0

I am attempting to dual boot a pc I built using ubuntu 18.04 and windows 10. I successfully installed ubuntu on one of my ssds. I began installing windows on the other ssd. During the install process the system rebooted, but booted directly into ubuntu. Since this point, I have not been able to open my bios (I just get a black screen) so I cant tell it to boot with the windows drive.

I can still boot into ubuntu by starting the pc, but why is my bios not loading, and how can I save the windows install?

Austin
  • 241
  • Hmm this is very strange. Have you tried to press the bios key such as ESC before its able to boot up to the OS? Is the monitor connected in correctly. Not sure what you have done for it to not to show the bios. – Jon Feb 21 '22 at 21:39
  • I use an assortment of different devices (~25) which vary greatly in how to enter BIOS/uEFI setup; some are easy & some are a royal pain (inc. devices that require key to be held whilst device is off & it'll turn on & ask) .. one easy fallback I have is just insert recent Ubuntu desktop media (inc. flavors) & there is an option (on uEFI/Secure-uEFI devices) to enter device setup offered by the Ubuntu grub menu. It's easier than remembering which key that firmware requires if it's a less common one. – guiverc Feb 21 '22 at 22:51
  • The way this is worded it seems like you are just confusing the term "grub" for "bios"... You just need to show your 'grub menu'. @mchid's answer fixes that either way. – WU-TANG Feb 22 '22 at 04:11
  • but with that said, if you were installing windows next to ubuntu and it rebooted during install???from what i remember Windows used to trash grub and take over boot mgmt if installed second. (@guiverc Is windows more grub-friendly these days?) Now I wonder if you were actually trying to get to bios? How were you booting into your ubuntu(or win installation) before the Win install/reboot and what did that process look like? I would think booting would be failing completely now, unless you installed a bootloader on each drive. – WU-TANG Feb 22 '22 at 04:43
  • @WU-TANG It might not trash grub because Windows is installed to a separate disk. Also, I think guiverc is talking about using a live Ubuntu USB device to show the GRUB menu. I'm pretty sure the Grub menu on the USB version of Ubuntu also has the option to enter UEFI/BIOS settings (I think it's the last option listed). – mchid Feb 22 '22 at 05:29
  • @WU-TANG Although yeah, Windows might not be fully installed yet. I know the system needs to restart a few times during installation but I'm not sure how far along the process this occurs (after a bootloader is installed?). On non-UEFI systems, it used to install the bootloader to the same disk as the installation so hopefully that is the case here. – mchid Feb 22 '22 at 05:32
  • 1
    hey @mchid I was thinking the "separate disk" was his saving grace? Perhaps because he may have installed a bootloader to 2 different disks may be the only reason he can still boot into Ubuntu? Maybe Windows didnt delete the other drive's bootloader and right now it's just booting into 1st in boot order(ubuntu)? The reference to guiverc, was only because Ive see that name a lot (even on other sites) so i figured he/she could answer that question. But, the option mentioned, I've actually added that to grub before. i was going to offer it as an answer until the question got a little more cloudy – WU-TANG Feb 22 '22 at 05:52
  • 1
    Are both installs UEFI? So we know details: Please copy & paste the pastebin link to the Bootinfo summary report ( do not post report), do not run the auto fix till reviewed.Lets see details, use ppa version with your USB installer (2nd option) or any working install, not Boot-Repair ISO https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair – oldfred Feb 22 '22 at 14:40

2 Answers2

3

Go into Ubuntu and run the following command to recognize the foreign operating system (Windows):

sudo update-grub

Then, reboot.

You should have a Grub screen after you reboot with an option for Ubuntu and one for Windows (or Windows Bootloader). Often times, this will also have a last option to enter the BIOS or main boot menu.

If that fails to work, set a timeout for grub and change the option to use the grub menu manually.

Run the following command to edit your /etc/default/grub file options:

sudo sed -i 's/GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=hidden/GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu/;s/GRUB_TIMEOUT=0/GRUB_TIMEOUT=10/' /etc/default/grub

Then, update grub:

sudo update-grub

and reboot.

Also, as @Jon mentioned in the comments, you may need to disable fastboot in Windows as well. These changes to grub should allow you to access the BIOS and/or Windows Bootmanager.

mchid
  • 43,546
  • 8
  • 97
  • 150
2

Just because your screen is black does not mean you are not able to get into your UEFI or BIOS. Since you didn't specify your hardware I can't tell you which key it is. On older hardware it was often the 'delete'-key. But it can be 'F2', 'F10' or 'F12'. If you edit your question with your hardware info I can search for it.

And update grub and disable fast boot in Windows as suggested by mchid and Jon.

HomerSimpson
  • 507
Joepie Es
  • 1,460
  • 2
    Yes, and to add to that, Dell has a tutorial that incorrectly says to wait before pressing the button but this doesn't work. On my Dell PC, I have to immediately start pressing the button rapidly as soon as I press the power button until BIOS opens. – mchid Feb 21 '22 at 22:27