I have proudly inherited the OP position on an Android site for the HTC ReZound. However, my current machine is only a Pentium D with its max of 4GB of RAM. I got the opportunity to purchase a new machine (wife said yes:P). This new machine came with Windows 8.1 and with updates now has Windows 8.1 Update. Yes, that is Microsoft’s latest for its Win8 realm. Anywho, I have tried for the past week to get a copy of openSuSE to reliably boot up with this Windows 8.1. I am now on my third FULL recovery and I’ve only had the machine for a week!!
I have tried versions 12.3, 13.1 and 13.2 and not necessarily in that order. In fact the first try was 13.2. The biggest “problem” that I am running into is… IF I can successfully get openSuSE installed -but- then I exit over to Windows … I can’t get back. Or the other side of the problem, I get into Linux and can not get back to Windows. Have a couple of times gotten it to switch between the two but mostly it gets locked into one or the other.
Are there any suggestions, other than dump Windows, that might be offered to make this stable?? Perhaps the released version has some fixes that are not in yet?? My goal is to get a Linux system on this new machine so that I can cut my Full Clean Builds from 8 hours down to 2 or 3 at the most. The machine???
Hp 500-277c i7-Quad with 12GB RAM and 1TB of HDD. It is a Windows 8.1 Update UEFI machine.
Thanks to any that reply … I have searched and searched the Net and all I have really found so far is people with the same problems and no prosperous resulting solutions. I want to stay with openSuSE. -BUT- IF there is another that will work better I will have to leave. So far my search is to fix SuSE and stay.
I don’t have any personal experience with a recent HP. It is my understanding that if you hit F9 during boot (or maybe ESC followed by F9), there is a boot menu to allow some selection.
For UEFI computers from other vendors, it is usually F12 during boot. So if F9 does not work, give F12 a try.
[QUOTE]Or the other side of the problem, I get into Linux and can not get back to Windows. Have a couple of times gotten it to switch between the two but mostly it gets locked into one or the other.[/QUOTE
That raises a question of whether you properly installed opensuse. That is, did you install for UEFI booting?
If you did, then there should be an entry in the boot menu to boot Windows. But, if you installed opensuse to use legacy MBR booting (sometimes called CSM booting), there probably won’t be a boot entry for Windows.
[QUOTE=nrickert;2671538]I don’t have any personal experience with a recent HP. It is my understanding that if you hit F9 during boot (or maybe ESC followed by F9), there is a boot menu to allow some selection.
For UEFI computers from other vendors, it is usually F12 during boot. So if F9 does not work, give F12 a try.
Or the other side of the problem, I get into Linux and can not get back to Windows. Have a couple of times gotten it to switch between the two but mostly it gets locked into one or the other./QUOTE
That raises a question of whether you properly installed opensuse. That is, did you install for UEFI booting?
On my HP 17T optimus (intel + nvidia cards):
hit “esc” repeatedly – pressing and holding esc won’t work, boots to win8.1
When context menu comes up > press F-9
Install, 1st thing to do for me was turn off "fast boot in win8.1 prior to install of openSUSE
2nd, if optimus, at install Grub, press “e” and arrow down to kernel line and add “nomodeset” as installer will be confused by optimus & needs to install to intel video (add Bumblebee from the repo post install for the Nvidia card).
First, if you have Win8, then you need to make certain you install openSUSE in UEFI mode.
Second, (actually, first, I suppose, before installing openSUSE) you need to disable fast shutdown in Win8.
Third, if I recall correctly, there is another recent thread here on the forum that suggests some of the latest HPs resist booting to anything but Windows: It can be done, but is a fight.
You will find information to deal with these things in several threads on this forum, so find them by using Google or Duckduckgo, adding openSUSE to your search terms, or opensuse.org, and so on.
Plus, if you wait a few moments up to a few hours, several people already seasoned in these specific problems will soon jump in here.
