Want to install Ubuntu 22.04 on my HP laptop, completely removing Windows 11, but no success.

[sfrthomas]

I am trying to install the latest version of Ubuntu (22.04; ARM64), completely removing Windows 11 as the OS.

I have created the bootable USB containing the Ubuntu installer, but have not been able to get it to boot. I have tried seemingly everything, but with no success.

It seems that the combination of the BIOS firmware (Qualcomm F.08 version) and Windows 11 have implemented security policy that makes the installation impossible, and actively specifically sought so to do. Instead, Windows 11 offers VirtualBox as a solution, wherein with Windows 11 as the host, I should be able to install a virtual Ubuntu 22.04 machine. This too does not work, unless apparently I spend TT$1300 to purchase a product from the Microsoft Store, instead of the free solution advertised.

As another solution, WIndows 11 offers WSL (Windows support for Linux), under which indeed I was able to install Ubuntu 22.04. This solution is however not practical, as the Ubuntu GNOME desktop is too big for available RAM (have only 4 Gb RAM). The lighter Xfce4 desktop at least loads, but is way too slow, and crashes when I try to use Firefox web browser.

There is nothing that Windows 11 offers that I cannot do without.

On the Linux side, I have legacy software (written by me) that I need to be able to use. I have a SATA harddisk that I was able to boot as a USB external device on earlier laptops, including for clients in a very specialized application area. It contains Ubuntu 16.04 along with the very special-purpose software that I earlier developed. (It requires a special combination of earlier versions of gfortran, gcc, and python, in the absence of which I would have to rewrite/update a lot of code, which I do not want to have to do). But for everyday purposes, I would like to use the latest Ubuntu (22.04 version).

I have tried to obtain an earlier BIOS version, intending to flash the BIOS with it, but HP has made such earlier versions unavailable for download. I also intended, BIOS permitting, to roll back the OS to Windows 10 or even Windows 7, with which in the past I had no difficulty installing Ubuntu, on both HP and Dell laptops. However, it became apparent that a security policy has been programmed into the combination of the latest BIOS and Windows 11 that actively seeks to defeat any such effort. Therefore, I am seeking HP Support's help in over-riding such a policy restriction.

I do not doubt that such policy restriction is well justified for most users, even non-institutional home users such as myself. However, in my case it is a restriction that gives me no benefit, since I would be quite happy to forego the use of Windows 11. My purpose in buying the laptop ultimately was so I could install Linux as my OS of choice, and in particular so I could continue to use self-developed software using Linux. I am a self-taught Unix user going back to ca. 1985, and a Linux user from the time that that option became available for use on PC's and laptops. I have never liked nor wanted to use Windows and have until now never had any insuperable difficulties in converting any PC or laptop to exclusive Linux use, as I again seek to do now.  If I had known it was HP's (and Microsoft's) policy to actively suppress Linux installation on its machine, I would never have bought it.

I would like: 1) to be able to download an earlier BIOS version; 2) if necessary an earlier USB driver version; and 3) if necessary, to roll back to Windows 10 or 7. My expectation then would be to be able to boot my bootable USB disk from which to install Ubuntu 22.04 in the straightforward manner that worked easily for me on earlier versions of Ubuntu, and on a variety of desktops and laptops of various makes/models.

Any help would be much appreciated.