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After installing Xubuntu (I have done this several times with several releases: LTS 14.04 and LTS 16.04), all works great: I get GRUB with Xubuntu and Windows options. The problem comes when I boot to Windows. Next time i restart, Windows boots directly.

Grub bootloader is no longer available on UEFI menu and efibootmgr only shows Windows Boot Loader. I have tried plenty of solutions: disabling CSM, disable fast Startup, disabling secureboot, clean installs, installing windows first and then ubuntu, installing ubuntu then windows, using boot-repair, even removing CMOS battery, updating my UEFI, etc, etc, etc.

The only solution i don't want to use is bcdedit. I did this once and worked, but i messed up ubuntu and ended loosing Windows Boot Loader and reinstalling Windows. I prefer sticking with a virtual machine rather than using bcdedit.

My motherboard is an Asrock B75 Pro3, which supports UEFI. I'm installing both systems in an SSD (i have 2 HHD but i'm not using them for installation). I installed both systems from USB (using UEFI boot option).

What I have done last:

Fast startup disable (boot on UEFI and Windows), secureboot enable, CSM disable, UEFI boot from USB (both on Windows and Ubuntu), Ubuntu installed first using FAT32 partition with boot and ESP flags for installing GRUB.

Before boot-repair:

xubuntu@xubuntu:~$ sudo efibootmgr -v
BootCurrent: 0005
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0002,0005
Boot0002* Windows Boot Manager  HD(1,GPT,beaa7fdc-aa2d-45de-9ca4-97e5e193f466,0x800,0x96000)/File(\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi)WINDOWS.........x...B.C.D.O.B.J.E.C.T.=.{.9.d.e.a.8.6.2.c.-.5.c.d.d.-.4.e.7.0.-.a.c.c.1.-.f.3.2.b.3.4.4.d.4.7.9.5.}...h................
Boot0005* UEFI: JetFlashTranscend 8GB 1100  PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1a,0x0)/USB(1,0)/USB(3,0)/HD(1,MBR,0x24,0x38,0xeb3fc8)AMBO

The boot-repair summary is this.

After boot-repair:

sudo efibootmgr -v
BootCurrent: 0005
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,0002,0005
Boot0002* Windows Boot Manager  HD(1,GPT,beaa7fdc-aa2d-45de-9ca4-97e5e193f466,0x800,0x96000)/File(\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi)WINDOWS.........x...B.C.D.O.B.J.E.C.T.=.{.9.d.e.a.8.6.2.c.-.5.c.d.d.-.4.e.7.0.-.a.c.c.1.-.f.3.2.b.3.4.4.d.4.7.9.5.}...h................
Boot0005* UEFI: JetFlashTranscend 8GB 1100  PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1a,0x0)/USB(1,0)/USB(3,0)/HD(1,MBR,0x24,0x38,0xeb3fc8)AMBO

After booting to Xubuntu:

sergio@SERGIOLINUXPC:~$ efibootmgr 
BootCurrent: 0000
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,0005
Boot0000* ubuntu
Boot0005* UEFI: JetFlashTranscend 8GB 1100

Result: I still get GRUB.

After booting Windows:

BootCurrent: 0005
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0001,0005
Boot0001* Windows Boot Manager
Boot0005* UEFI: JetFlashTranscend 8GB 1100

Result: I lose GRUB.

I did a dual boot UEFI in another computer of mine and I had no problems.

One of the many solutions I tried is this.

I got the same problem than this post, but removing fast startup doesn't show Grub bootloader again, neither on UEFI, neither on efibootmgr.

Thanks for you time and sorry for my english

Community
  • 1
Sergio
  • 11
  • How many HDD/SSD s do you have?
  • how did you install xubuntu (USB or DVD)? is the installation media UEFI capable (you get a different bootup prompt)?
  • is secureboot OFF? keys are removed?
    • – Prasad RD May 22 '16 at 02:29
  • Thanks for your time. I edited original post with more information. I tried installation with secureboot on and off. – Sergio May 22 '16 at 02:38
  • you can try mounting efi partition in a ubuntu live session and make sure it exists. if it is not there that could be secureboot thing cleaning up! try boot repair on linux to do it's magic... – Prasad RD May 22 '16 at 02:58
  • what do you mean? If EFI partition exists (it does) or Grub Bootloader entry exists (i don't how to check it apart from efibootmgr)? I will try boot-repair, but, as usual, it will restore grub, but when i boot to windows, grub will be gone. – Sergio May 22 '16 at 03:04
  • sorry....mistake... you can try mounting efi partition in a ubuntu live session and make sure "ubuntu efi entry" exists. – Prasad RD May 22 '16 at 03:13
  • Probably best to see all the details: Post the link to the Create BootInfo summary report. Is part of Boot-Repair: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Info But you can see UEFI boot entries with sudo efibootmgr -v which will be part of Boot-Repair's summary report. Are you using any Asmedia ports, they cause problems. – oldfred May 22 '16 at 03:37
  • 'bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path \EFI\ubuntu\shimx64.efi' always worked for me..what does boot-repair suggested for you? – Ashu May 22 '16 at 04:14
  • I think you should always install Windows first and then Linux to have it working properly – lewis4u May 22 '16 at 05:21
  • Hi, thanks for your time. I have update post with efbootmgr and boot-repair info. I'm using asmedia sata3 only for the HHD. My SSD is on intel chipset sata3. The ubuntu efi entry is there: folder called ubuntu with grubx64.efi inside – Sergio May 22 '16 at 14:38
  • Guys, thanks for your help but i give up. I have tried another disk wipe, cmos battery reset, secure boot disable, fast boot disable, csm disable and windows then ubuntu install but nothing changed . I will stick with a VM with xubuntu. If you have any idea about what the problem is, let me know, i'm really curious to know what the problem with this damn motherboard is. – Sergio May 22 '16 at 17:01
  • This happens also with some HP laptops: Windows overwrites GRUB with its own bootloader. It usually can be solved. Please, update your post with the output of find /boot -name '*.efi'. – Andrea Lazzarotto May 22 '16 at 17:12
  • Hi Andrea, ubuntu and windows bootloader are both on the efi partition (the .efi files are there). The problem is ubuntu overwrite windows one and windows overwrite ubuntu one. But they are still on the efi partition. It must be a problem with my uefi firmware because i have a laptop with uefi and all works like charm with my dual boot. Pretty sure only solution is bcdedit one, and i refuse to do that while i can use an easier and safer VM. Anyways, i gave up already, thanks for your time. – Sergio May 22 '16 at 17:26