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I have some specific needs and have scoured the internet, as well as this site, to figure out what I have to do. I would like to check to see if I have the right idea and if there are suggestions. I have two SSDs and two HDDs. I have one SSD and one HDD for Windows 10 (call them SSDWin, HDDWin) and the same for Ubuntu Server 17.04 (SSDU, HDDU). The Windows side is entirely for entertainment, games, movies, web, etc. The Linux side will be for learning Linux, learning programming, possibly some entertainment. My setup is Ryzen 1700X CPU, ASUS X370 Pro MB, 16 GB RAM.

My wife wants nothing to do with Linux. So, each time the computer starts up it should either go directly to Windows or give her a choice of OS. I will also need to access the computer remotely and have the use of either operating system, with the ability to switch between them during a remote session. I don't need Ubuntu to have access to the Windows stuff and vice-versa, though it would definitely be a plus if Ubuntu could access the media in HDDWin.

What I have so far is this:

  1. Disable Fast Boot in Windows.
  2. Disconnect SSDWin and HDDWin.
  3. Connect SSDU and HDDU.
  4. Install Ubuntu Server on SSDU.
  5. Reconnect SSDWin and HDDWin.
  6. Reboot into Ubuntu.
  7. ?
  8. Remotely switch between OSs using the advice here: How to remotely control which OS Grub boots?

I am unsure what to do in Step 7 to set up the dual boot with my needs above. I have read something about doing a Grub update to get Ubuntu to recognize Windows, but am unsure what that entails. Thanks.