Thanks muchly to ALL that have replied so far … and an advance thanks to ALL that may reply in the future. Hopefully, this will get resolved today -OR- next week when the new 13.2 is released. Things that seemed to have helped so far:
1.) Searching and Reading the Net… and here… it “appears” that Windows, at least the newest versions, does NOT like anything messing with the Partitions -but- it. So, instead of ‘Gparted’ and ‘MiniTool Part Wiz’ I used the ‘System Administration - Disk Management’ in Windows to get the room for openSuSE. “May” be the answer cause it would NOT let me reduce the C: Partition as small as I was setting it in the others. In the others I was going down to 401.22GB -BUT- Windows Admin would NOT let me go any lower than 461.3GB. Vellly Intellesting … eh??
2.) openSuSE 13.2 RC1 could NOT read the HDD Partitions… this last time. *Now then it DID the very, very first time I tried it cause it was the first one that I tried. *In that first attempt I had used Gparted to reduce the C: drive and AFTER I got around the Secure boot problems I was able to get openSuSE 13.2 installed. It only lasted a couple of boots and then I got locked into Windows. Skipping the “gory details” suffice it to say… got this PC on Oct 17th and I have performed a FULL Recovery 3 times!! I do believe that it was AFTER the first Recovery that version 13.2 quit recognizing the Partitions. Versions 12.3 and 13.1 still did, most of the time. But I’ve had them ALL come up and say my whole 1TB HDD was available!!
3.) I turned OFF Fastboot. Thanks to those who suggested it but I had already tried that in many of my previous attempts. In this latest adventure, using version 13.1, -and- after using Win Admin to set the Partitions, I got it, openSuSE 13.1 to install -BUT- (that word again) when it booted back up it was only text mode. I did NOT get my KDE desktop.
4.) Well now… hold on here Sports Fans!! It appears … and I will put money on this one … that I have “fixed it” whilst typing up this reply!! The Partitioning “Via Windows” is the trick… at least in this case. On top of that, when I switch to Windows 8 mode it lists the 3 Linux drives as F:, G: and H:. I thought that Windows had something wrong with it and that it wasn’t removing my USB drive icons after I removed the USB. Thought that it was something that I had screwed up in all my attempts to do this Dual Boot. -BUT- NO. Windows was/is now listing my Linux drives!! When I use Windows Explorer … it shows 3 extra Drive Icons. These are Swap, Root and Home in my Linux section. I have never seen or even heard of this before.
5.) So in summation, the *“Lord” *answered my prayers and opened my eyes and I now have a Dual boot System with Windows 8 -and- openSuSE 13.1 Linux… but right now it is only text mode. I may get brave and try an “UpDate” to version 13.2RC1…
Thanks to ALL and it looks like I get to stay with openSuSE… :good:
-Chuck
On Tue 28 Oct 2014 01:46:02 PM CDT, chucktr wrote:
Thanks muchly to ALL that have replied so far … and an advance thanks
to ALL that may reply in the future. Hopefully, this will get resolved
today -OR- next week when the new 13.2 is released. Things that seemed
to have helped so far:
1.) Searching and Reading the Net… and here… it “appears” that
Windows, at least the newest versions, does NOT like anything messing
with the Partitions -but- it. So, instead of ‘Gparted’ and ‘MiniTool
Part Wiz’ I used the ‘System Administration - Disk Management’ in
Windows to get the room for openSuSE. “May” be the answer cause it
would NOT let me reduce the C: Partition as small as I was setting it in
the others. In the others I was going down to 401.22GB -BUT- Windows
Admin would NOT let me go any lower than 461.3GB. Vellly Intellesting
… eh??
2.) openSuSE 13.2 RC1 could NOT read the HDD Partitions… this last
time. -Now then it DID the very, very first time I tried it cause it was
the first one that I tried. -In that first attempt I had used Gparted to
reduce the C: drive and AFTER I got around the Secure boot problems I
was able to get openSuSE 13.2 installed. It only lasted a couple of
boots and then I got locked into Windows. Skipping the “gory details”
suffice it to say… got this PC on Oct 17th and I have performed a FULL
Recovery 3 times!! I do believe that it was AFTER the first Recovery
that version 13.2 quit recognizing the Partitions. Versions 12.3 and
13.1 still did, most of the time. But I’ve had them ALL come up and say
my whole 1TB HDD was available!!
