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I recently purchased a Toshiba laptop, that had Windows 8 pre-installed. As Windows 8 is awful, I decided to attempt to dualboot Ubuntu. Did some research, and found out that it is not as simple with UEFI enabled. If there is some way to keep UEFI enabled (unless it is completely pointless) I would love a step-by-step tutorial. Either way, I could really appreciate some help as I have seen multiple methods, all of which are different. If you require any more information about my system, feel free to ask.

Thanks in advance.

BTW I am a first time Ubuntu installed, so like I said STEP-BY-STEP instructions would be appreciated.

Seth, like I said I haven't installed Ubuntu on a system before, so I haven't even gotten to that point.

user1446371
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1 Answers1

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UEFI is not completely pointless, but you have to turn it off to install Ubuntu 12.10 (32 bit at least) I'm pretty sure. And computers didn't used to have it, but it is safer. I did this recently, I think it was in the boot menu.

STEP 1: Seth is correct. If you want to install Ubuntu 12.10 in 32 bit you have to switch from UEFI to Legacy at least temporarily. He provided a great guide that was upvoted 46 times. Do that first. Once you've turned off UEFI you can install Ubuntu.

ALTERNATIVELY, if you have a 64 bit system you can follow this guide to installing Ubuntu in UEFI: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI

STEP 2: Did you put Ubuntu on a CD/DVD or USB? You need to make a bootable CD/DVD or USB with Ubuntu. There are a million great guides online to do this.

STEP 3: Change your boot menu order so that when you turn your computer on, it reads the usb and boots from that instead of from your harddrive. This means you'll be running your OS from your USB or CD as you install it. This will also be included in pretty much every installation guide.

NicBaird
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  • I am infact on 64 bit, so first I disable UEFI? This won't change anything important in windows will it? – user1446371 Mar 09 '13 at 05:36
  • I put Ubuntu on a USB using Universal USB Install, and it all went well. So now I go ahead and disable UEFI? – user1446371 Mar 09 '13 at 06:01
  • I installed Ubuntu 64 bit on a UEFI system by disabling it, but it says in the link that you can do it without disabling UEFI on a 64 bit system. I've never tried this personally, but if you're concerned than you could go that route. It's just a security measure they added in, it won't change anything. – NicBaird Mar 09 '13 at 06:04
  • So I basically just disable UEFI then I can just follow a YouTube tutorial for installing it and it should be fine? – user1446371 Mar 09 '13 at 06:13
  • Disable UEFI: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElzvaL96cw0 – NicBaird Mar 09 '13 at 06:16
  • Yep, there's not much of a tutorial needed. When you restart in Legacy mode, after disabling UEFI, the first screen should look different. If you put your bootable USB in the computer, then it will either boot immediately, or you have to change the boot options to that it selects the USB before it selects your harddrive. This can usually be done by pressing F2 rapidly as soon as you turn on the computer. Anyway, once you get into the installer it should be smooth sailing. Just like installing a very user friendly program in Windows. – NicBaird Mar 09 '13 at 06:20
  • Will I have to create some sort of partition dedicated to Ubuntu? I do plan to use it for Eclipse programming. – user1446371 Mar 09 '13 at 06:21
  • WAIT, this is actually very important if you're trying to dual boot Windows 8 and Ubuntu. You have to install within UEFI to dual boot, because Windows 8 is strictly UEFI. If you're doing Ubuntu only you can do Legacy, but not both. However, the link I posted in my answer says you can install Ubuntu 64 bit in UEFI. If you turned it off, it's not a big deal, you can just turn it back on easily. – NicBaird Mar 09 '13 at 06:23
  • I did not disable it yet, so what does this mean I do now? – user1446371 Mar 09 '13 at 06:28
  • I only have experience turning off UEFI and then installing Ubuntu as my only OS. That's pretty easy. – NicBaird Mar 09 '13 at 06:40
  • I definitely want to keep Windows on there, I do work with Photoshop After Effects and Sony Vegas. I guess I'll just leave it off for now, if anyone else has any solutions please let me know, also I apologize, I would have made this a chat, don't have enough reputation though. – user1446371 Mar 09 '13 at 06:42
  • The guide I provided in my answer seems to address this. Look at the headings as not all of them are relevant. I would love to help more, but I have to go to sleep. Try this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNCSbTyUzoM – NicBaird Mar 09 '13 at 06:44
  • Thanks for the help, however he does not have UEFI on his system, and it does seem after doing more research that disabling this will effect dual booting. Windows really screwed the pooch with this pathetic excuse of an OS. Night ;) – user1446371 Mar 09 '13 at 06:46
  • I feel I should explain my full progress so far, as the conversation got lengthy (again I do not have enough reputation to make this a chat). I have Ubuntu installed on a USB, still have UEFI enabled, and am overall lost. I do plan to dual-boot and would like to get this done rather quickly. – user1446371 Mar 09 '13 at 07:43