How do I install Ubuntu on the SSD and have it boot normally?

another private message just came in acknowledging a reply I never made...sigh...

where do I go to post a question that might actually get a meaningful reply?

original question never made it here...so lets try again...

new Inspiron 15 5000 (5580)  dual drives: 128SSD and 1TB HD (mechanical)

Installing Ubuntu has wiped both drives, and still Ubuntu won't boot normally.

How do I install Ubuntu on the SSD and have it boot normally?

these postings seem to be showing up now....on the main board?

I haven't come to Dell Discussion boards in years.  Wow...they're way different than they used to be!

you need a 64-bit version of Linux  or change your system in your BIOS to Legacy

Too bad, you lost your original copy of Windows and supplied software, etc. Now you'll have to clean install rather than just clone or create and restore an image.

Windows is only useful (these days) as a platform for running "Flight Simulator". (smile)

i used a 64-bit version and installed it from a flash drive... to the SSD, to the 1TB HD, it kept booting into the memory test.

I've tweaked AHCI settings as i could find them, but there are more settings in there than I can keep track of.  What I need is a better understanding of what settings to change or a list of exactly which ones to change.

Happily, I've sent the machine back.  The Lesson here is NEVER use a dual disk machine if you plan to install Ubuntu and dual boot between windows and Ubuntu.

The replacement computer will have a single SSD.  I'm buying a mechanical SATA 2.5 drive to use for Ubuntu, so switching between the two OSs will mean switching physical Hard drives.  That solution, though lacking elegance, will work.

How to dual boot windows 10 and Linux 

I'm grateful for your help.  The article you linked is accurate in all its information....but...

All of that works just fine as it should..

- Ubuntu installs normally to the SSD after booting from a flash drive made with "startup disk"
- 64 bit Ubuntu install software
- Ubuntu tells me it's finished and "remove flash drive and restart"
- I see the grub boot menu and it lists "Ubuntu" (No dual boot)
- I press enter to boot it (as I've always done)
- I get a blank screen with a flashing cursor in the upper left corner

It's a 2020 dell 15 5585, 256GB SSD, 500GB WD, Bios rev. 2.4.4

I'm thinking maybe I should try to disable the SSD in BIOS so that the computer believes it has only the 500GB WD (mechanical) drive.   That's used to be a pretty standard setup, and I've never had a problem installing ubuntu on that setup on.

Also, I realize I can not be the FIRST person to have this problem.  That means others have found a way to overcome this.  I just need to find them.

Q: Is Dell now making machines that won't accept Ubuntu OS?

A: Probably not.

Couldn't find a BIOS way to disable the SSD. 

I'm guessing there is a BIOS setting that's the cause...and because that's all I can really tinker with...(smile)

I just can't accept, not yet, that Ubuntu will not install and act as OS for this computer. 

Some change, will fix that.

I'm googling to see if I can find an article that describes the problem, and possibly a solution.

As predicted, I was NOT the first to run into this....

The solution (see link below) was both esoteric and EASY.

It read as follows  (duplicating on purpose so others might find it too)