UEFI with GPT Partition style Tool in Linux

[jemmy7776]

1.As I am used to windows installation where with modern machines we have to make a bootable pendrive which is UEFI enabled and if we have installed GPT partition style once in that machine the for next time it is mandatory to use GPT partition style only bootable Drive so i use UEFI GPT only partition style in Rufus but now as i am thinking to switch to linux i cannot find any software in linux in which we get option like this to make GPT partition style bootable USB which is possible in future, i may make bootable USB on linux so i need to know first which tool to use to make bootable USB in Linux which is UEFI enabled GPT partition style so even if i have to make a Windows bootable disk it will be easy.

[michael louwe]

@ jemmy7776, .......

.

.
You may be worrying for nothing.

Most ISO files for OS installation(= Windows and Linux, but not MacOS) come with both Legacy BIOS and UEFI modes. The ISO file needs to be written onto a storage media(= a DVD or USB flash-drive) with an ISO burner/writer program, in order to do the OS installation. The OS Installer will auto-detect the firmware/BIOS settings(eg for CSM, Secure Boot, NVRAM's pre-loaded/certified EFI bootloader files, etc) and hard-disk mode(= MBR/ms-dos or GPT) before installing in either UEFI or Legacy BIOS mode.

The Windows Rufus program just breakdowns this process into specifics, ie for the users to choose a specific install mode, either UEFI or Legacy BIOS = no need for auto-detection by the OS Installer. In this case, the users need to properly set their BIOS setup and hard-disk before doing the specified-mode install with a Rufus-created USB flash-drive.

http://www.rodsbooks.com/efi-bootloader ... ting-media (Creating EFI-Bootable USB Drives)

[jemmy7776]

So you mean it doesn’t matter if i install GPT OR MBR Style partitioning (by creating GPT or MBR specific bootable USB) both will work right? but if in case today i install OS from GPT bootable USB and later on i try to install from a bootable USB with MBR without deleting /home partition then will it work? or its like windows i will see an error that GPT style partition is to be used only.

As i was searching everywhere i saw ‘efi’ partition is to be created in case of GPT partition style is it really necessary for it?

Being a newbie it’s really confusing for me and i just want to know from which tool i should make bootable USB and which Partition style i should use as i have UEFI Motherboard with SecureBoot disabled.
and what partitions should i create while installing as m having a slow HDD.
Please help, i will appreciate it!

Help the guy to get into Linux world

[sdibaja]

the file system on your USB has no effect on the file system used on your internal drive.
I much prefer GPT to avoid the limitation on number of primary partitions, but it really does not matter in day to day use.

[michael louwe]

@ jemmy7776, .......

.

.
A pre-2012 OEM Win 7/Vista/XP computer allows you to install an OS only in BIOS mode.
A newer post-2011 OEM Win 8.x/10 computer allows you to install an OS either in the default UEFI or non-default Legacy BIOS mode.

For the latter, installing in Legacy BIOS mode is much simpler, ie by enabling CSM(= Compatibility Support Module) or Legacy BIOS in BIOS Setup(= accessed by pressing one of the F-keys during startup) and using MBR/ms-dos partition table for the hard-disk/drive(GPT can also be used but difficult). MBR/ms-dos disks are limited to 4 Primary partitions and 2TB in size. ...
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=122276 (manual partitioning Tutorial for Legacy BIOS mode and MBR/ms-dos disks)
.

Installing LM in UEFI mode requires GPT(= GUID partition table) for the hard-disk/drive, ...
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=163126 (Tutorial for dual-booting UEFI computers)
http://linuxmint-installation-guide.rea ... en/latest/

Ensure that Secure Boot, Fast Boot and CSM(or Legacy BIOS) are disabled and the Live LM media(DVD or USB-stick) is booted in UEFI mode in BIOS setup.

UEFI mode requires 64bit OS/software. GPT disks are not limited to 4 Primary partitions(= 128 Primary partitions max) and 2TB in size.

