Preparing to install 15.04 on Lenovo G50

[geezer]

After I got the Acer laptop working with Windows 8.1 and Kubuntu 15.04 noticed that the keyboard had developed some problems. Returned the computer to Microcenter. The last one was on hold so rather than come back another day (it's a 1 hr drive one way), they offered me a deal on a Lenovo G50 - very similar specs to the Acer. Paid another $84 for the Lenovo G50-45. Very happy with the Lenovo computer. I had purchased 2 8 GB RAM sticks (?) for the Acer, but had never installed since you have to literally tear the computer down to bare bones to get at the RAM (it is buried under the mother board, but you have to go from the keyboard, remove the hdd, fan, DVD drive, then remove the motherboard flip over and exchange the ram. Unplugging cables along the way and then putting things back in the reverse order - keeping track of cables and screws all the way and pray that you don't break any of the clips holding the keyboard to the frame when you take it out and put it back. In other words a major surgery on the computer. Because of that I had delayed the ram upgrade, glad I did. The ram is compatible with the Lenovo. For the Lenovo, the user manual details the procedure: close the lid, unplug ethernet and power and any USB devices, flip over and remove the battery, remove 3 screws on a back panel, slide the back panel off, remove current ram, insert new ram, slide back panel in place and reinsert screws. flip over, plug in power, ethernet and any desired usb devices. Power on. Done. Took less than 3 minutes. That is good engineering!!!!!!

Anyway I have familiarized myself with the Windows 8.1 on the Lenovo (it's amazing - Windows 8.1 on the Powerspec desktop, the Acer laptop and the Lenovo laptop are all different. The major themes and structure are the same, but as Ross Perot used to say, "The Devil is in the details."

Anyway to get down to what I want to ask: Is there anything I need to do to prepare for the Kubuntu 15.04 install.

So far I have familiarized myself with the BIOS (Everybody has a different method of accessing the BIOS!?!? Even though the Acer and Lenovo BIOS maker is the same - I've finally learned how to access the BIOS on the Lenovo - it has what they euphemistically call the 'NOVO" key on the left side of the computer). After many tries I have found the only reliable way to access the BIOS is to shut the computer down, completely. Then using a golf tee (well I guess you could use a paper clip or ball point pen), press the NOVO key and you are presented with a menu with 4 items ( Continue, Access Setup, be presented with the boot menu and I forget the last, haven't used it.) I have ascertained that secure boot is enabled and can be disabled (I haven't) and that I can change the boot order to put UEFI USB device at the top. Funny, there is no option to boot from the DVD drive?

I have changed the boot priority and booted my Kubuntu Live USB and run Kubuntu. So that works.

I have run Windows and shrunk the Windows 8.1 partition and made room for Kubuntu. Lenovo uses a LOT of space for their own partitions. Not good :-(.

Had the windows disk manager setup 3 partitions for Linux (swap, '/' and '/home'). Will have to boot again into Kubuntu on the Live USB and name the partitions with gdisk and confirm the partitioning.

Reboot (kind of a pain since the Lenovo BIOS reorders the boot priorities back to what it was - the priority that I set for booting the USB is only temporary under the Lenovo setup. Makes sense, don't know how many times I have forgotten to do that and then some time later find out because I had inserted a bootable USB.

Anyway - on the questions:

1: install with secure boot enabled or disabled? Does it make any difference? In the past, the references all dictated disabled, but that was prior to 15.04. The references are all for 14.xx or prior and the only reference I was able to find that mentions 15.04 says that 15.04 solves all of the problems, So that doesn't really answer the question.

2: after the install completes and the reboot, can I expect to boot automatically into Windows or if I invoke the NOVO key and opt for the boot menu, what are the chances of being presented with a Ubuntu boot in addition to the windows boot manager? If I'm lucky to get the option, I can boot Ubuntu and install rEFInd.

