Multiboot Win/Ubuntu on the same SSD

Hello,

Yes, you can install Linux and Windows on the same disk (regardless of whether it’s an SSD or not).

As suggested here, you can try installing grub with boot-repair to finalize the installation. Grub should be deployed on the header of the hard drive from which your motherboard boots (for example, /dev/sda if it's the first disk).

Good luck

Good evening Mamiemando,

And thank you for your response...

While searching a bit on the forum and on a search engine I saw that there could be issues with "Uefi" mode or legacy...

I noticed that in my BIOS when I connect my bootable USB drive, there is a choice between "Uefi" or simply the name of the USB drive...

Do you think the problem could come from there? Or is it a Legacy mode setting that is located elsewhere in the BIOS? Right now I have only 1 SSD connected...

In addition, I have an HDD where I have 2 Linux partitions "Librazik" based on "Debian 10" and "Ubuntu 20.04.5"

How come I have several versions of Ubuntu and even a "Grub 2" in the backup page (menu on the right at the end in the BIOS) even though my HDD is not physically connected?

If I'm going to do this, I would like to do it properly....

Thank you for following up...

The link you gave me and that I read

takes me to a link from 2011 that specifies to install

or create a "Boot-repair USB drive" still in Legacy or UEFI mode...

Isn't it better in my case to solve the problem directly by finding the right setting in the BIOS?

I want to be sure I don't make a mistake and have to start all over again (cloning, physically unplugging, etc.).

Hello,

Regarding message #2

Can you provide me with the table of your partitions:

sudo parted -l

Also specify what you want to achieve in the end (which OS on which disks).

Regarding message #3

On recent PCs, there is indeed: UEFI mode (to support Secure Boot) and legacy mode (which ignores Secure Boot). Secure Boot is a mechanism that verifies whether the system you are booting has a trusted signature. If it does, the BIOS agrees to boot it. If not, it refuses. In practice, the signatures in question are stored in an EFI partition (this is a FAT32 partition, quite small, and reserved for this purpose).

So, if in your BIOS, Secure Boot is enabled, you can only boot with a UEFI system. If it is disabled, you have no restrictions.

It's also important to note that recent Windows versions are designed to work only in UEFI mode. This means that if your machine is in this situation, you need to find a way to be in UEFI in the long term.

If Linux is not yet installed, and the installer refuses to boot when Secure Boot is enabled, you can temporarily switch to legacy mode, install Linux, and once it is installed and rebooted, run:

sudo apt update sudo apt install grub-efi-amd64 grub-efi-amd64-signed sudo update-grub

If Linux is already installed but not referenced in the UEFI partition, then you need to repair grub to fix the problem. This can be done in two ways:

• Either you boot in Legacy mode, then run the above commands.
• Or you do the repair from a live USB using "the chroot technique", for example with boot-repair (which will guide you).

Good luck

Hello Mamiemando...

And thank you for your help...

I did what you told me with Boot_repair, but I must have missed a step... it deleted all data from the multiboot (no more Windows) in the boot menu.

I went through recovery mode to solve the problem, so I have a brand new and clean grub...

Here is the result of your request regarding my partition table, but it is not representative because I am in the process of physically changing the order of my physical drives on 2 PCs at the same time...

Hello,

No need to take a screenshot, just copy and paste which will be simpler for everyone and more environmentally friendly. You can use the formatting button Insert a code snippet.

Your partition /dev/sda7 seems strange to me. Given the size, I assume it’s /home. This partition shouldn't be formatted as NTFS but rather as ext4. I don't see a swap partition, and I’m more generally wondering what the purpose of your partitions is.

