Hi, I'm new to Linux. I had an older version that I was able to install from my XP desktop and dual boot, however I didn't use it much, it was just there as a back up for me. I now upgraded that same (Dell 8400 32 bit) system to Windows 8.1 Pro. I want to learn Linux and play around with it as I have heard a lot of good. I have tried for 2 days to install Linux Ubuntu 14. It installed a few times, then I rebooted and kept getting a Grub error message. I am trying to dual boot and I saw I had to change some UEFI setting or something like that. I don't have that option in my BIOS or in the advanced set up. I'm wondering if this is my issue here.

Please feel free to move this to the correct post. I am a first time user of this forum and came to say HI and also ask for help!

Thanks in advance and Hello!!!!

Perhaps you could use Linux in a virtual machine. Windows 8.1 has one or you can download one like Virutalbox from oracle or another one. I use virtualbox on my old XP machine for Linux Mint 17. If you do it this way, you do not have to worry about dual booting and uefi. Also, if you mess something up in your linux, you can delete it from the virtual machine and just reinstall.

Hi: & Welcome to Linux Questions!

What does Grub error message say?

If your Dell came with Windows XP installed you might not have UEFI + Legacy-
If you don't see in your BIOS "disable secure boot" than my guess is that you don't have to worry about UEFI--

In order to dual boot Ubuntu 14 alongside of your Windows 8 operating system you will first have to shrink your Win's 8 partition in order to have room for your Linux Ubuntu. This article should help you to understand.

http://www.tweakhound.com/2013/01/02...s-8-partition/

Does this sound like your Dell's descriptions/specifications? Is this your machine?
http://www.computer-specifications.c...400-Specs.html

If you are using a computer which is old enought to have come with xp AND you have no uefi option in your BIOS, you need to install Ubuntu in mbr mode. Not sure what it is called as I don't use uefi. From what I have read you need to install both windows and Linux in mbr or both in uefi and if don't have an option for uefi then mbr is your only option.

In order to get help, it would be a good idea to post the Grub error message as suggested above, also post some information on the number of hard drives and partitions and also the hardware you are using.

In addition to installing to a partition on your hard drive, you can also use VirtualBox already suggested or just run Ubuntu from the DVD/flash drive. A wubi installation was a possibility but no longer works with windows 8.

Wow! So many responses! Thanks! I'll try to answer them all:

First my Computer Specs are as follows: Over the years, I have modified/upgraded hardware. These spec's have not changed in a few years. I just decided to clean things up a bit.

Dell Dimension 8400
Intel Pent 4 with Hyperthreading (which is ON)
3 GB of memory
32 bit OS (x64 based Processor)
I have 2 SATA HDD's installed: 500 GB Partitioned with 30 GB for Acronis Back up Image. 300 GB (Empty) I Partitioned both drives with 30 GB (Which original 30 GB now has Acronis image on it.
I have 2 ATA CD/DVD ROMS.

Originally, I had partitioned the 500 GB to have XP on it, Windows 8 and Linux (10 or 12) not sure, but that one I only had to install it by using a .exe of it. All 3 OS's I was able to choose at start up, to go in to. Linux worked fine there, until I didn't remember my password for my Linux desktop so never got back in. I only use this old PC to do my Admin or virus scan other HDD's (Troubleshooting) as not to affect my good PC. Since XP is no longer supported, I decided to get rid of it and re-install everything. The Grub Error I was getting would say something like,

Error: unknown filesystem.
grub rescue>

Then it would also give me an 11 digit (or so) number like 7e8ol908w09xsj09f (this isn't the exact number, its just an example)

I have since, ran the "boot-repair" found on Sorceforge and got back into my Windows 8 Desktop. I then Deleted and formatted the partitions where Linux was installed so I only have Windows 8 on there. I was also using EasyBCD to put my boot settings back to normal. Right now, I'm running fine on the Windows 8 desktop.