3: If I don't get the option in the boot menu, I could use the NOVO key again and see if the option is available in the boot priority list. If not there, then it would seem that there is no viable option to boot Kubuntu. Under the Acer version of the BIOS, there was an option to input a trusted boot file. Don't have that option in the Lenovo BIOS. Don't know if that means the firmware doesn't see any other option yet or if they don't allow it?? Maybe secure boot enabled/disabled makes a difference in the boot options?

4: If I don't get the Ubuntu option in the boot menu, I was thinking of booting Kubuntu Live again and installing rEFInd from the Live Kubuntu. Is that possible? Or do I have to revert back to installing under windows? From the Acer struggle, the installation wasn't the problem, it was getting the system to recognize the presence of the Ubuntu boot option and using it.

Anybody have any experience installing 15.04 on the Lenovo? Especially the G50 series, G50-45 if possible.

Share your experience, problems or lack thereof?

[Qqmike]

"Anybody have any experience installing 15.04 on the Lenovo? Especially the G50 series, G50-45 if possible." I think your intuition about that is correct. And I think I do recall we have members who have done this. Maybe a search on the kubuntu forum might tell.

Funny, there is no option to boot from the DVD drive?

It seems the trend is away from doing that in that way. Instead, when you actually have a CD/DVD loaded in the drive at boot-time, your UEFI-BIOS firmware boot menu(s) should show it to you as an option.

Just like you said about the USB

the priority that I set for booting the USB is only temporary under the Lenovo setup.

I won't be too helpful on this. Have heard the Lenovo has a few special ways to do things.

2: after the install completes and the reboot, can I expect to boot automatically into Windows or if I invoke the NOVO key and opt for the boot menu, what are the chances of being presented with a Ubuntu boot in addition to the windows boot manager? If I'm lucky to get the option, I can boot Ubuntu and install rEFInd.

You already know how I feel about that! In theory, when you re-boot, if nothing else, you should be able to enter your UEFI-BIOS firmware setup menus and see ALL OSs as boot options.

If I don't get the option in the boot menu, I could use the NOVO key again and see if the option is available in the boot priority list.

I think it will appear as you expect, at boot-time.

installing rEFInd from the Live Kubuntu. Is that possible?

I guess we need to check the fine print at Rod's place for this; I'm also curious about this question.

Told you: no help at all ;-)

[geezer]

..................

Reboot (kind of a pain since the Lenovo BIOS reorders the boot priorities back to what it was - the priority that I set for booting the USB is only temporary under the Lenovo setup. Makes sense, don't know how many times I have forgotten to do that and then some time later find out because I had inserted a bootable USB.

Okay - I have found out that this is not exactly true. It reverts only if the bootable USB is unplugged, otherwise the boot priority remains the same.

[Qqmike]

That's how I originally took it to mean: that you unplug the USB, and then the BIOS forgets it. If you leave the USB plugged in to your computer, it has the same effect as a HDD: it is detected by UEFI("BIOS") and by rEFInd and by anything else that looks for bootable options. For example, some people do a permanent installation of Kubuntu to a flash drive; if they leave that flash drive plugged in, it is as if they installed Kubuntu to any HDD: it is treated as a boot option in UEFI("BIOS") firmware.

[geezer]

That's how I originally took it to mean: that you unplug the USB, and then the BIOS forgets it. If you leave the USB plugged in to your computer, it has the same effect as a HDD: it is detected by UEFI("BIOS") and by rEFInd and by anything else that looks for bootable options. For example, some people do a permanent installation of Kubuntu to a flash drive; if they leave that flash drive plugged in, it is as if they installed Kubuntu to any HDD: it is treated as a boot option in UEFI("BIOS") firmware.

That's great- before I have installed 15.04 to an external 2TB USB drive. At the time, it wouldn't boot unless I instructed BIOS to do so. But with rEFInd and I leave it plugged in, then I have the option. I like having Kubuntu on an external USB drive, then I can plug into practically any UEFI computer and boot it and have everything right there. I may have to tweak the boot settings in BIOS on some computers though, but I still have everything I need on that USB drive.

