UEFI won't boot LiveCDs on my laptop
 

Hello,

I'm trying to dual-boot Ubuntu 13.10 with Windows 8.1 on my MSI GE40 2OC-218USK laptop (http://amazon.com/gp/product/B00F3JQ...?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

The UEFI just won't let a Linux boot while it's on.

I've done the following:
Turn off Secure Boot
Turn off Intel Rapid Start
Turn off Windows 8 Fast Startup
Update the BIOS

Each time I added a new thing to try, it still wouldn't get past the bootloader. A blank black screen every time. I've also tried UEFI with CSM instead of UEFI with Secure Boot off. That was the same.

In all of these scenarios, in addition to trying Ubuntu 13.10, I've also tried Lubuntu 13.10, gParted and Fedora 19. They all pretty much acted the same way implying it's the UEFI that's the problem.

I've pretty much run out of ideas with the UEFI stuff.

So does anyone have any suggestions about what I should do? I've heard of a boot manager called reFind, but I don't know how to use it or if it will help me, especially since it says its not a bootloader.

Would installing Ubuntu in Legacy mode work for me? I've actually tried that, carving out some space for ubuntu on a different drive on the laptop and installing it there, and it didn't help me so far since I'm uncovering new bugs in ubuntu as a result. 13.10 didn't install with this bug https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...x/+bug/1260623 and 12.04LTS installed but then I saw a plethora of errors that I've yet to document and never booted after that. Then when I switched back to UEFI, it just went right back to Windows. I want to try again with a different Linux, but I'm starting to get fedup of this.

:(

any help would be appreciated.

Everything is going as planned then. You are supposed to get fed up, and never try linux again. ( Microsofts plan, not yours ! )

I would yank the hard disk, and throw in a spare if you have one kicking around. On the spare drive, try to install Ubuntu 12 ( it is stable ) WITHOUT dual boot - no Windoze.

This would be for troubleshooting - you do not have to live with it, as it would be a test to see where the problem is. Once you figure it out, you will know what your options are.

Personally, I boot with Linux, and run Windows only when I have to - in Virtualbox.

Let us know how you are doing :)

my understanding is not all linux distros are UEFI friendly

generally its the 64 bit versions as per this howto

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI

When you say it won't get past the bootloader, you're able to select "Live" or whatever choices the Live medium gives you? If so, edit the command line by highlighting the choice and pressing tab. Delete "quiet" if it's present, and add "nosdlash". Maybe we can get some information from the messages presented, if any.

If not, UEFI on my ASUS laptop has a section "Boot" which lists devices, and from there select the device you'd like to boot from. Does your EFI have a similar section, and have you tried it?

You may have to pay attention to boot choice. You may have to use F key to select boot media and there you may find two or more choices that appear to be disc.

Both F19 and Ubuntu13 ought to be supported.

I tried the 64-bit 13.10. Bringing up the boot menu is F11 in the MSI laptops. That doesn't seem to be issue. I'm able to select the livecd from the boot menu.

I tried editing the grub boot loader options. that didn't seem to change anything. it goes to a blank screen before a single text item loads on the screen.

The general answer is to disable UEFI to boot an OS that didn't come with your device. If that's not an option, there might be some info about how to function within the UEFI specification. Not that I would know, my tech is old and doesn't have UEFI.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php...ware_Interface
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Boot_Loaders

Being that you're getting the bootloader on the live media itself... perhaps this isn't an UEFI issue but some other hardware issue.

Again, try editing the grub command line. Add the following; perhaps one at a time, then combinations, to see which works (if you're willing to do so, of course).

Your system has to be able to choose the uefi boot cd/dvd, not just a live cd choice.

If you can go to and boot the live disk, can you install from there? Ubuntu has said it will provide the needed shims to use UEFI from Windoze influenced machines but I wonder how reliable this is.

Fred.

I am having the same problem with my new Alienware.Can't seam to get pass grub.

It is possible that the kernel does not detect that it should use the EFI framebuffer driver instead of the native one. Try to add the parameter video=efifb to the kernel command line in the bootloader.