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I have loaded Ubuntu 15.04 onto my Windows XP desktop PC and selected the option for both OSs to remain on the system but when I boot up my computer it goes straight to Windows. On my laptop I get the choice to use either system. How do I get my PC to give me the same choice?

Bob L
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2 Answers2

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There are two possibilities:

  1. Go to UEFI and make Ubuntu your default system. This way, GRUB should show up on startup, where you will be able to select Windows or Ubuntu. If it doesn't, you have to configure it to show up, but that is another topic.
  2. Access the boot options during startup (there should be something like "Press F11 to access boot menu") and choose whatever you want.

Oh, and

  1. Don't use Windows XP. At all. Ever.

For further information on installing Ubuntu on a Windows PC, have a look at this.

Community
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Yanick Nedderhoff
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  • Thanks Yanick. I tried this by selecting F9 at start up but all I got was a choice of the order of locations for the boot up software. I have CD/DVD top of the list, then hard disk drive. here was no way to make Ubuntu my default system. Also, I have to use XP, which is fine, as not all the applications I want are available in Linux versions. – Bob L Nov 02 '15 at 15:26
  • Then it may be a UEFI-only option, while you seem to only have legacy BIOS. Sorry about that. I think my answer is still correct for UEFI, so I'll just change it. – Yanick Nedderhoff Nov 02 '15 at 18:31
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Assuming you have an older desktop computer with legacy BIOS ...

First disable hibernation in your Windows XP installation.

Open command prompt as administrator and execute : 

powercfg /h off

Shut down the machine completely - do NOT reboot !

Then reinstall the GRUB boot loader.

Boot from the Ubuntu installation media - open a terminal and execute: 

sudo mount /dev/sd** /mnt  
sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sd*

Note : sd* = disk | sd** = system partition

To identify the partition numbers use GParted - it is included in the Ubuntu install media.

You now can select which operating system you want to boot from the GRUB boot menu.

cl-netbox
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  • Thanks cl but this is way above my comprehension. By GRUB boot loader do you mean the installation disc I got from Ubuntu? If so, I did this but then did not understand how to open a terminal to type in the code you suggest. All I get is a question - Do you want to try or install Ubuntu. If I select try it boots from the disk, if I select install it installs the software on my PC but this is the problem as I have no idea how to access it. – Bob L Nov 02 '15 at 15:23
  • @BobL : When you disabled hibernation in Windows you are close to getting it done ... Now boot from the installation disk - select "Try Ubuntu" - when the desktop appears press the Windows key or click the top left button and type terminal into the search bar - click on the terminal icon and it will open ... now enter the commands ... do the same with GParted to access it and identify the partitions ... Hope this helps ... Good luck my friend ! :) – cl-netbox Nov 02 '15 at 15:37
  • Thanks again for your clear instructions. I followed these but when I typed the codes into the terminal I got an error message saying: grub-install: error: More than one install driver. I went on and installed the software again but it still just boots straight into Windows . Can you help again please. – Bob L Nov 06 '15 at 13:07
  • @BobL : Please boot from Ubuntu installation media - open GParted - make a screenshot (type screenshot into the search bar and click on the screenshot icon) - upload it to a place from where I can access it and provide me with the link. :) – cl-netbox Nov 06 '15 at 14:14