Adding Windows 8.1 to Grub

Stoned_Pancake · 08-01-2014, 01:04 PM

Hello I'm a Linux noob

I just installed Debian 7.6.0 without any issues. However, I can't seem to boot into Windows 8 anymore (don't worry I didn't format the Windows partition). In Grub I have two OS options Debian 7.6.0 and Debian 7.6.0 (recovery), but no Windows 8. How do I add Windows 8 to Grub?

Some additional information; both Debian and Windows are on the same HDD, but on different partitions.

-SP

TroN-0074 · 08-01-2014, 02:07 PM

You will have to do it as root through the terminal. I dont know what version of grub you have so you can start by becoming root in your terminal then as root type the command

Code:

update-grub

hit enter and let it run then reboot and see if the windows entry appears.
If it doesnt appear then you can try again a different command, as root ofcourse type

Code:

 grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

and hit enter, let it run and reboot once is done.

good luck to you

Stoned_Pancake · 08-01-2014, 08:10 PM

I tried both solutions you gave, but neither was succesful :/

Goobers · 08-01-2014, 08:24 PM

Is this a UEFI system? Can you call up the boot menu during post? The key the call it is a usually a function key that varies between BIOS companies. Mine is F7 on my laptop, F8 on my desktop... Another member has F11, etc, so... Try spamming the F-keys to find yours, if you don't have an owner's manual for it. An option to boot to windows should show if it isn't corrupted or wiped out. If it shows up, try installing rEFInd. While grub/grub2 (not grub legacy) support UEFI, I find rEFInd very simple to install and use. Another way to check is to actually go into BIOS itself to the screen that shows boot order... Windows should be an option.

If you don't have UEFI... Well, i dunno then. It would be well over a decade since I last attempted installing Linux, dual boot at that, prior to my recent Slackware install in a UEFI system. I do remember needing to do quite a bit of work to get it to dual boot.

Stoned_Pancake · 08-01-2014, 08:36 PM

Yes it is a UEFI system. And I do know how to get in my BIOS, luckily I'm not that much of a noob

(only when it comes to linux). I am able to boot into windows, but it ask me to remove bootable media (before windows start loading), eventhough I don't have any bootable USB's or CD/DVD's in my pc

Goobers · 08-01-2014, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stoned_Pancake

Yes it is a UEFI system. And I do know how to get in my BIOS, luckily I'm not that much of a noob

(only when it comes to linux). I am able to boot into windows, but it ask me to remove bootable media (before windows start loading), eventhough I don't have any bootable USB's or CD/DVD's in my pc

No, i meant there's an actual menu that you can use directly without going into BIOS itself.

Asking you to remove bootable sounds like it is either a corrupt or swapped bootloader. Even though you say it is a UEFI system, is it in UEFI mode? Some howtos talking about swapping UEFI mode into BIOS mode... But thats usually for systems that plan on single booting Linux, which i find pointless, since BIOS-MBR mode offers little to nothing over UEFI, beyond support for older bootloaders. Though, UEFI doesn't offer much over BIOS-MBR either, in single booting Linux.

Stoned_Pancake · 08-02-2014, 05:33 AM

Yes I do too believe that the Windows bootloader is corrupted (that's the reason I want to add windows to Grub).
Also this is pic of the menu you were refering to: https://db.tt/aQRgpB8x
And this a pic of what happens when choosing notebook harddrive: https://db.tt/SLszaSpO
When choosing boot from EFI file it goes to Grub.
EDIT: I don't have any windows/recovery disks (it's a recovery partition on the second HDD), when choosing system recovery in the post-menu I get the same please remove bootable media message.
Also what effect would reinstalling/repairing Windows have, I would just try doing it, but I'm afraid I'll screw this situation up even more