Creating Multi-Boot 64-Bit Win7, Win8, LinuxMint on SSD+HDD

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sigi
Posts: 243
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:59 am

Re: Creating Multi-Boot 64-Bit Win7, Win8, LinuxMint on SSD+

Post by sigi »

I am utterly reluctant as concerns BIOS updates, quite apart from the fact that I do not see any option for this in the BIOS. Perhaps I would have to quit the Legacy Mode and look for the option in UEFI? But I am stll not quite convinced that it is really necessary because BIOS enumerates the disks correctly as shown in the Attachments (or are there any additional places in the BIOS menus to look for?).
Can I provide you with any more meaningful BIOS or Linux disk photos to give any additional clues?
Attachments
P1020779 quarter size.jpg
P1020779 quarter size.jpg (122.22 KiB) Viewed 11167 times
P1020780 quarter size.jpg
P1020780 quarter size.jpg (150.27 KiB) Viewed 11167 times
Brian K
Posts: 2213
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Creating Multi-Boot 64-Bit Win7, Win8, LinuxMint on SSD+

Post by Brian K »

sigi,

Your original plan was to multi-boot several OS. Unless you can get BIBM to recognize your HD you will only be able to boot OS on the SSD.

Can you check with the computer manufacturer as to whether you have the latest BIOS?

Do you have a CSM setting in your BIOS? Compatibility Support Module.
sigi
Posts: 243
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:59 am

Re: Creating Multi-Boot 64-Bit Win7, Win8, LinuxMint on SSD+

Post by sigi »

CSM was enabled so far as you may have seen on some earlier photo giving the boot priorities. So I now disabled it. After pressing F10 and restart the Windows Boot Manager showed up and while I was still studying it, Win8.1 booted.

I have attached photos of the Windows Boot Manager as well as the Win8.1 Explorer (Classic Shell) and Disk Management.

As concerns BIOS, I have attached the new Boot Priorities with CSM disabled. The SSD is missing there altogether whereas it is still listed in the SATA configuration item (no photo of this one attached since it is identical to that already attached to an earlier posting with CSM still enabled).

So, BIOS sees the SATA HDD and the SSD, Win8.1 also sees both and Linux sees both. But BIBM sees only the SSD. Perhaps I should really buy now IfW instead of continuing the cumbersome troubleshooting in BIOS and BIBM?
Attachments
BIOS - CSM disabled - Boot Priorities - quarter size.jpg
BIOS - CSM disabled - Boot Priorities - quarter size.jpg (60.74 KiB) Viewed 11160 times
Windows Boot Manager - quarter size.jpg
Windows Boot Manager - quarter size.jpg (65.91 KiB) Viewed 11160 times
Win 8.1 Explorer (Classic Shell) + Disk Management.jpg
Win 8.1 Explorer (Classic Shell) + Disk Management.jpg (236.96 KiB) Viewed 11160 times
TeraByte Support
Posts: 3596
Joined: Thu May 05, 2011 10:37 pm

Re: Creating Multi-Boot 64-Bit Win7, Win8, LinuxMint on SSD+

Post by TeraByte Support »

If there is no setting in the BIOS, a BIOS update will be required to fix
their problem. Contact them with the problem. If it's a box maker I
wouldn't doubt they will probably give some dumb answer like they only
support Windows. Even though it's a problem with their BIOS. Mobo makers
have more interest in fixing their issues. But it's not uncommon for this
problem to go away once you update the BIOS.

There is SETNUMHD at the ftp site to force the drive count, but that only
works if the BIOS bug is just the drive count in the BIOS data area and not
failure to provide access via Int 13h.


"sigi" wrote in message news:9970@public.bootitbm...

I am utterly reluctant as concerns BIOS updates, quite apart from the fact
that I do not see any option for this in the BIOS. Perhaps I would have to
quit the Legacy Mode and look for the option in UEFI? But I am stll not
quite convinced that it is really necessary because BIOS enumerates the
disks correctly as shown in the Attachments (or are there any additional
places in the BIOS menus to look for?).
Can I provide you with any more meaningful BIOS or Linux disk photos to give
any additional clues?

sigi
Posts: 243
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:59 am

Re: Creating Multi-Boot 64-Bit Win7, Win8, LinuxMint on SSD+

Post by sigi »

TeraByte Support wrote:
> If there is no setting in the BIOS, a BIOS update will be required to fix
> their problem. Contact them with the problem.

Which setting for which function?
TeraByte Support
Posts: 3596
Joined: Thu May 05, 2011 10:37 pm

Re: Creating Multi-Boot 64-Bit Win7, Win8, LinuxMint on SSD+

Post by TeraByte Support »

You'd have to look around for something that would prevent a GPT partitioned drive from being included in the legacy BIOS support.
Bob Coleman
Posts: 785
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 5:58 pm

Re: Creating Multi-Boot 64-Bit Win7, Win8, LinuxMint on SSD+

Post by Bob Coleman »

sigi wrote:
> Perhaps I should really buy now IfW instead of continuing the cumbersome troubleshooting in BIOS and BIBM?

