After 4 days of trying to dual Boot....Help!

[Warewasher]

I acquired a Dell Inspiron from about 2018 or so. Installed windows 10 and wanted to dual boot Linux mint. My windows 10 install media (with the product code ) will only boot in legacy mode so I proceed with the windows install and all is well. I made room on the drive for a Linux partition and proceeded
to the Linux install media which I created with Universal USB creator and this will only install in UEIF mode...but now I expected to see the screen Install Linux next to windows. But that screen is not there, clicking next ..Something else wants me to create a new partition table. My Windows installation is invisible to Linux. I assume it's the difference in the bios between legacy and UEIF. I tried to reformat the SSD to GPT format but then windows would not install. I had to go back to MBR. Any Ideas. I tried to update the Bios just for the hell of it but system is to old!

 

[Egzoset]

Hello,

I've purchased some old/new or new/old Dull NoteBook recently (*), i also happen to have Windows 11 pre-installed in UEFi mode and was forced to change its BitLocker setting before Linux storage space could be recovered, politely. The experience felt relatively painless except i found Dell's claim of Linux compatibility quite over-exagerated, which still verifies months later.

In any case in a situation as yours i'd avoid trying to flirt with the idea of mixing BIOS (Legacy/Vintage) vs UEFi/GUID Partition Table (GPT) setups, not even using 2 physically separate storage units. An intuition thing if you wish... But i've been having fun playing with multi-boot on even older PCs before so your post reminds me of this once useful resource:

How to install Grub2Win on Windows 10 (Bootloader) [2014-May-14]

It might help minimize incidents while you much better 1st keep a backup of Microsoft's « EFi System Partition » (ESP) before trying anything more risky, using an amovible USB thumbdrive of course...

Anyway, having the option of UEFi i have a hard time figuring out why Win 10 would even be a problem, but that's the way this is i guess.

Good day, have fun!!

 

[Brickwizard]

Welcome to the forums,
some questions.
1] which distribution are you trying to install?
2] your machine is UEFI not legacy
3]with most distributions, you need to open the motherboard settings and disable windows secure boot [usually in security settings] and fast boot [in power settings]
after changing the settings, do a full power re-set [diss connect all cables [including mains] press and hold power button down for 60 seconds release
4] reconnect cables, insert USB with bootable ISO in the machine, switch on whilst jiggling F12, to bring up short boot menu, scroll to the USB for your ISO, highlight and enter.

if there is nothing wrong with the Pen-drive, or the ISO corrupt, it should load to live session [test mode] make sure everything is working [keypad, camera, sound, & etc] only then decide if you want to install it.

 

[Egzoset]

2] your machine is UEFI not legacy

That would change perspectives dramatically, because if that's verified then you can leave Windows totally alone and create a 2nd ESP for Linux, even a 3rd one to hold rEFInd which offers a beautiful horizontal menu compatible with most keyboards.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

do a full power re-set [diss connect all cables [including mains] press and hold power button down for 60 seconds release

Hey Brick, I'm curious why this is necessary and how it helps?
And what is the exact procedure? do you first hold power button for 60 seconds to shut down and then next disconnect power cables?
And why 60 seconds? isn't enough to just keep it pressed until it shuts down?

 

[Brickwizard]

why this is necessary and how it helps?

OK, this is an engineers trick, it is the way we purge the motherboard control chip [what we would have called the BIOS, but it does less than the old ones] in the old days [and some still do it this way] you would disconnect the power supply and battery, strip the machine and remove the CMOS battery, on modern machines [from around 2010 onwards] motherboard manufacturers started to introduced this quick method [but It's something you learn about as an engineer, you won't normally find it in the instruction manuals]
Now the why, with win 10/11 fast boot [its a form of hibernation], your machine doesn't fully shut down, once you have changed the setting you need to do a full power re-start to make sure changes take effect [this is done by holding the power button down for around 10 seconds until the LED goes out,] by holding the button down for 60 seconds the machine will isolate the CMOS battery and purge the motherboard capacitors, this will also re-set the motherboard control chip, thus removing any possible corruption sometimes caused by in the main USB hardware. You may notice when you re-start after this procedure, there is a slight lag in the first boot stage whilst it re-sets, but most people won't.

 

[Brickwizard]

And what is the exact procedure?

Disconnect the laptop from all peripherals and mains power, first, power up the machine till you have a screen then do the button bit, it doesn't fix every problem but does fix many, and when I am working on a machine I do not know if it has an unidentified problem then I start with this before picking up a screwdriver.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

Disconnect the laptop from all peripherals and mains power, first, power up the machine till you have a screen then do the button bit, it doesn't fix every problem but does fix many, and when I am working on a machine I do not know if it has an unidentified problem then I start with this before picking up a screwdriver.

I really appreciate it, learned something new, but I'm confused about desktop PC, if I disconnect it from power first then power button should have no effect right?
So for desktops I suppose we first need to hold power button followed by removing cables? or vice versa?

 

[Brickwizard]

but I'm confused about desktop PC

Different kettle of fish, it is more recent in desktops [I have it in my HP prodesk [2015] this is a small form factor machine so many of the parts are laptop derived] So on a desktop just disconnect everything except the main screen and power then do the button bit, it may not work on all desktops.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

So on a desktop just disconnect everything except the main screen and power then do the button bit, it may not work on all desktops.

Thank you very much!
And sorry for undermining OP's thread, I'm sure he'll find this info useful as well.

 

[Warewasher]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. More things to try. My only salvation is that I have a separate SSD which I installed Linux Mint when I started this adventure. Can't dual boot it but I can plug it and and work & Play with Mint or I can just call the old Dell Inspiration my Linux Box and call it a day!