Here’s what a typical Windows/Linux partitioning looks like:

 (mando@silk) (~) $ sudo parted -l [sudo] Password for mando : Model: ATA Micron_1100_MTFD (scsi) Disk /dev/sda: 512GB Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B Partition Table: gpt Disk Flags: Number Start End Size File system Name Flags 1 1049kB 274MB 273MB fat32 EFI system partition boot, esp 2 274MB 290MB 16.8MB Microsoft reserved partition msftres 3 290MB 257GB 256GB ntfs Basic data partition msftdata 4 257GB 258GB 903MB ntfs hidden, diag 5 258GB 262GB 4000MB linux-swap(v1) swap swap 6 262GB 312GB 50.0GB ext4 root 7 312GB 512GB 200GB ext4 home

The name column shows the role of the partitions: in this example

• /dev/sda1 is the EFI partition
• /dev/sda2 is the Windows recovery partition
• /dev/sda3 is the Windows partition (C:)
• /dev/sda4 is a Windows data partition.
• /dev/sda5 is the Linux swap partition (in swap)
• /dev/sda6 is the / partition of Linux (in ext4)
• /dev/sda7 is the /home partition of Linux (in ext4)

Note that the partition table is in GPT format (not MBR, referred to as msdos in gparted) and therefore there’s no concept of primary, secondary, extended partitions since the limitations inherent to the MBR model (at most 4 primary partitions) no longer exist.

Nothing obliges you to switch to GPT, but it's the future. It’s possible to convert an MBR partition table to GPT under Windows or Linux (see for example here).

Good luck

Hello Mamiemando...

And thank you for your help....

Your partition /dev/sda7 seems strange to me. Given the size, I assume it's /home. This partition shouldn't be formatted in NTFS but in ext4

In fact, no, it's a partition that I wanted to use to enlarge my C:/ after cloning because the cloning creates a partition the size of the source disk, but I couldn't merge it because a small partition is just after the system partition (Win 10) and I can't move it, so I can't

Enlarge the partition created after cloning ...

As for the "swap" partition, I didn't create it because, if I remember correctly, I did an installation of "Ubuntu" in assisted mode to avoid mistakes and end up unable to "reboot" after installation; I could install it later.

By the way, can you confirm that using "Gparted" it is unnecessary to have a swap partition larger than 4GB? (I have 16 GB of RAM in my tower)...

On /dev/sda :

• Partitions 1, 2, and 3 are for Windows (they are installed by default although I don't know what exactly partitions 1 and 3 are for (probably 1 for Boot but I don't know about the other...
• As for partitions 4 and 5, I'm not sure....
• Partition 6 is for "Ubuntu 22.04.1"....

I saw "GPT" but I don't know if my PC, which is starting to show its age, allows me to switch to this format, motherboard "Gygabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H".

Hello,

Your motherboard seems to support GPT (see here). However, nothing prevents you from staying with MBR. If you need more than 4 partitions for a disk, you just need to create an extended partition as you did. Generally, Ubuntu creates all its (secondary) partitions within a single extended partition.

You didn't specify what /dev/sda7 is for. But the fact that you seem a bit lost about the role of your partitions makes me think that either you made a mistake, or the assistant didn't do what you thought (or did whatever :p). I really think it's worth spending some time understanding the concepts related to partitioning.

Once that's done, check the content of each partition (mount + ls) and determine whether it is useful or not.

From there, I recommend saving any important documents, as if you make a mistake, you could lose data.

Reinstall Ubuntu by doing a manual partitioning:

• keep the Windows partitions, without formatting
  • if you want to enlarge a Windows partition, do it either from gparted or from the disk assistant under Windows.
• delete all unnecessary partitions (be careful, you won't be able to recover them);
• declare the partitions for Ubuntu:
  • one swap partition (<= 4GB, not more than 4GB, I confirm that it's unnecessary);
  • one / partition (25GB in ext4 should suffice);
  • one /home partition (arbitrary size, in ext4).

I assume we are ignoring what the partitions of /dev/sdb and /dev/sdc contain, but know that during partitioning, you can indicate to Linux that it should mount them in a specific directory if you wish (in which case, do not format them as you would lose the data they contain).

Good luck

To clarify what I want to do ....

Originally, I have a desktop PC with 1 SSD (NTFS system) of 120 GB and 1 HDD of 1 TB

with NTFS data + 1 Ubuntu installed and Librazik (Debian 10 distribution focused on music...)

I invested in 2 Crucial MX500 SSDs (1 of 500 GB and 1 of 1 TB...)

Initially, since I had never tried cloning before, I wanted

to clone my Windows SSD onto the 1 TB Crucial and install Ubuntu on it in multiboot...

Already, I struggled a lot before understanding how it worked and I finally succeeded with

"Haleo Clone HD" on Windows

I had issues with the "multiboot" after installing Ubuntu

which is why I asked the question on your forum....

