Windows 8

[depoteet]

I've installed Windows 8 on a test platform I use. Previously I had Ubuntu 11.10 and Windows 7 installed and I used EasyBCD to handle the dual boot.

After installing Windows 8 the EasyBCD boot loader does not work at all and I cannot get to the Linux partition.

Any help?

Thanks

 

[Terry60]

EasyBCD isn't a bootloader. It's an app to help you manage the Vista/7/8 bootloader's BCD store.
If you install EasyBCD on W8, you should be able to add entries to its BCD for W7 and Ubuntu.
You don't say how you installed W8.
Adding it to a PC with an existing BCD on the active partition, it should have auto-multi-booted itself, but if you installed it blind, to a new HDD, it will be unaware of the other systems till you tell it about them with EasyBCD.

 

[mqudsi]

You should probably just delete and re-add the Ubuntu entry in EasyBCD on Windows 7.

 

[depoteet]

Win 8 behavior

I installed Win8 to a partition on the drive where Win7 had been installed on the first partition. Ubuntu was installed on a second hard drive. After the Win8 installation a Win8 generated interface for the BCD was presented with no Ubuntu option, but options for Win8 and Win7. After booting into Win7 and starting EasyBCD I checked the boot menu, which included entries for Win7, Ubuntu, and Win8. Then in BCD Deployment I selected Write MBR (Vista/Win7 bootloader).

After rebooting there were no changes. However, I had previously installed iReboot so I checked Ubuntu and Reboot on Selection. Now the system starts with the original Win7 bootloader interface and has an Ubuntu option. After selecting Ubuntu there, I'm taken to a second screen that allows me to choose a Linux distibution. This goes directly into Ubuntu.

I had not thought about installing EasyBCD in Win8, but that's an excellent suggestion.

EasyBCD isn't a bootloader. It's an app to help you manage the Vista/7/8 bootloader's BCD store.
If you install EasyBCD on W8, you should be able to add entries to its BCD for W7 and Ubuntu.
You don't say how you installed W8.
Adding it to a PC with an existing BCD on the active partition, it should have auto-multi-booted itself, but if you installed it blind, to a new HDD, it will be unaware of the other systems till you tell it about them with EasyBCD.

 

[mqudsi]

Yes, the new Windows 8 "touch-friendly" boot screen only shows Windows Vista+ entries. Linux entries aren't shown on there, you'll need to use the legacy interface for that.

 

[depoteet]

While I'd like to have your cleaner interface, just the fact that EasyBCD allows me to handle the triple boot with Windows 8 and Ubuntu in the mix is a great advantage. My understanding is that without a tool like yours Linux cannot be booted using the Windows BCD in a Win8 environment. Thanks for your work!

Yes, the new Windows 8 "touch-friendly" boot screen only shows Windows Vista+ entries. Linux entries aren't shown on there, you'll need to use the legacy interface for that.

 

[mqudsi]

Yeah, we're looking into how EasyBCD will fit into the Secure Boot debacle. And you're very welcome.