[Qqmike]

If your computer stubbornly boots into Windows after you've installed Linux, you can download a CD or USB flash drive version of rEFInd. This may be easier to get started than Linux, and it should enable you to launch a (version 1) shell, or perhaps to launch Linux. In some cases, though, you may need to add boot options to launch Linux, particularly if rEFInd detects the Linux kernel (vmlinuz-*) and offers to launch it directly. With the kernel highlighted in rEFInd, press the F2 or Insert key twice. This opens a text editor in which you can add ro root=/dev/sda# to the boot options, where /dev/sda# is your Linux installation's root partition. (You don't need to add this detail unless you've created a separate /boot partition.) If this approach is successful in launching Linux, then installing rEFInd in Linux will probably get the computer to boot rEFInd, and from there Linux, more directly.

http://www.rodsbooks.com/efi-bootloa...tallation.html

[geezer]

I have now been through 6 attempts to install and 1 computer. I tried to install on the first Lenovo. The installation hung. Where the installation progress bar on the bottom of the screen normally appears I had nothing but a dotted bar - static. Tried 2 other options in installing. Nothing. The last attempt brought a warning that something was not able to mount the windows partition. I quit at that point.

Rebooted windows and ran the system tests on the hdd. That showed errors in the SMART tests on the hdd. Got online with the tech support chat and they advised that the warnings meant imminent hdd failure and to return the computer immediately Did so.

Ran the system tests on the hdd on the new computer today. Passed okay. Used Windows to repartition. Booted my 15.04 Live Kubuntu. Could not mount the windows partition. Quit and rebooted into windows and ran the system tests on the hdd again. Passed.

Tried another install using the DVD instead of the USB. Before the screen came up to choose either run or install, there was a quick screen with links to reading about installing and another link that I may want to upgrade the installation program before proceeding.

Quit.

Brought up the Kubuntu download screen. Could not find anything about an updated 'iso' file.

It would appear that 15.04 installer simply cannot mount the windows partition on the Lenovo that I have or there is a new 15.04 installer that fixes the problem and I have not been able to find it on the Kubuntu web site.

Anybody know anything about that?

[geezer]

OK - solved the problem, but not Kubuntu.

I sat down and thought hard about do I need Windows?? Well, yes and no. I use Windows once a year to run TaxAct. Other than that not at all. BUT I do not want to go back to using paper forms to do the taxes. I've been using the computer to do so since The spread sheet came out on the PC. Approximately 1984/5/6. Forget the year. Pretty sure the PC was born in 1982 since I had just joined IBM and got a lucky draw on the employee purchase of one of the first 400 units - they reserved 400 for employee purchase. Anyway it's been too long to go back to paper and I checked the local library. They no longer even have the paper forms. So do I need windows? Yes.

So wiping the hdd and installing only Kubuntu wasn't really an option.

The next question then was even easier. Do I need to access the Windows partition when running Kubuntu. Well, I started on Red Hat before it became Fedora and then switched to Ubuntu (for a very short time, days) and then to Kubuntu. In all of that time I have always installed with the Windows partition mounted at /dos/windows. Now how often have I needed to access the windows partition, not out of curiosity, but an actual need? I couldn't think of a single instance. If I needed to communicate with windows in some manner, I have always done so through a FAT32 partition on an hdd in the system. Even when I only had a single hdd, I used a floppy (5.25" and then 3.5" anybody need a handful or more of 3.5" disks, cheap even free). But I have alway kept the ability to mount the windows partition.

So being able to mount the windows partition has always been a matter of inertia rather than actual need.

So I decided to install Kubuntu on the Lenovo and forego the windows partition mount.

Installed doing just that and rebooted when the installation completed.

At the reboot, the Kubuntu boot screen come up with Ubuntu the default option at the top and with Windows manager at the 3rd option. Choose windows and it booted fine.

