Totally confused over wubi [u]efi

[rk4262]

A few days ago I downloaded Kubuntu 14.10, (I was actually trying to get 14.04, not realizing 14.10 was already out), and at the moment I am trying to get the .iso to run in a virtual drive so I can make some notes and adjustments so that when I actually install Kubuntu on a USB drive, I'll have the kinks worked out. Normally I would just partition my internal HDD and dual-boot, but I found out that partitioning the HDD will void my warranty on a machine that's less than a month old. I have lost count of how many how-to articles I've read on installing and booting from a usb drive, and I know that I have taken a simple process and made it overly complicated just because I am over analyzing it. The one thing though I haven't been reading an article about and said "Oh wow that's so much simpler than I thought", is the whole uefi/legacy boot situation.

I have a Dell Inspirion M731R (5735), I have went into bios and turned off the uefi and went back to legacy boot, but when I do that, the POST screen comes up, then changes to an error screen "PXE-MOF Exiting PXE-ROM No Boot Device Found Press any key to continue". So I don't know if I'm just not getting the legacy boot option settings configuration just right, or what the deal is there. I have a feeling if I get that set right, the other part will take care of itself. Then again I just had a thought that maybe it's not so much the wubi as it is the virtual drive software, maybe I need to get a better program. I will try that as soon as I finish posting this. I would really appreciate it if someone that knows what they are doing would give me a few pointers. Personally I hate Windows 8/8.1, but I'm sure you've noticed I priced this laptop with OEM 7, instead of 8.1, and for some stupid reason the 7 machine was over $100 more. Last year I started making a transition completely over to Linux/Kubuntu, but I have been disabled for about 12 years now due to a broke back and all that goes along with that, and some other things made worse because of the back problem. I recently got a job working from home, but the company software will only run on Windows, so I have no choice but keep it around. So I am going to get things set up so I can run Kubuntu from a USB drive when I"m not on the clock, at least off the clock I can run a good OS.

Thank you for any help you can give.

[SteveRiley]

partitioning the HDD will void my warranty on a machine that's less than a month old

Seriously? I've never heard of that before. And i doubt that's actually enforceable. Warranties cover hardware. Repartitioning a drive is a software function.

I have a Dell Inspirion M731R (5735), I have went into bios and turned off the uefi and went back to legacy boot, but when I do that, the POST screen comes up, then changes to an error screen "PXE-MOF Exiting PXE-ROM No Boot Device Found Press any key to continue".

You actually can't "turn off" UEFI, because that's the firmware you have. "Legacy boot" is a mode that UEFI can run in which it emulates BIOS. Now here's an important difference between Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1. Windows 7 can boot just fine on a GPT disk in BIOS emulation mode. However, Windows 8/8.1 cannot. Therefore, when you enable BIOS mode, Windows can't see your GPT disk.

Last year I started making a transition completely over to Linux/Kubuntu, but I have been disabled for about 12 years now due to a broke back and all that goes along with that, and some other things made worse because of the back problem. I recently got a job working from home, but the company software will only run on Windows, so I have no choice but keep it around. So I am going to get things set up so I can run Kubuntu from a USB drive when I"m not on the clock, at least off the clock I can run a good OS.

Dual boot is, in all honesty, an unpleasant thing to configure. I wrote a step-by-step guide a while back, documenting everything as I performed it myself (including installing Windows even). You can try that -- because Windows is already installed on your machine, begin with "Part 3. Necessary Windows configuration procedures." Do not use BIOS emulation mode; switch your firmware back to UEFI mode.

Alternately -- and arguably better -- pave the machine completely and install Kubuntu on the hardware. Since you want to make the transition, go all the way! Then, install VirtualBox and build a Windows virtual machine. You can the company software in the virutal machine, and do all other stuff in Kubuntu. And the beauty is that you can do these in parallel. It's how I roll, and I like it a lot.

[kernelbasher]

If I can just add my recent findings.
Though I'm not particularly advocating it, I just found it works.

Steve mentioned the efi firmware, which is IMO vendor specific, ie; the vendor tampers with it in relation to the spec of the machine

I have 're-manufactured' a couple of machines this week. Both Lenovo.
Both were to be Linux only.
In both cases the best solution was to use legacy and putting the hdd from gpt to mbr
I tried efi/gpt mode but it was just too painful

However, I do agree. That the best option is to install in efi mode.
Sometimes though, you just have to use what works

[SteveRiley]

UEFI (not EFI) is the firmware used in all modern laptops and desktops. The specification is open and fully documented, unlike many older BIOSes. Manufacturers do not "tamper" with UEFI. But all is not perfect: UEFI implementations vary in quality, and many implementations (sadly) aren't open in the way that the specification itself is. The specification does not require that implementations be open. UEFI Forum's 10 Common Misconceptions paper is good reading.

Some additional points to keep in mind. Most computer manufacturers build their machines following Microsoft's certification guidelines. Windows 8 requires a full UEFI implementation. Furthermore, a feature called InstantGo (in Windows 8.1) or Connected Standby (in Windows 8) is available on some hardware. Hardware that supports this feature is not allowed to have a BIOS compatibility module in its UFEI implementation (Windows Hardware Certification Requirements, section System.Fundamentals.Firmware.UEFILegacyFallback).

UEFI is inevitable. You might as well start investing some time getting to know it