3.) I turned OFF Fastboot. Thanks to those who suggested it but I had
already tried that in many of my previous attempts. In this latest
adventure, using version 13.1, -and- after using Win Admin to set the
Partitions, I got it, openSuSE 13.1 to install -BUT- (that word
again) when it booted back up it was only text mode. I did NOT
get my KDE desktop.
4.) Well now… hold on here Sports Fans!! It appears … and I will
put money on this one … that I have “fixed it” whilst typing up this
reply!! -The Partitioning “Via Windows” is the trick… at least in
this case.- On top of that, when I switch to Windows 8 mode it lists
the 3 Linux drives as F:, G: and H:. I thought that Windows had
something wrong with it and that it wasn’t removing my USB drive icons
after I removed the USB. Thought that it was something that I had
screwed up in all my attempts to do this Dual Boot. -BUT- NO. Windows
was/is now listing my Linux drives!! When I use Windows Explorer … it
shows 3 extra Drive Icons. These are Swap, Root and Home in my Linux
section. I have never seen or even heard of this before.
5.) So in summation, the -“Lord” -answered my prayers and opened my eyes
and I now have a Dual boot System with Windows 8 -and- openSuSE 13.1
Linux… but right now it is only text mode. I may get brave and try an
“UpDate” to version 13.2RC1…
Thanks to ALL and it looks like I get to stay with openSuSE… :good:
-Chuck
Hi
Can you post the output from;
efibootmgr -v
On my HP 2000, HP 4430s and HP 4440s they use uefi BIOS boot from the
drive. On single boot systems it’s fine as the new installs
(openSUSE 13.2/SLED 12) auto add the EFI/boot entry now. Else your
stuck with pressing the F9 key to select the boot option…
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° LFCS, SUSE Knowledge Partner (Linux Counter #276890)
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 GNOME 3.10.1 Kernel 3.12.28-4-default
If you find this post helpful and are logged into the web interface,
please show your appreciation and click on the star below… Thanks!
Well… my joy was short lived. I can’t leave things alone. Rather than “fix” the KDE portion for 13.1 I decided to try an UpGrade to 13.2. BIG MISTAKE!! It went through and did the upgrade … even rebooted into the system … another text only but it was up. Then I decided that I would go back to Windows and try again to “Install” 13.2. Well, upon ReBoot I did NOT have my Windows selection anymore!! All it was/is the two selections for Linux… regular and advanced.
So, I decided to try what one of you suggested… the F9 key on a ReBoot. I got the reply that there was NOT a Boot Disc available!! So, once again I am going to be required to do a FULL recovery. UNLESS… I can find another way by searching with my other machine. The reason I have not had all these problems in the past is because … my ‘old’ system was/is WinXP based… and 7 years old… Dual boot with openSuSE 12.3… and works very well.
I’ll delay my FULL Recovery for a few … just in case anyone has an idea that will help. I realize that a lot of you are half a world away and the time is quite different. How long I wait depends on my patience … which is getting pretty slim right now.
Ok I know it is slow coming to get advice here but stop poking the OS with a stick LOL
We need to know what video card in this beast and if you tried booting to recovery mode (in the advaned selection of the grub menu)???
If you got the system to boot we can normally get the thing to work. Don’t go upgrading until you have a stable system running with the current version. You do understand 13.2 is not fully baked?? Almost but not yet done. Chances are that you are seeing a problem with the video card if you slow down enough for us to be sure.