@z1pp: I like that idea. Using virtual machine...I will try that after I see if I can't get it going this way first...(No offense)

@yancek: Not too sure what you mean by mbr mode? I did a basic Format when I installed Windows 8, I didn't change it from mbr mode to a GPT one. It was formatted (Default) to NTFS like it was before.

If you installed Ubuntu or one of its derivatives with an .exe file, you were using wubi which installs Ubuntu inside a windows system partition as a program, similar to using VirtualBox or some virtual software. If you check the ubuntu site or forums, you will find that wubi is no longer supported or being developed and specifically will not work on a system which has windows 8.

That's a uuid which is used to identify a specific partition and the Grub bootloader can't find it, usually as a result of modifying the partition structure.

The standard method of booting for many years which from what you posted is your only option, if there is no uefi option in BIOS.
If you decide to install Ubuntu or any other Linux, make sure you format with a Linux filesystem.

I'm not too worried about this way, I was stating how I did it in the past. Giving as much info as I can to help anyone trying to help me...


I figured as much, and probably didn't format it properly, however, I followed the instructions at this site: http://itsfoss.com/install-ubuntu-14...ows-8-81-uefi/ Especially step 6.


How do I do just that? I tried both ways that was posted in http://itsfoss.com/install-ubuntu-14...ows-8-81-uefi/ Along Side Windows 8 and Something else.


Thanks!

Where you able to shrink the volume of your Windows 8 partition?

If so you should have some free space now.
That free space depends on the size that you made your Windows partition.

In the past I resized my Win's 7 partition to 249 GB: about 1/2 of the drive. (500 GB HDD)
After resizing I was than able to install Linux but I had to manually create 2 partiions.
1) /ext 4 journaling file system for CentOS and...
2)linux- swap partition 1-2 GB

Some make the swap partition first and than just allocate the rest of the drive to the / ext4 partition.

1024 x 2= 2048 MB for a 2GB swap- Most people only make a 1 GB.
498 GB converted into MB is 509952 MB for the /ext4 journaling fs
http://www.convertunits.com/from/MB/to/GB

Hope that helps-

You need to shrink the windows partition, suggested above so that you have some unallocated space on which to install Ubuntu. Best to create the partitions and format during the install. You can't format from windows as it can't even recognize a Linux partition/filesystem and as indicated above, the default filesystem for Ubuntu 14.04 is ext4. Also, when using the Something Else option, make sure you select the correct Mount point from the drop down box, / the forward slash, symbol for root. You can then select additional space for the swap partition.

Yes, I was able to shrink my volume. I chose 30 GB to user.

Maybe what I did wrong here, was I think I may have formatted that un-allocated 30gb space in windows 8.

Where I chose something else: I followed the steps exactly what they say, using the exact numbers and words for \Home, \swap ect....

Is there another guide out there that is better?

I didn't have this issue with windows 7, but then again, I used the desktop.exe instead...

I thank you for trying to help me out here!!!

You can't format it from windows. As I indicated previously, windows doesn't even recognize a Linux filesystem so there is not way you can format it to run Linux from windows. In the Something Else window, you will be able to set and format. Read it over again, the part where it shows Use as, you need to select ext4 from the list and click the format box.

I'm not sure what numbers you are referring to as the page you linked to just has examples for partition sizes.

can you atleast boot the live-cd?
If so post output of "fdisk -l"
Since you installed ubuntu thru wubi there shouldn't be any ext partitions. Also yes wubi would've overwitten bootloader so when you erased windows partition you removed the grub.cfg file.

I always use the partition manager that comes with the distributions installer.
Reading through the output of fdisk -l like Mr. Eddy suggest's will help us to help you.

I (think) Windows will need more room than 30 GB because of updates and other operations.

Always glad to help.

I'll have to re-install it, I got rid of it cause of this on going issue. I'm sorry I didn't respond sooner, I work nights and TRY to sleep in a bit, but I can't and too tired to get on PC all the time now...lol.... When I do this "fdisl -l" do I have to do it in windows or Linux?