Issue with Linux/Win 11 dual boot setup
Issue with Linux/Win 11 dual boot setup
I have Mint 21.3 and Windows 11 dual booted on a 500G NVMe storage. The Leveno PC also has a 120G SATA SSD installed. Both drives seem to have a Windows boot manager installed - I don't know how this came about. Both operating systems work properly, but I need to use F12 to choose which drive to start. Selecting Windows on the SSD starts and runs correctly. On the NVMe drive, choosing Windows causes an error message prompting me to insert a drive and restart. When I select Ubuntu on the NVMe drive, the standard GNU Grub 2.06 interface appears, allowing me to boot into Mint. The Grub screen displays both Windows and Linux managers, but only the Windows manager functions on the SSD. I suspect the NVMe drive's Windows installation is faulty. I want to remove the SDD from the PC and use the NVMe drive that contains both operating systems, but I can't boot Windows from it. Is there a way to achieve this without reinstalling anything? I've tried repairing from the Win11 boot USB and fixing Grub from the Mint boot USB, but with no success.
This situation is really challenging for me because I've never attempted something like this before (I'd need to build a similar setup myself before suggesting it). I also don't have much information about your system.
The main concern is that altering boot sectors and moving the grub module might prevent the OS from starting correctly, which means keeping important files backed up is strongly advised.
However, I suggest you set up a user profile on the Linux Mint official website:
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Consider asking this question in a Linux forum or online community, as there should be experienced users who can assist.
Also, please share the link to the specific forum thread you create on a Linux-focused site so others facing similar problems can benefit.
The simplest fix would be to reinstall both operating systems while disconnecting the secondary SSD, ensuring no boot loaders are loaded onto that device until both OSes are installed.
This one I think about?
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=423987
Dual boot problems plus issues with mixed boot sectors or groups are tough to resolve, and the chance of something going wrong is pretty big.
I also face many problems when using dual boot or multiboot on an UEFI laptop and mini PC. It's difficult for me to install different Windows versions on the same drive across various partitions. With my old ATX machine running BIOS/UEFI-CSM or inside a VM, I can handle it without any trouble. I don't plan to repair the laptop because I don't have the small screwdriver needed.
I won't assure it, but generally when you ask a running system to reinstall GRUB, it will recognize other operating systems and the correct version will function across both. You may need to specify which disk you're installing to. If it doesn't work, the system might become unbootable on Windows, though Linux could offer repair options if needed. If you can back up your Windows beforehand, the risk is reduced. Personally, I'd recommend reinstalling GRUB on the current GRUB drive and using F12 to access it (avoid touching the Windows bootloader on another disk), then checking if the Windows entry works from that drive. If successful, installing the same GRUB command to the Windows drive should be safe.
Caveat: Both drives should use a GPT partition scheme. If you have a mix of older BIOS and GPT mode (Windows 11 requires GPT), compatibility might fail. To check, boot into Linux and run a command prompt. If your drive is "/dev/sda", the non-destructive read-only step would be:
sudo gdisk -l /dev/sda
Repeat this for both drives. You should see the message:
"Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT."
Thank you for the ideas. I'll attempt grub repair using Linux with the SSD disabled and check if it succeeds. My priority is keeping the Linux installation intact, as it's my primary OS. If needed, I can reinstall Windows 11 later since it's not essential. Both drives are GPT-formatted.