Trying to dual boot Windows 10 and Linux Mint

[Rick1100]

Computer is really an HP 2000-2b80dx with a 15.6 inch screen, dating from 2013, but serial number search says it is as above.

I have installed Linux Mint in a separate partition from Windows 10. I turned off Fast Start and Secure Boot. The BIOS does not allow me to set a custom path, but I used bcdedit to change the boot path to \EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi., which does indeed exist. However, the computer continues to boot into Windows with no Linux option. (I went through this drill on a Dell desktop, and it worked perfectly.) I suspect the problem has to do with the HP folder in the boot partition. What will happen if I rename this folder? Or can someone suggest something else to try?

[Deep_World]

Hi @Rick1100,
 
Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

Sorry for the inconvenience caused and don’t worry let me help you.

To better understand the issue, could you please provide a few more details?

• After installation, do you see a GRUB menu at all, or does the system go straight into Windows?
• Have you checked whether the EFI partition contains both the ubuntu and Microsoft folders, and whether GRUB is properly registered in the EFI boot manager?

Here are a few general troubleshooting suggestions you might try:

• Use the Boot Menu key (F9 on HP laptops): At startup, press F9 to see if GRUB or “ubuntu” shows up as an option. Sometimes it’s hidden but selectable manually.
• Reinstall GRUB with Boot-Repair: From a Linux Mint live USB, you can run Boot-Repair, which often detects HP’s boot quirks and reinstalls GRUB in a way that makes it visible.
• Check EFI entries with efibootmgr: From Linux Mint, run efibootmgr -v to see if the Ubuntu entry exists. If it does, you may be able to set its boot order higher than Windows.
• Keep Windows Boot Manager intact: Avoid renaming or deleting the HP or Microsoft EFI folders these are critical for Windows startup.

Renaming the HP folder is not recommended, it can cause the system to fail to boot into Windows entirely

The Support for Linux or Ubuntu is limited , we can share steps ensuring Windows boots correctly.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 

Best regards,

Deep_World. 

 

[Rick1100]

I don't ever see GRUB. It always boots directly into Windows 10.  In BIOS I have USB first so I can boot Linux from that. Then comes OS Boot Manager. Using bcdedit /set {bootmgr}  I have specified the path to grubx64.efi, but HP seems to go directly to bootmgfw.efi regardless. I have confirmed this using linux efibootmgr. I tried changing the loading order using efibootmgr -o, putting grubx64 ahead of bootmgfw, but it made no difference: HP still loaded Windows. When I went back to linux efibootmgr, bootmgfw was again ahead of grubx64. HP seems determined to load Windows if at all possible.

GRUB does not appear in the BIOS. I see no way to add anything to the BIOS Boot loader list, only to rearrange what's there.

I tried Linux boot-repair but it hung after displaying the msg. "Scanning systems (SecureBoot disabled). Please wait few seconds)." After several minutes it came back with "Glade2script-python3 is not responding." Then nothing. I rebooted Linux and tried it again with the same result.

BTW, before I got your reply I tried renaming the EFI HP folder. It still booted into Windows, so I restored the HP name.

I am very frustrated. I have Linux Mint installed on this notebook but no way at all to boot it. The computer is no longer supported, so I can't even find out if there is a more recent BIOS. The one I have is dated 2014-11-27 and is named F.47. The computer dates from 2013.

[Deep_World]

Hi @Rick1100,

Thanks for your response and I can completely understand how this must feel  and you’ve gone through all the right steps, yet your system seems determined to boot Windows no matter what. Since your notebook is older and the BIOS is limited, it can make dual‑boot setups more challenging, but there are still a few things you can try.

• Check Secure Boot again
  Even though you mentioned it’s disabled, double‑check in BIOS. Some HP systems re‑enable it after updates or resets, which can block GRUB.
• Check for “Legacy Boot” or “CSM” mode
  If your BIOS supports it, enabling legacy boot can sometimes allow GRUB to appear. Be cautious though switching modes may affect how Windows boots.
• Reinstall GRUB from Linux Mint live USB
  Boot into Mint from USB, open a terminal, and run:
• This ensures GRUB is properly written to EFI.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 

Best regards,

Deep_World. 

[Rick1100]

I'm sure Secure Boot is off: I've been into the BIOS many times.