I may have lost track of what you are trying to do, but I don't see how IFW would hep with multi-booting.
Brian K
Posts: 2213
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Creating Multi-Boot 64-Bit Win7, Win8, LinuxMint on SSD+

Post by Brian K »

Bob Coleman wrote:

> I may have lost track of what you are trying to do, but I don't see how IFW would hep
> with multi-booting.

Bob, sigi has started a huge project but the end is in sight. The HD needs to be imaged for backup purposes. Then the disk will be converted to MBR/EMBR. Then the OS partition will be resized smaller and copied to the SSD. Several more steps will follow.

Currently sigi is trying to get BIBM to see the HD. A BIOS issue.
sigi
Posts: 243
Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2012 1:59 am

Re: Creating Multi-Boot 64-Bit Win7, Win8, LinuxMint on SSD+

Post by sigi »

@Terabyte Support
@Bob Coleman
@Brian K
(the preceding three postings)


1.
TeraByte Support wrote:
> You'd have to look around for something that would prevent a GPT
> partitioned drive from being included in the legacy BIOS support.

Isn't that the CSM setting? At least it is with my probably defective BIOS. If I enable CSM the GPT SATA HDD with Win8.1 on it does not show up in BIBM Work with Partitions.


2.
Bob Coleman wrote:
> sigi wrote:
> Perhaps I should really buy now IfW instead of continuing the cumbersome
> troubleshooting in BIOS and BIBM?
>
> I may have lost track of what you are trying to do, but I don't see how IFW would hep
> with multi-booting.

Brian K has summarized the situation correctly although the objective of the "huge project" may have to be changed unless the BIOS defect can be overcome.


3.
Brian K wrote:

snip

> Bob, sigi has started a huge project but the end is in sight. The HD needs to be
> imaged for backup purposes. Then the disk will be converted to MBR/EMBR. Then the
> OS partition will be resized smaller and copied to the SSD. Several more steps will
> follow.
>
> Currently sigi is trying to get BIBM to see the HD. A BIOS issue.

The STATE OF AFFAIRS is as follows:
I contacted MEDION Support on the BIOS defect. They told me that the Mobo manufacturer is MSI but could not find the Mobo type for my Notebook in their lists. So if I wanted to pursue this further I could contact their special support line for 1,59 EUR per minute.
They advised me of the link on their support homepage for a BIOS update. I managed to download and carry out successfully the BIOS update. But I have not found so far any new function or different behaviour.

IF I ENABLE CSM, any of the two Boot Managers i.e. Windows Boot Manager or BIBM would come up depending on the boot priorities setting. In the case of the HDD being first it would boot into Windows 8.1 correctly. In the case of the SSD being first in the boot sequence, BIBM would show up with the only drive detected being the SSD. And of course, there is no OS yet to boot into.
IF I DISABLE CSM, the Windows Boot Manager would show up and boot into Win8.1 because the DVD and SSD are no longer present in the boot priorities BIOS item.


CONCLUSIONS:

1.
If Terabyte support cannot provide a solution for BIBM to recognize the HDD, I would have to cope with the situation as it is i.e.:

- leave the EMBRM partition on the SSD
- leave Windows 8.1 on the HDD
- install Win7 and Linux Mint on the SSD if possible.

2.
I found out that with CSM Enabled and the HDD being the first in the boot sequence, the Windows Boot Manager will show up first. If I then press ESC, the BIBM Boot menu will appear. So, if I can install Win7 and Linux Mint on the SSD, everything would be alright. The boot process would be reasonably simple. The only drawbacks would be that I had better leave Win8.1 on the slow HDD instead of copying it over to the SSD (but I could live with that) and that Win8 on the one hand and the SSD OS's on the other hand could not share the same Extended Partition, could they?


QUESTION 1
Can Terabyte support try to provide a solution for BIBM to recognize the HDD?

QUESTION 2
Are the above Conclusions correct?
Brian K
Posts: 2213
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Creating Multi-Boot 64-Bit Win7, Win8, LinuxMint on SSD+

Post by Brian K »

sigi,

One BIOS setting we haven't discussed is Secure Boot. You should have an enable/disable setting or a UEFI OS/Other OS setting. Secure Boot should be disabled when using BIBM. After you convert your HD to MBR/EMBR you will use CSM enabled, Secure Boot disabled.

Let's assume the worst. You can't see the HD with BIBM. You can still copy your Win 8 to the SSD and install Win7 and Linux Mint to the SSD. So all OS will be on the fast SSD, booting wih BIBM.

Forget Extended partitions on the SSD. You don't need one.
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