Malcolm and Gogalthorp… you were to late … or I just didn’t wait long enough. The other places I looked on the Net did NOT offer any assurances of being able to recover from my mess. Malcolm’s trick might have worked -but- as they say … that is water under the bridge. I feel like I have went from a half-way intelligent, experienced tech to a half-smart noob. No offense to other noobies intended. Anywho…
I have it up and running with a KDE Graphical Desktop. What did I do?? My fourth FULL Recovery. BEFORE accepting the 49 UpDates that MS had -and- BEFORE updating to the new “Windows 8.1 Update” I partitioned my drive “Via Windows” and then installed openSuSE 13.1. This time, as mentioned already, I got the graphical desktop.
Again… the key to this was/is partitioning with Windows instead of external programs. Ten days … and we are up with openSuSE 13.1!!! Now to go install all those Windows updates and the Windows 8.1 Update and see IF I am still happy. I was able to reduce the Windows Partition a little more than the previous time when I had the “latest” Windows installed. Now to see IF it is gona get made and mess me up after the updates. I’ll let ya’ll know … soon.
No, this was not the key. You basically got lucky, this time through. But partitioning with Windows was not what did it.
Actually, Disk Management in Windows is limited, and 3rd party programs can do a much better job.
Probably what happened is that you mixed a multitude of file systems and/or disk partitioning structures, among other things.
Your problem was procedural, as someone else pointed out in this thread: “Stop poking the OS with a stick.” .
You have been thrashing around like a bull in a china shop, causing all your own headaches instead of waiting for and following the instructions of the experienced users here.
So …
Step back, take a deep breath, and slow down. There are Very Experienced Users in this forum who can safely walk you through any minefields you come across, but only if you wait for them to show you the safe way to go, and only if you follow the route they lay out.:\
I fear that windows will destroy the openSUSE boot. It tends to do that. Probably too late since you don’t seem to want to actually wait for advise. But save a copy of the /boot/efi partition you may want to recover some of those files when Windows stomps them dead at least the openSUSE branch.
I always recommend that you use Windows to resize Windows partitions.
Hi
Sometimes it might (never seen it on my HP’s) remove or reorder the nvram entry. As long as you can browse to it (you can on HP) and select the efi file it will boot. If not, then booting from the rescue system will allow the re-entry of the efi var (via efibootmgr), you don’t need any file system mounted (a bonus for efi boot) as it’s not filesystem related. Once you can boot you can just run update-bootloader --reinit to recreate the entries…
https://forums.opensuse.org/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by **chucktr** https://forums.opensuse.org/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png](https://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php?p=2671657#post2671657)
Again... the key to this was/is partitioning with Windows instead of external programs.
Now then, I normally reply in general -but- I feel that this one deserves a direct reply. Accusatory responses are not appreciated. I have shared on this forum for years … except for the past year. Cause my ‘old’ machine simply would NOT handle openSuSE 13.1. And my “friends” on this forum, Carlos, Oldcpu, Malcolm, Nricker and some others tried to help and we simply could not get it to work properly. However, it would handle version 12.3. So I took time off to wait for openSuSE 13.2 to see IF the improvements would now allow a 13.x version to work… on my ‘old’ PC. In the meantime I have inherited the OP position for the HTC ReZound and was filling my time there. Creating the new OS releases for the Smartphone. Yes building Android on my ‘old’ PC. A clean FRESH compile took almost 8 hours. That is the only reason for the purchase of the ‘new’ machine. I am looking to cut that 8 hour build down to at least 2 or 3 hours.
Once again… I WANT to be FRIENDS like I have been with the others mentioned. -But- if you want to participate on this “FRIENDLY” forum … please change your approach. I come here to discuss things which spark my memory and/or new ideas are presented. “I do NOT” claim to know everything -but- I’m way a head of some of the people on the street. I even have my own PC business in which I Repair -or- Tutor people in their homes. It is BOTH a business, and a hobby, and it pays for itself … for the most part. Unfortunately, I can not bring myself to charge people all of the time. Many times my work is for free -or- almost free.