.
ISO burning/writing programs for USB flash-drives may have their own idiosyncrasies, eg LM Install USB flash-drives created with Unetbootin likely cannot use USB 3.0 ports, ... with Universal USB Installer(or pendrivelinux) likely can only install in Legacy BIOS mode, etc.

P S - The Live LM 18.x media(= DVD or USB-stick) has the GParted program built-in. GParted can be used to format a hard-disk/drive into either ms-dos/MBR or GPT mode, eg >Create new partition table >GPT >Apply.

[jemmy7776]

everything is almost clear its just one thing that’s unclear in my mind is in UEFI installation is it necessary to create EFI system partition for single boot installation on HDD? and is EFI system partition similar to /boot partition that we create in Legacy mode installation?

[michael louwe]

@ jemmy7776, .......

everything is almost clear its just one thing that’s unclear in my mind is in UEFI installation is it necessary to create EFI system partition for single boot installation on HDD? and is EFI system partition similar to /boot partition that we create in Legacy mode installation?

.
For the install of LM in UEFI mode, that depends on whether you choose the automatic "Erase disk and install LM" method or the manual "Something else" install method. If the latter, you need to manually create the EFI Boot Partition = fat32/about 550MB in size/mount-point at boot/efi, and ensure that the "Device for boot loader installation" is this partition = usually /dev/sda1.

Yes, the Windows-specified EFI System Partition(= boot/efi or boot,esp) is similar to the MBR or /boot partition in Legacy BIOS systems.

For more info ... https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147295 (UEFI Installing - Tips )

P S - For computers that use 2 or more internal hard-drives, should use the "Something else" method.

[fabien85]

Small detail :
the EFI partition is functionally similar to the MBR on Legacy systems, in the sense that it contains the bootloader.
But it's different from /boot.

You will always have a /boot and it does not need to be on a separate partition. In fact on a standard linux install (eg if you choose "erase disk and install Mint"), /boot is just a normal directory on the / partition.
/boot contains the kernel and initrd image and some more stuff like the grub config file (the one that dictates the grub menu) etc. These are normal files on a normal filesystem.
/boot usually does not need to be separate from the system, the notable exception being whole disk encryption, as it needs to be in clear/not encrypted.

[lsemmens]

From my recent experience installing Linux. I found that dual booting Linux, or running a live Linux, I could use UEFI mode. For some reason, the moment I installed Linux as the only OS, I had to disable UEFI and go for legacy mode. No idea why, but, you might wait for a better explanation from the experts here.

[jemmy7776]

Maybe you missed to select the UEFI bootable USB option while selecting from boot. Even m not clear which one is right as there are 3 of them 1. Sandisk Cruzer
2. UEFI Sandisk Cruzer
3. UEFI Sandisk Cruzer Partition 1
the 3rd option only comes when we make bootable USB by DD image instead of iso image according to me.

[Sgthawker]

A pre-2012 OEM Win 7/Vista/XP computer allows you to install an OS only in BIOS mode.
A newer post-2011 OEM Win 8.x/10 computer allows you to install an OS either in the default UEFI or non-default Legacy BIOS mode.

I will refute the first part of this. You can perform a UEFI install of Windows 7 on a GPT partitioned disk. I did this myself in my early years of Linux Mint dual booting until I was comfortable transferring wholly to Mint. I googled the process and remember some slight adjustment to the USB stick, a certain file removed or replaced in a particular folder, and you could perform the install. I did install Win 7 to it's own SSD while my linux SSD was unplugged, and installed Mint while Win 7 SSD was unplugged so I was able to create 2 individual /boot/efi partitions. After completing both installs I plugged in each drive and sudo update-grub was able to find the Win 7 install and I had my boot selections.

I have long since ditched Win 7 entirely and multi boot several distros on my desktop and laptop, each in UEFI mode.

[michael louwe]

@ Sgthawker, .......

A pre-2012 OEM Win 7/Vista/XP computer allows you to install an OS only in BIOS mode.
A newer post-2011 OEM Win 8.x/10 computer allows you to install an OS either in the default UEFI or non-default Legacy BIOS mode.

