Asus X202e VivoBook, dual boot. How to get around UEFI and have Win8 & Ubuntu?

Question

I've gotten my hands on an Asus Vivobook X202e. I like it, handy to use, small, etc etc. Oh, it's the i3 core version.

For school I still need Windows * sigh * for the .NET development. (I know, possible in Ubuntu, this n that, but for ease atm wanting to keep it with Win8).

So. How to install both on this little thing?

I've found a way into the BIOS (before splash screen, mash F2. Works only after reboot, not cold boot). But the whole boot loading setup is different than from what I know, and I must've messed up something because it's been "Attempting Repairs", "Analyzing hard disk", and a bunch of other things for the past 15 minutes. (All I've done is selected "disabled" on secure boot, picky as ** Microsoft).

Keeping the original Windows installation is of no concern. Found the product key already and have a clean install waiting.

BTW, not trying to leech knowledge, even though first question and no answers. I'm more and more active on Stackoverflow. But, especially due to secure boot and windows 8, I'm going over to Ubuntu. Well, more and more anyway, I like my Windows based games as well ;)

UPDATE Managed to do a clean install of Windows 8 Pro.

After disabling Secure Boot, also had to disable fast boot, and enable Launch CSM, leaving the option which appeared (Launch PXE OpROM) disabled.

Then I rebooted, with the USB Boot drive I created using the Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool (scroll down for download link), provided by Microsoft.

During the installation, I chose to install a clean version, therefor deleted the partitions containing current windows files. I left the Recovery partition (you never know...). Of course, the new Windows Installation dit not like this. Apparantly Windows cannot be installed on a GPT hard disk. Remember I hadn't changed the partition table, was still factory default! Minus a few partitions, granted. So deleted ALL partittions, did a format of the disk, created a new partition. Et voila, Windows installation started. FINALLY!

WONDROUS After the installation, Windows still had background images located in C:/Users/ ME /AppData/Local/Microsoft/Themes/RoamedThemeFiles/DesktopBackground/ that I had in the previous installation. Before doing: format, delete partition, cascade partitions, create new partition of different size, format partition, install Windows. It managed to keep the images through all that. Anyone got an idea on that one? It also remembered the settings for the Windows Aero theme...

UPDATED QUESTION: After all this you'd think I'd have the rest figured out. Wrong. Ubuntu 12.10, 64 bit installation can't read the partitioning of the hdd during the installation. Any ideas on how to fix this so the install for a dual-boot system can proceed? (Preferably without starting anew with Windows as well ;) )

Solution 1

A very delayed answer, sorry about that peeps.

To get it working, do all of the stuff I did in the question to re-install a clean version of Windows.

To install Ubuntu along side it, make sure that during the installation you create a partition for Windows that leaves space for another partition for Ubuntu.

Then boot to Windows, as if you'd love nothing more in the world.

Once in Windows, open up the installer for Ubuntu (yes, in Windows), and install Ubuntu into the partition you've now, of course, made for Ubuntu (called Web Installer). Run this installation without any fancy settings (though you can update during install, or at least, I could, so try it ;) ). The installation for Ubuntu will also set up the dual-boot.

Now you should be set, reboot the laptop to see if it actually works, if it doesn't, you either:

• did something wrong
• have another laptop model (which could have different bios settings)
• did it all right and windows enjoys being a pain in the buttocks and you need to find another solution

Solution 2

I managed to fix everything and am currently installing Windows 7 on my lovely ASUS laptop as I speak!

1. I booted into my BIOS using F2
2. I went into the "Security" tab and disabled Secure Boot State
3. I went into the "Boot" tab and disable Fast Boot
4. I enabled Launch CSM and Launch PXEOpRom
5. I went into the "Advanced" tab and went into the "USB" settings, I changed both settings to "Enabled".

6. I created a Windows 7 USB using these two links:

   a. UEFI Bootable USB Flash Drive - Create in Windows

   b. UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - Install Windows 7 with - Windows 7 Help Forums7. I am installing Windows 7 now!

Comments

[rkeet]

Can't answer question yet but figured it out. After clean install of Windows, Ubuntu couldn't properly read partitions when booting from USB for install. Installed Ubuntu via the Web Installer in Windows. This created dual-boot. Have rebooted and tested to start into either a few times. Seems to be working just fine.

[LovinBuntu]

Please indicate your BootInfo URL ( help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Info )

[atmelino]

Do you really need to boot Windows? Why don't you install Virtualbox (or similar) and run Windows inside a virtual machine inside Ubuntu for when you really need to run Windows programs? That way, you only need to be able to boot Ubuntu.

[Jed]

I have the same computer. This guide did it for me: tonymacx86.com/mountain-lion-laptop-support/…

[Admin]

Crashed my new laptop hard drive and couldn't boot on a USB - changing the settings in BIOS as above and it worked. A++ well done OP.