Now then, even though I have setup Windows 8 systems for my customers -and- helped my brother setup his over the phone 2000 miles away… this was my FIRST experience with Windows 8, UEFI secure and Dual Boot Linux. And ya know … most of the searches on the Web only found people with the SAME problem(s). Because I had not been here for over a year I was a little embarrassed to come for help. -BUT- the people here … most of them … are friendly and will welcome you back. -AND- I thank ALL my friends that have.
Incidentally… I also have – on my ‘old’ machine – Windows 2000, Windows Vista and Windows 7 all running (not at the same time) inside VMware inside my openSuSE 12.3 which dual boots with Windows XP. Need all those OS’s so that I can service my customers. Now with my newest machine I also have Windows 8.
OK nuff said … and probably to much — but this particular reply irritated me. I will get over it and hope that you can too and we can become friends … like the others on here.
Ok more news… I’ve had my 5th FULL Recovery. You see… this is a learning process… and since this is a “Brand New” machine… and since I am ReTired… I don’t have anything on the machine that I am worried about -or- concerned with… and I have plenty of “free time”.
Now then, why did I have to do a 5th FULL Recovery??.. because. Really… because I “tried” to do things out of order. You MUST perform ALL updates for Win8 -AND- get the “Windows 8.1 Update” installed BEFORE you try to setup the Dual Boot. -And- unless you have a third party Partitioner that understands ALL of the Windows rules you need to use the “Disc Management” in Windows… AFTER the “Windows 8.1 Update” install. It, the NEW “Windows 8.1 Update”, will NOT let you set the wrong size on the C: drive. BEFORE the “Windows 8.1 Update” install … it will let you set the wrong size!!
On top of that… Windows can … and will change your device boot order. I found that I can get into the BIOS settings by tapping the F10 key after a PowerOn -or- a ReStart. Now one of my “first” disappointments with ***HP. ***It is my favorite company for 'puters — and still is – but… they -or- Windows allows the boot order of devices to be changed. I have learned that was “part” of my “Locked into Windows” problem here before. However, it gets tricky. They DO NOT display the same devices all the time. What?? Well, initially they DO NOT list an ATAPI CD/DVD drive. You insert your SuSE install disc and then try to boot… with the ONLY selection available… Floppy/CD. It just comes back to Windows. Then you use the “WinKey-I” get the Power icon, click on it, get the menu, SHIFT click on Reset and then you are presented with a screen of selections. One of these is to pick another device. IF you are “lucky” the ATAPI-CD/DVD is listed -or- its other name “UEFI:hp DVD-RAM GHB0N”. Click on whichever is displayed and you will be able to boot off the install disk. -BUT- neither of those are always shown. Sometimes you get an “opensuse” and an “opensuse-secureboot” -OR- NONE of the above. It is not consistent… -OR- at least it hasn’t been for me during these trying times.
At the present time I have once again installed openSuSE 13.1 and got it running … in graphical mode. -AND- I set the boot order with opensuse-secureboot as first and I get the Grub screen on Restarts from BOTH systems. I don’t know what operation in Windows causes a change in the boot order … yet… but IF and when I find it I will report it back here… UNLESS one of you find it before me.
Thanks to all… and more will be reported AFTER we get the 13.2 … next week,
-Chuck
This is because people with problems post about that on the Internet, while people without problems don’t bother to post that they are not having problems.
There are a small number of problems with Win8 + linux dual boot, and they are mostly due to incomplete implementation of the UEFI specifications by computer manufacturers. There’s a tendency in the linux world to blame Microsoft, but it is more often a BIOS/firmware problem.
There is one problem due to Microsoft. When you upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1, the software creates a new partition. And it does that (at least on UEFI boxes), in a way that can change the partition numbers of some existing partitions. This can result in linux failing to boot until “/etc/fstab” and possibly “grub.cfg” have been edited to match the new partition numbering. It should not be a problem with opensuse 13.2, because that release (oops - not yet a release) mounts by UUID rather than device ID, and renumbering the partitions doesn’t affect UUID of existing partitions).