J126
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  • Will all installs be UEFI or BIOS? As long as consistent all the same, all you should need is sudo update-grub If UEFI you also have the UEFI boot menu. – oldfred Aug 26 '17 at 17:26
  • I may be reading this incorrectly, but you are trying to do a dual boot, your wife's computer will be running either Windows or Ubuntu, but not both at the same time. You will need to search the Windows Q&A sites to determine if there is a method to tell Windows which OS to boot into on the next reboot. – Charles Green Aug 26 '17 at 17:26
  • @Charles Green There is Win-way to set which OS to boot, but he doesn't heed to "go there". He needs to set the BIOS to boot the SSD that Linux is installed and when logs-in to Linux sudo update-grub in terminal. Could install GRUB in all SSDs/HDDs, but better not. More later if no other answer. – vasilis74 Aug 26 '17 at 17:44
  • @vasilis74 I get the bit about using the BIOS for setting the installation, it's the bit about remote connection to the default (windows) os and remotely then booting into the non-default (ubuntu) that seems like a problem. – Charles Green Aug 26 '17 at 17:55
  • @oldfred I get confused by UEFI and BIOS. I have Windows 10 installed from the disc. I have made a USB for Ubuntu and used the UEFI option, but have not installed Ubuntu yet. Does that mean Windows and Ubuntu are UEFI? – J126 Aug 26 '17 at 17:57
  • @CharlesGreen I'm not sure what you mean by "either . . . but not both at the same time". I mean to dual boot Windows and Ubuntu. The advice in my Step 8 includes setting Ubuntu as default so I can just boot to it remotely after restart, or reboot to Windows 10 after first going into Ubuntu. – J126 Aug 26 '17 at 18:01
  • If your wife is OK with the option of choosing an OS at boot time, you can make this work. I read it as "She wants it to go directly to Windows" – Charles Green Aug 26 '17 at 18:06
  • @CharlesGreen Directly to Windows with the option of Ubuntu when desired would be best. But, she is fine with having to choose if I can't make that work. – J126 Aug 26 '17 at 18:09
  • So personally (just a comment!) I've not always been fully pleased with dual boot, as they have occasional errors due to OS upgrades, and can be vexing to fix. Have you considered running your Ubuntu in a virtual machine instead? Just an opinion.... – Charles Green Aug 26 '17 at 18:12
  • @CharlesGreen I now see what you said about remote connection and remote reboot with selection of the OS to reboot, this can be done only from Linux to reboot to Windows, but one sould edit /etc/defaul/grub every time. As I know cannot be done from Windows to reboot to Linux because /etc/defaul/grub cannot be edited from Windows. Anyway, wake-up over lan sould be set, in order to start the PC remotely, another story. – vasilis74 Aug 26 '17 at 18:38
  • @CharlesGreen I appreciate the advice. Part of doing this is for the learning experience. So, I don't mind if there are some bumps along the way. Just more fun for me! – J126 Aug 26 '17 at 18:48
  • @Joe Johnson 126 About the steps you want to follow: 1)I don't know if you need to Disable Fast Boot in Windows. 2)I would not Disconnect SSDWin and HDDWin, because if I did the Linux bootloader(GRUB) would not see and put the WinOS at the boot menu. 3)Connect SSDU and HDDU All drives conected, with Win installed, then install Linux. 4)Install Ubuntu Server on SSDU OK but are you going to install server or desktop Ubuntu? Just asking. 5)Reconnect SSDWin and HDDWin Said above that we do not disconnect anything. 6)Reboot into Ubuntu OK. – vasilis74 Aug 26 '17 at 18:53
  • 7)There are two options at /etc/defaul/grub, one to set a (e.g.)5' showing the boot menu before boot any OS GRUB_TIMEOUT=5, the other to set the default OS GRUB_DEFAULT=the Windows OS name, as it is in the GRUB menu, e.g.Windows10. 8)OK, I did not know thesudo grub-reboot 4 && sudo reboot, you can do it to go Linux > Windows. Runsudo update-grub` after any /etc/defaul/grub edit, as it has been told. – vasilis74 Aug 26 '17 at 18:57
  • @vasilis74 I will be using Ubuntu Server. I have some questions. First, if I want to turn the computer on and freely switch between OS remotely, would showing the boot menu be bad, since I cannot choose the OS remotely. Second, if I do pick a default, should I pick Ubuntu due to the limited ability of my trick in Step 8? Third, what about the concerns from oldfred about UEFI vs BIOS? – J126 Aug 26 '17 at 19:20
  • @Joe Johnson 126 1st)Showing the boot menu wouldn't be bad, because the default OS boots automaticaly when the time (e.g. 5", I did a mistake before wrighting 5') passes. The issue if you turn on the computer localy and then control it remotely or find a wake-on-lan method remains 2nd)Yes you are wright, you sould pick Ubuntu, so PC boots to Ubuntu and if you need Windows you reboot with the above GRUB-method. Then from within Windows you simply reboot and GRUB boots to Ubuntu. – vasilis74 Aug 26 '17 at 19:43
  • 3rd)I don't remember what problem there is between BIOS and UEFI, must be something about the formating of the drive's partitions, I'm not sure. I usualy set the default boot drive in BIOS and UEFI with a similar way. Perhaps oldfred could explain with more datails, so you don't have to repeat formating and installations. – vasilis74 Aug 26 '17 at 19:44
  • In sudo grub-reboot 4 && sudo reboot the number 4 won't be 4 forever, after new kernels upgrades the GRUB numbers change. You will need to use from the link you posted grub-reboot N where N is the Windows boot entry. The exact name is in /boot/grub/grub.cfg, mine for dual boot is 'Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sda2)'. – vasilis74 Aug 26 '17 at 19:54
  • Both Windows & Ubuntu install UEFI or BIOS based on how you boot install media. If UEFI hardware it will offer to boot a flash drive in either boot mode. Have not installed server with UEFI, but should be similar. And Windows only boots in UEFI from gpt partitioned drives. Ubuntu can boot in UEFI or BIOS from the newer gpt. Best not to use MBR(msdos) unless only BIOS boot system. Grub only boots working Windows. And Windows updates will often turn on Windows fast start up, and then grub will not boot it. So then remote boot via grub to Windows will stop working. – oldfred Aug 27 '17 at 21:17
  • @vasilis74 You have been a great help. If you add something as an answer, I can give you credit. – J126 Aug 28 '17 at 03:19
  • @Joe Johnson 126 Thanks Joe Johnson 126, I would have to copy/paste and edit it, too much time to spend, I always do something else. Whoever needs some of the above information, it's already there. If you find another usefull answer from me, give credit there, I am glad if I helped. PS: Until recently I dual-booted from one HDD using partitions. Now prefere different HDDs, installing GRUB only at the Linux-install HDD, so Windows have indepentend bootloader and avoid partitioning drives and wear them down doing this. Swap partition is an annoying need, but hibernation cannot be in the same. – vasilis74 Sep 06 '17 at 22:16

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