Will try Legacy mode. I haven't done so yet.

Please explain what you mean by "run:" after I open a Linux terminal. Run what, and what would the command be? I'm pretty new to Linux, though I was once an IBM mainframe Systems Programmer and have a fair amount of Windows experience.

Thanks for all your help so far.

[Deep_World]

Hi @Rick1100,

Thanks for your response. 

Please note the support for the third party software are limited . 

When I mentioned “run” in the Linux terminal, I  meant typing a command and pressing Enter to execute it. 

Here are a few general steps you can try before switching to Legacy mode:

• Check Boot Mode: Confirm whether your Windows installation is in UEFI or Legacy mode. Linux Mint should ideally match that mode for smoother dual boot.
• Partition Setup: Make sure you’ve created free space or a separate partition for Linux Mint. 
• GRUB Installation: During Mint installation, ensure the bootloader (GRUB) is installed to the correct drive (usually the same drive where Windows resides).
• Fast Startup in Windows: Disable Fast Startup in Windows 10 (found in Power Options → Choose what the power buttons do). This prevents conflicts when switching between systems.
• Test Live Boot: Before installing, try running Linux Mint in “Live Mode” from your USB stick. This ensures hardware compatibility and gives you a chance to test things out safely.
  
  I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 

Best regards,

Deep_World.  

 

[Rick1100 · Accepted solution]

I have solved this problem at last. Here are the key steps:

1. Disable Fast Startup in Windows.

2. Use UEFI in BIOS, not Legacy.

3. Turn off Secure Boot in BIOS.

4. Install Linux on a USB drive. Boot from that and install Linux in a separate partition on your computer hard drive.

5. Still running Linux on the USB drive, edit the file /etc/default/grub on your hard drive. Change 'GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=hidden' to 'GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu'. Other useful features in this file are 'GRUB_DEFAULT' to set the default system to boot and 'GRUB_TIMEOUT' to set the time to wait for a selection in seconds. Use -1 for no timeout.

6. Issue the command 'sudo grub-update' in the Linux terminal.

7. My computer still would boot only Windows at this stage. Open Windows Command Prompt in admin mode. Use the command 'diskpart', then the subcommands 'list disk', 'sel disk', 'list part', 'sel part', and 'assign letter' to be able to access the EFI partition. This has to be redone after each boot because Windows removes the letter.

8. Find the file grubx64.efi using the letter you have assigned. I had to use Command Prompt for this since I was not allowed to access the partition using the file system menu display. My location was \EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi. Next issue the Windows command 'bcdedit /enum /v' to see the path to the bootmgr and copy it in case you need to restore it. Mine was \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\Bootmgfw.efi. Change the path from Microsoft to Linux using 'bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path' followed by the grubx64 location you found above.

9 Reboot. You should now see a menu to be able to choose whether to boot Linux or Windows.

I had performed all the steps above except #5 before I opened this problem. Step 5 was not required on my Dell desktop machine, but it was on my HP notebook. Before I found that trick I was able to boot Linux on HP by renaming the file Bootmgfw.efi in Windows using Command Prompt and the letter assigned to the EFI partition. Then I could return to Windows by restoring the name to Bootmgfw.efi in Linux. That was my first 'solution', but it was obviously very awkward. Step 5 makes the dual-boot menu appear on my HP.

[Deep_World]

Hi @Rick1100,

I really appreciate you taking the time to share the detailed steps you followed, it shows how much effort and persistence you put into solving this.  

It’s great to hear that you found a reliable solution by editing the GRUB configuration and enabling the boot menu. That’s a clever workaround compared to the more cumbersome renaming method you initially had to use. 

I’m glad you were able to get both Linux and Windows working smoothly side by side. If you ever run into further any issue  with boot management or BIOS settings, please know, we will glad to help you.  

And a huge thank you for marking this post as the 'Accepted Solution'! We're thrilled that we could help resolve your issue. 

If you have any more questions or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to ask. We're here to help! 

Thanks again for your confirmation, and we wish you an amazing day ahead! 

Best Regards,

Deep_World

[Rick1100]

Many thanks for your help and interest in this problem. I hope the solution may help others. I had opened a similar problem on the Linux Mint forum, where there was much less interest. I posted a link there to this post to make the solution more accessible.