No Operating System Found after install of 16.04.1 LTS from live USB

Question

I'm using a Lenovo IdeaCenter K410 tower pc in 64-bit mode. I am trying to do a clean fresh install of the 64-bit version of 16.04.1 LTS Xubuntu from a USB thumbdrive.

I am NOT doing a dual-boot, but rather a clean install to a single harddrive. The windows harddrive is using the MBR version of bootup, and the Linux distro wants to use a EFI or UEFI version. So, that's why I'm doing it to just the one drive without windows on it. Windows is on a 500 Gig drive, and Linux will be on a Terrabyte drive. (What I do is unplug the SATA cable from the Linux drive to allow the windows bootloader to bootup. WITH the SATA cable plugged in, it always defaults to Linux, due to the bootloader's disparity.)

The 16.04.1 LTS Xubuntu install seems to have done something, BUT after initial install & reboot, I get the error:

Error 1962: No Operating system found. Press any key to repeat boot sequence.

It seems as if the Grub didn't install or install properly, and thus the error report. I did try using the "Boot Repair Disc" from a DVD, but it halts and says I need to install it on a USB drive to change the Boot from Legacy to UEFI. But, it also erroneously reports that there is no boot loader for Windows either, but obviously this Windows boots just fine.

My BIOS is a Legacy BIOS, but makers claim it "supports" UEFI. I checked with the brand website to download and flash a new BIOS, but they claim I have an up-to-date version for this motherboard. I'm starting to wonder if I need a newer pc JUST to install 16.04.

I'm going to use the pendrive Universal USB installer this time around, as some people claim it has a better chance of installing the Grub properly. http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/

In the meantime, what else can I do to ensure a good clean install? Am I missing anything?(sleep, probably).

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NOTE: looking at Windows 10 boots instead of Linux Live USB (Ubuntu 15.10) - prior installed and deleted Ubuntu (GRUB is not functioning) for some ideas.

Solution

When Windows is installed in legacy-mode (BIOS-MBR)and you install Linux afterwards, you should install Linux in legacy-mode as well even if you install the Linux-distribution on a separate drive, it just keep things simple.

It is not that Xubuntu wants to install in UEFI-mode, it is the way you boot the installer. if you boot the installer in UEFI-mode it will install in UEFI-mode, if you boot the installer in legacy-mode it will install in legacy-mode.

Installing in legacy-mode you don't even need to overwrite the Windows-boot-loader with Grub when you install Xubuntu on it's own drive, you can install Grub to the MBR of the Xubuntu-drive.

Changing boot-order in UEFI-BIOS to Xubuntu-drive would boot to Grub where you can choose to boot Xubuntu or Windows. If you set boot-order to Windows-drive it would boot directly to Windows.

I have a very similar system, Windows and Ubuntu installed on separate drives, both operating-systems installed in legacy-mode. Windows-drive is untouched by Ubuntu-installation, so if one of the drives fails I will be able to boot to the other drive...

But it seems you have a working solution already, if everything works fine, keep it as it is...

Comments

[hienz1]

thanks mook. Yeah, I kinda like it the way it is. It seems to provide an extra level of security. It won't boot without the rEFInd Boot Manager disc. And if I used the thumb drive version, it would act the same as well. I think I understand now what the issue is - having to do with the BIOS. Well, I'm not forking over another $600-$1000 for a new pc with an EFI BIOS JUST to run Xubuntu 16.04 that way. I think I'll live just fine with the way it is.

[mook765]

Your machine is UEFI-compatible. IF you install Ubuntu after Windows it is better to install Ubuntu in the same mode Windows is installed. If you install on only one drive it is a must. On different drives installing in different modes is possible, but the Grub will not be able to boot OS which is installed indifferent mode. rEFInd is different and can do that.