.

I will refute the first part of this. You can perform a UEFI install of Windows 7 on a GPT partitioned disk.

.
Just to clarify, in 2012, M$ mandated the OEMs to use UEFI technology for the firmware in all their new Win 8 computers through the OEM Volume Licensing terms & conditions. Previously, BIOS technology was in use. UEFI technology has the Secure Boot feature and requires GPT disks and 64bit OS/software.

IOW, from 2012 onwards, all new OEM Win 8.x/10 computers were UEFI and before that, all new OEM Win 7/Vista/XP computers were BIOS.
....... Newer UEFI computers could also use Legacy BIOS as non-default, ie by enabling CSM or Legacy BIOS in BIOS-Setup.

Yes, we can install Win 7 in UEFI mode using GPT disks on the newer UEFI computers(= newer post-2011 OEM computers that came preinstalled with Win 8.x/10).
....... OTOH, we cannot install Win Vista or Win XP in UEFI mode on such modern UEFI computers.

We cannot install Win 7 in UEFI mode using GPT disks on the older BIOS computers(= older pre-2012 OEM computers that came preinstalled with Win 7/Vista/XP).
....... OTOH, we can install Win 8.x or Win 10 in Legacy BIOS mode using MBR/ms-dos disks on such older BIOS computers.
.

P S - Legacy BIOS mode install of Linux can also use GPT disks, instead of MBR/ms-dos disks; but the install procedures are more difficult. This applies to both pre-2012 BIOS and post-2011 UEFI computers.

[jemmy7776]

okay so i did installation and erasing disk i clicked on Something else and did the partitioning manually - efi, root, swap and home were the partitions i created as primary all of them and it went with gpt partitioning scheme and when i clicked next a dialogue box came ‘Force UEFI Installation’
"This machine's firmware has started the installer in UEFI mode but it looks like there may be existing operating systems already installed using "BIOS compatibility mode". If you continue to install Debian in UEFI mode, it might be difficult to reboot the machine into any BIOS-mode operating systems later.

If you wish to install in UEFI mode and don't care about keeping the ability to boot one of the existing systems, you have the option to force that here. If you wish to keep the option to boot an existing operating system, you should choose NOT to force UEFI installation here."

and i forced installation everything went fine and later on i thought i should check weather its UEFI installation or not and from boot menu i turned off CSM off and when i tried to boot it after it just didn’t. I don’t remember exactly but it was some ‘grub’ error came up.
Can anyone explain even after i tried to install in UEFI mode it went with old boot version. Why?

[michael louwe]

@ jemmy7776, .......

.

.
For more info about UEFI vs BIOS installation, please refer to ... viewtopic.php?f=46&t=268036

The "Force UEFI installation" message seems to be saying that you have Windows already installed in Legacy BIOS mode but now you want to install LM alongside Windows in UEFI mode. Please confirm.?
.
.
P S - For a dual-boot system on the same internal hard-drive, both OS should be installed in the same mode, either Legacy BIOS or UEFI.
....... It can be done with different install modes but booting will be via BIOS Setup instead of the Linux Grub menu.

[jemmy7776]

i forgot to mention i was single booting my system and i even unallocated my whole drive through gparted so there was nothing else on my laptop. But the ‘Force UEFI installation’ came even after that.

[fabien85]

Boot the installed system and issue the following command to confirm your boot mode

Code: Select all

[ -d /sys/firmware/efi ] && echo "Currently in EFI mode" || echo "Currently in Legacy mode"

[lsemmens]

I wanted to install in UEFI mode after running Dual boot with Windows 10 for a short time under which it ran that way natively. Once I blew Windows away it would not let me install in UEFI and I had to set my BIOS to legacy and install that way. I was unaware of this solution until now, so, thank you. Rather than stuff around re-loading for now, is there any way you can convert to UEFI or must I perform a re-format and Re-load?