When windows is finished installing 106 updates and reboots, I'll boot Kubuntu and install rEFInd. I like it's boot screen better and it automatically scans for updated OSs.

So problem solved. Kubuntu installer still has the problem mounting the windows partition, but the bigger problem was my mind set. Throw mounting the windows partition out and it installs fine.

[Qqmike]

Good. Nice job. A done deal, huh? :-)

[mparillo]

I use Windows once a year to run TaxAct. Other than that not at all.

I use TaxAct (Online) just fine on Chrome on Kubuntu (IIRC, it needs Flash, which I never install directly, simply using Chrome for sites I trust that require Flash).
If you care to, I believe TaxAct Online can import your prior year's data from the Windows version.
https://www.taxact.com/tsupport/FAQD...p?Question=425

[geezer]

I use TaxAct (Online) just fine on Chrome on Kubuntu (IIRC, it needs Flash, which I never install directly, simply using Chrome for sites I trust that require Flash).
If you care to, I believe TaxAct Online can import your prior year's data from the Windows version.
https://www.taxact.com/tsupport/FAQD...p?Question=425

You can call me old fashioned, most people do, but I have never trusted having my financial data, including SSN, somewhere online. With the data breaches occurring almost monthly now, I think I will keep the data on my home computer. I know the IRS has the efiled forms, but the really essential data is still under my control.

[geezer]

Good. Nice job. A done deal, huh? :-)

Yep - once I broke my mind set, Kubuntu installed easily and did a great job. I am now a big fan of UEFI.

Also, using a Kubuntu Live USB really speeds things up over the DVD.

It continues to amaze me now how much the SS memory has blossomed. I remember just a few years back when Blu-Ray DVD readers/writers and media came out. What is it? 27 GB on a single platter. I have 2 MicroSDs with 64GB on each. One of them costs about as much as a single pack of Blu-Ray discs did when I got a Blu-Ray reader, no writer. The new computer had a Blu-Ray reader/writer and all the other DVD kinds included. And the 64 GB MicroSD is about the same size as my thumb nail. That blows my mind especially when I remember fighting the mainframe computer ops for a 64 MB memory allocation - and to me that wasn't that long ago :-) And I have only burned a DVD For the Kubuntu installer in years. Other than that I hav essentially stopped using DVDs. I am running out of USB sticks though.

The things that amazes me now about computer SS memory. The desktop and laptop RAM is still on those 4/8/16 GB DIMMs and cost more than the 64 GB MicroSD. I just checked, 128 GB MicroSD for $50.00, less than 1/2 the price of the 8 GB DIMM for the desktop.. With that kind of storage, I am very reluctant to buy new USB flash drives.

I wonder how long it will take for the computer makers and memory makers to get together and redesign computer RAM using the MicroSD technology.

Can you imagine an SSD made using the memory technology in that 128 GB MicroSD. Doing that, they could build an SSD with the same form factor they are currently using with several TB. Maybe tens of TB! A single SSD that can hold all material generated in the world in a single year. Including all the Library of Congress and probably all the worlds libraries.

Ahhh - interesting times indeed.

[Qqmike]

Also, using a Kubuntu Live USB really speeds things up over the DVD.

And using USB 3.0 feels even faster. A breeze and a pleasure to install OSs this way.

That blows my mind especially when I remember fighting the mainframe computer ops for a 64 MB memory allocation - and to me that wasn't that long ago :-)

For me, college/grad school, circa 1967-1971, then again 1974-1976, an IBM then a CDC 6600 (for which I wrote a practical users manual, as there wasn't anything for the students and research staff on file management!). Writing large, complex Fortran IV programs, simulations and such. We were graded mostly on the end result, but also on how "efficient" the program was: execution speed and space saved!

[jlittle]

Can you imagine an SSD made using the memory technology in that 128 GB MicroSD.

There's more in an SSD than just the flash memory as in the micro SD card. SSDs have multiple flash chips, "wear levelling", caches, striping, and even batteries sometimes, with a fancy controller to drive it all.