Installing on Samsung Win8 machine

[jackie999]

I've read so many conflicting reports I was hoping I could get someone to take the time to read thru my steps before I make a mess of putting 12.10 (or 12.04?) on my new samsung NP550P5C.

-in BIOS, disable fast boot, Secure boot off, UEFI mode off (CMS/BIOS/legacy on)
-free up space on HDD with windows8 (reboot a few times so windows can 'fix' its bootloader)
-Reboot to Kubuntu USB/disk and choose Try Kubuntu, connect internet and then Install Kubuntu.
-Manually make 3 partitions: 1st-250mb, Ext2 named /boot. 2nd-4gig swap area (for 64bit machine), 3rd-remaining space, Ext4 Journaling file system, mount "/". Lastly, chose the 250mg as the "device for boot loader installation".
-In windows, using EASYBCD, configure win8 bootloader. Add>linux tab, GRUB2 type, named Kubuntu, Automatically locate and load. Edit new entry and chose "count down" timer.

I understand this won't offer me a dual boot on start up since, at this point in time, this isn't 'safely' possible on a samsung, BUT Windows8 will be available by changing back to UEFI in the BIOS.

Thank you ...all suggestions appreciated!

I found this youtube video very helpful.

[pauly]

I'm not an expert on UEFI so I can't get into everything you ask here but what I can tell you is that Kubuntu 13.04 does now have support for WIN 8 UEFI and you will have to disable secure boot before you get started. I can also tell you that as a development release 13.04 is rock solid. I am also using a Samsung laptop. Also I do not think you have to free up space. I'm pretty sure you can do that with the Kubuntu installer. Just select install along side win 8 and the not so obvious hover your mouse over the mark between the two partitions and slide it to your desired partition size before you proceed past partitioning during the install.

[pauly]

http://www.muktware.com/5219/kubuntu...ong-lts-update

Kubuntu also supports UEFI Secure Boot, so if you have a Windows 8 certified system, you can test if secure boot is working fine under Kubuntu or not.

[dmeyer]

Weren't there a ton of articles lately about Samsung laptops bricking?

Anyways, Kubuntu has had support for UEFI and Secureboot since and. I'm not sure if 12.10 has support as well.

[pauly]

Weren't there a ton of articles lately about Samsung laptops bricking?

Anyways, Kubuntu has had support for UEFI and Secureboot since and. I'm not sure if 12.10 has support as well.

pretty sure it's been solved but I have UEFI turned off. My Samsung has an option to disable it.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/02...op_fix_advice/

Samsung laptops will no longer be irreparably destroyed when their users try to boot Linux on them, kernel chieftain Linus Torvalds made certain today.

The brainboxes down at Ubuntu-maker Canonical penguinery issued a warning over the incompatibiity and have been tackling the nuclear bug that destroyed the whole Samusung laptop after just a single attempt to boot Ubuntu 12.04 or 12.10.

Reports from distressed owners detailed how the laptops would completely corrupt and black out after attempts to boot Ubuntu in UEFI mode. Samsung laptops in the 300E5C, NP700Z5C, NP700Z7C and 530U3C series were affected.

[pauly]

and it's not just Linux.

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2027...ptops-too.html

Specifically, it now looks like Windows can “brick” some Samsung machines as well, suggesting that it's not a Linux-specific bug after all.

“I bricked a Samsung laptop today,” wrote Linux developer Matthew Garrett, who is also known for uncovering the Windows 8 “Secure Boot” problem, in a new blog post on Friday. “Unlike most of the reported cases of Samsung laptops refusing to boot, I never booted Linux on it—all experimentation was performed under Windows.”

n the meantime, Linux creator Linus Torvalds published changes to the main Linux development tree designed to provide at least partial protection against the problem, but it was clear from the start that they were not a true fix.

'There are other ways'

“The recent Linux kernel commits avoid one mechanism by which Samsung laptops can be bricked, but the information we now have indicates that there are other ways of triggering this,” Garrett wrote in a separate post last Thursday. “We're still trying to figure out the full details, but until then you're safest ensuring that you're using BIOS mode on Samsung laptops no matter which operating system you're running.”

Samsung laptops including the 530U3C, NP700Z7C, NP700Z5C, and 300E5C series are among those believed to be affected.

At the heart of the problem is that some Samsung laptops will fail to boot if too much of their variable storage space is used, Garrett explained.

I'm using an RV520 by the way.

[dmeyer]

pretty sure it's been solved but I have UEFI turned off. My Samsung has an option to disable it.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/02...op_fix_advice/

Apparently the solution wasn't perfect and didn't actually solve the problem fully. That's what I gathered from Phoronix for all its worth.

[jackie999]

Thanks for all the links.. I had already read some of them so I'm being extra careful I didn't realize that 13.04 was available..I will use that with secure boot turned off and in BIOS mode ...even if 13.04 addresses the issue there is no point in taking chances. Installing in BIOS mode means I won't have a dual boot into windows I believe, but I really don't need windows all that often but it is handy to have it available for some applications. Thanks again..wish me luck !

[pauly]

Thanks for all the links.. I had already read some of them so I'm being extra careful I didn't realize that 13.04 was available..I will use that with secure boot turned off and in BIOS mode ...even if 13.04 addresses the issue there is no point in taking chances. Installing in BIOS mode means I won't have a dual boot into windows I believe, but I really don't need windows all that often but it is handy to have it available for some applications. Thanks again..wish me luck !

Yeh my laptop has Win7 so that particular aspect isn't effecting me. If I had a laptop with win8 I would look at downgrading it.

[jackie999]

I decided to order something other than a Samsung after reading about the UEFI problems on it. I'm now running 13.04 and windows 8 on an ASUS in EFI and it's working well. I did have to use the boot-repair since the first grub "Windows 8" selection in grub errored. Boot-repair fixed it, adding another EFI windows choice that works. The other windows 8 line item is still there though..is there anyway to tidy up the grub or is it best to leave it alone?