In the meantime, I received the 2nd SSD and I thought, why put my "OS" on the 1 TB when the

500 GB is more than enough for me...

I started the cloning operation (Windows) again which succeeded and then I installed Ubuntu

in multiboot and with your help, I succeeded ....

I also have an Asus EEEpc 1025c with a 250 GB HDD, 4 GB of RAM, and Windows 7

installed on it...

I thought, given the startup slowness, that I could put the 120 GB SSD

inside by cloning Windows 7 (since I have neither the Windows 10 installation DVD nor the Windows 7 one)

Since the SSD (formerly 120 GB) is still occupied by the Windows 10 partition (source partition before

cloning), I thought I have space on my 1 TB HDD, why not do a backup cloning

for Windows 10 and Windows 7?

The EEEpc HDD could very well serve me later for these same clones, but

I want to be sure not to erase Windows 7 and Windows 10 before putting my old SSD in the EEEpc ..

So, these are the main points of what I wish to do ...

Unfortunately, with potential data/partition loss, I just hope to be able to recover everything...

I hope you understand my explanations which I realize may not be easy to follow and

understand .....

Hello Mamiemendo...

And thank you for your follow-up...

I moved my "ext4" Ubuntu partition and now I have unallocated space right next to my Ntfs partition...

I created an Ntfs partition next to the other one, but it creates a small partition that prevents me from merging the two....

I understand that copying the contents of the system Nts partition to another one would be possible....

Does the Mbr partition need to stay next to the system Ntfs partition (so should it be moved) after the copy?

Another thing:

I put an SSD with Win 10 in my eeepc with a 32 Bit architecture, having done some research

I couldn't find Ubuntu 18.04 i386, so I downloaded the Mate 18.04 version that I don't know to check

in Live usb it boots well but crashes even in live without installation, even after waiting a long time, it doesn't work....

"Failed to start show plymouth boot screen" then a second error that I can't read and which blocks the live Usb boot

Could you give me the link for the ubuntu 18.04 version which I believe is the latest stable version for this architecture?

I also saw on some sites that the developers were considering going back to 32 Bit (at least for version 20.04 it seems to me)..

On the mini PC I only have 4Go of ram (originally 2) do you think I can use 20.04 if it were well developed

for 32 bit?

Thank you in advance for your reply....

Hello Mamiemando,

For the return of 32-bit support...

https://www.numetopia.fr/retour-du-support-du-32-bits-dans-ubuntu/

I had found a "Ubuntu studio" (music-oriented) version 18.04.

but for my humble Asus 1025 c (too heavy and my music hardware (sound card) is not compatible because there's no firewire 400 even though I also own a M-Audio Fast Track Pro which connects via USB, I don’t need it on this machine.

https://www.01net.com/tests/asus-eee-pc-1025c-gry021s-fiche-technique-19007.html

To which I've added 1 RAM stick for a total of 4 GB and an SSD SATA 2.

I definitely need a 32-bit OS.

Right now I've just installed a Debian 11.06 (I think)

in "dual boot" but it refuses to start even in "recovery" mode

on the updated kernel...

It gives me this message "Failed to start show Plymouth Boot screen."

I can only boot into the lower kernel...

I think it must be a display issue.

During installation, it had set the GDM drivers by default which I had

left as is...

It offered me "light GDM" but not knowing what to do, I left the default choice.

This mini PC is more than enough for office tasks, internet, etc. Moreover, it is portable because my tower consumes 570 watts and I obviously can’t transport it in my daily tasks...

So I prefer to use the EeePC for regular tasks.

Do you know how I can fix this issue with the Plymouth boot screen?

Thank you in advance.

Good evening,

I tried several versions including "Mxlinux" (3/4 hour at startup)

and quite a few others, I even tried an Ubuntu 16.04 still i386

but nothing worked...

I read a lot about 3D support but given the time spent I admit that

I didn't look further...

In the end, I installed Lubuntu 18.04.5 which works perfectly

so I am marking this topic as resolved...

Thank you for the help...

Hello,

Thank you for your response. I think you had a driver issue with your graphics card. If you want to dig deeper, please open a new thread specifying its model (command lspci).

Best of luck