dual boot Dell laptop

I have a Dell Inspiron 15 5000 series laptop. Some time ago I had it set it up so that when it is switched on I got an option to boot in W10 or Linux. Worked fine for a long time, but after the last W10 update the option is gone. I've searched the bios and done a lot of googling but cannot find how to restore this feature. Anyone got any idea?

I can et into Linux by changing the bios on startup, but that's a pain in the proverbial.

I use EasyBCD by Neosmart, it provides a simple way of messing about with two (or more) operating systems. You should be able to get it to work with multiple existing installations, although things are simpler if you have it first installed with one OS and then add more.

Their forums are pretty good for help.

Rob

Is this any help? It's for 2 versions of windows but it might apply to Linux.

Here

Edited By Frances IoM on 14/01/2021 19:49:08

As usual, Windoze arrogantly assumes it's the most important OS... Linux's bootloader will have been corrupted - or worse. There are many, many tutorials on how to restore Grub (the bootloader). Search around for one that looks most user-friendly. Try this: https://askubuntu.com/questions/88384/how-can-i-repair-grub-how-to-get-ubuntu-back-after-installing-windows

It might be worth reminding folk who want to set up a dual-boot Linux/Windoze system that Linux should be installed after Windoze, so that the Grub bootloader is installed. If done 'tother way round, Windoze's bootloader just ignores Linux. It is possible to rescue such a situation, by messing around with Grub, but it's obviously more convenient to avoid that, if possible.

Edited By Kiwi Bloke on 14/01/2021 20:02:52

Assuming both are on the same physical disc. Boot in Linux.

Open a terminal window. type:

sudo update-grub

should do it. It should find the Windows partition, and put it in the GRUB boot sequence. This is the "boot loader" that runs when the system boots. Linux will find Windows, Windows will not find Linux. Of course.

IF NOT:

If you have differing "boot bios" UEFI settings, tell me. I had to do this a little while ago - my Windows disc was installed in "DOS" mode, my Linux in UEFI, and I had to (simply) re-do the Windows one to be seen as UEFI. I'll see if I can find my notes. I had 2 discs; maybe if you have only 1 this might not be a problem. (I'm NOT an expert here!)

Stranger and stranger, at least to me! I took W10 off the boot sequence so that it would fire up in Linux, or so I thought, but it then came up with the original screen, from which I can boot Linux or W10.

What I need to work out now is how to get W10 to the top of this list so that when windoze is doing its interminable 'you must resart your computer' updates I don't have to sit there all the time.

Thanks for the replies, where would we be without this wealth of knowledge

Grub can alter the boot order. Boot the system and note where in the list of operating systems Windows is. Usually linux is first, windows is second, and memcheck is at the end.

In linux, edit the grub config file with:

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Find the line

GRUB_DEFAULT=0

0 means 'boot from the first item in the list, so if Windows is second then

GRUB_DEFAULT=1

will start Windows by default rather than linux,

Any of the listed o/s be made default by changing GRUB_DEFAULT to the appropriate index number.

Saving /etc/default/grub doesn't activate the change. To do that run sudo update-grub as described by John Alexander.

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 14/01/2021 21:21:24

Thanks to SOD and JAS I think I've sorted it (don't let the laptop hear this, it will find another way to bite me!)

They often do!

Russell