to detail we can work & help you with. – guiverc Nov 23 '20 at 21:24
  • Oh ok, thanks. This is the file lubuntu-20.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso i'll be using. – nico_so Nov 23 '20 at 22:45
  • Sorry I can't provide more, as already stated I can't advise on your plan as have little experience with it on boxes using that setup to know what issue you'll encounter. As already stated, I'd suggest following @oldfred's advice, OR what I've already offered (I like it as it lets me know how it'll work without any changes, but as stated I've some experience with calamares installs due QA-testing), I can't advise on C.S.Cameron's advice but I'd trust that too (because of who said it). – guiverc Nov 24 '20 at 05:46
  • This user had issues using Windows mbr2gpt tool. https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2408541 Not sure if it is not more for data drives not boot drives. Just be sure to have good backups in case you do have to reinstall. – oldfred Nov 24 '20 at 14:36
  • Ok, thank you very much everyone for your comments! It's been constructive and instructive, i'll let you know what I finally do and how it goes! Should you have any other recommendation let me know! If not, again thanks! – nico_so Nov 25 '20 at 14:29
  • Hello,@C.S.Cameron, do you know why Ubuntu tutorial uses MBR as default? https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows#4-boot-selection-and-partition-scheme Why would they recommend that vs a more "state of the art" partition scheme? – nico_so Nov 28 '20 at 20:04

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