HP Win8/preinstalled, inst Mint 14, goes back to win8

[upcycler]

Thanks to all, esp. to srs5694 for encouraging me to take on the kernel updating, my first pass was from directions that were I guess too old and it didn't work, I had to reinstall the system. Then I found this new (2/4/2013) page, http://www.upubuntu.com/2013/02/install ... 76-in.html and followed the instructions to upgrade to linux kernel 3.7.6 - I knew the Ranlink RT3290 was there from my previous attempt - and now I have a more-or-less working wireless. On some other forum someone referred to the firmware for the device as "buggy" and it does sort of go on and off. The HP keyboard switch for wireless does not appear to do anything at all now. Don't think I would think of this Ranlink RT3290 junk as bleeding edge..

[upcycler]

The original problem for this thread, how to dual boot the current MInt with Windows 8 (preinstalled) on HP Pavilion g7/Intel core i3, is NOT solved.

I managed to destroy the pre-installed win8 in the process of trying to get the Nadia to work, so I'll have to reinstall everything and start over.

[srs5694]

The original problem for this thread, how to dual boot the current MInt with Windows 8 (preinstalled) on HP Pavilion g7/Intel core i3, is NOT solved.

I managed to destroy the pre-installed win8 in the process of trying to get the Nadia to work, so I'll have to reinstall everything and start over.

Be aware that the usual advice of installing Windows before installing Linux does not apply to EFI systems -- or at the very least, the problems with doing Windows second aren't nearly as bad. That said, the recovery tools that most OEMs provide are very inflexible, so they might work only by trashing everything. If you've got a retail disc, though, you can try shrinking the Linux partition(s) (if necessary) and install Windows second. It's likely that the computer will boot straight to Windows after the installation, but you can use the firmware's built-in boot manager or a rEFInd CD or USB flash drive to select your boot loader and then use efibootmgr's -o option to re-arrange the order of the boot loaders -- or install rEFInd once you get Mint booted again, if it's not what you're using now.

[upcycler]

Be aware that the usual advice of installing Windows before installing Linux does not apply to EFI systems -- or at the very least, the problems with doing Windows second aren't nearly as bad. That said, the recovery tools that most OEMs provide are very inflexible, so they might work only by trashing everything. If you've got a retail disc, though, you can try shrinking the Linux partition(s) (if necessary) and install Windows second. It's likely that the computer will boot straight to Windows after the installation, but you can use the firmware's built-in boot manager or a rEFInd CD or USB flash drive to select your boot loader and then use efibootmgr's -o option to re-arrange the order of the boot loaders -- or install rEFInd once you get Mint booted again, if it's not what you're using now.

Thank you srs5694, that sounds grueling. I think I will wait and get to know the system a little better. However, that is such good information, would you put it in another informational post so that other newbies (NEW-newbies, ) can find it?