Grub2... Getting to it the long way

[WesternSlope]

I have a new HP laptop. I disabled the secure boot. In order to bring the grub2 up I have to tap Escape > F9 > and the Boot options come up. Both Windows manager and Ubuntu come up as UEFI. If I just let it boot, it boots Windows. If I cursor down to the ubuntu, it brings the grub2 up and then can boot to either Mint, or Windows. Neither OS's are messed up, but I just want the grub2 to show without having to take the extra steps. How do I accomplish it?
Thanks

[Pjotr]

In the UEFI settings, move Windows Boot Manager to the bottom of the boot priority order.

Screenshot of my Acer laptop:
https://sites.google.com/site/easylinux ... _Order.JPG

[srs5694]

If you can't find an option like what Pjotr describes in your firmware setup utility, you could try using EasyUEFI in Windows. If that fails, then your firmware is defective. You should return the computer for a refund and tell HP about the problem! Some manufacturers (HP and Sony being prominent among them) have this problem with the firmware in many of their computers, and have had it for years. They won't fix it if they don't get returns of their defective products.

[WesternSlope]

Thanks Pjotr I have the same BIOS as you. Insyde (I think it is) and moved the Windows Boot Manager to the bottom and without the esc it still started with Windows.

[WesternSlope]

Whoops srs5694 you suck in there while I was posting. Is EasyUEFI like Easybcd? I downloaded it, but kinda hesitant using it. Will it mess me up if I do myself?
Thanks.

[Pjotr]

Did you save the boot priority order change in the UEFI? I advise to check whether this has actually happened.

If not, repeat the change and press F10 (Save and Exit) in order to save the changes.

[WesternSlope]

Yes I did it like you said.

UEFI.png

Thanks

[Pjotr]

No, that's not it....

Click on OS Boot Manager: apparently that's expandable (the little triangle suggests it). The goal is, to get "HDD" above "Windows Boot Manager" in the list.

[WesternSlope]

I saw what you were talking about and I moved the ubuntu to the top with F5. F10 to save it and it came up with Starting Automatic repair. It started doing that and I shut it down.

[Pjotr]

Automatic Repair? That doesn't sound good.... Can you disable that in the UEFI?

[WesternSlope]

I have no idea. Where would I look for that?

[Pjotr]

I have no idea. Where would I look for that?

You tell me..... Search and ye shall (hopefully) find.

My guess is, that this Automatic Repair thingy tries to undo your dethroning of the Windows Boot Manager.

[WesternSlope]

I'll try to find it and you are most likely you're right and MS forbid. We don't want to do that. My laptop and I still have to bow to HP and MS.

[WesternSlope]

I saw nothing to disable repair. This is what I see when I open boot Options. The triangle.

ubunt.png

It's a little blurry, but I think you get the idea. When I get there, I tap F10 and it takes me from that back to the UEFI. I tap F10 again. It saves and right back to Win 8.1 again. It only gave me the repair one time, but it's not bringing up the grub. May be there's no way to do it.

[Pjotr]

It's a long shot, but you might benefit from an UEFI ("BIOS") update. I advise to check the support section of the HP website for that.

[WesternSlope]

They do show an update. I really didn't want to go there in case it messes up what I have now, but I'll go ahead and get it hoping the update leaves me alone.
Thanks

[WesternSlope]

I was thinking. Huh? When I set Mint up. I set the boot partition to the efi partition. If I re-enable the secure boot would that be a crash right out of the gate?
Thanks

[srs5694]

Mint should work with Secure Boot; however, that's not your problem right now, so I wouldn't mess with it.

Your problem is that HP has delivered a defective firmware. They're known to do this. You can try a firmware update, but I'm not hopeful that it will help. I strongly recommend you return the computer to the store for a refund and tell HP why you did so. If people don't do this, manufacturers will continue to ship garbage and I'll keep wasting my time on giving free support to them.

There are ugly workarounds, but I refuse to waste more of my time telling people about them, especially when the computer is new, as you said yours is. Your computer is defective. Would you accept a TV that could only show you MSNBC? Probably not.

[WesternSlope]

Yeah. I just got it last Friday and then today I got a notice from HP saying my warranty had expired 5.20.2015. Must be some kind of a time warp going on? I'm going to look into this more and thank you again.