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55976
March 30th, 2013 14:00
Installing Linux on a XPS 8500
Dear Dell,
I have just replaced my old Dell Dimension with a new XPS 8500 at great cost. On my old Dimension I was able to load Linux on an entirely separate disk. When I wanted to boot into Linux, I was able to change the boot priority and boot into Linux. However to my dismay I can't do this on my easily on XPS machine. I bought this machine to do with it as I wished and not to be tied down to using just Windows 8.
From my understanding, this can be achieved by disabling the Secure Boot or whatever DELL calls it, though admittedly, without the intended boot-time protection. Is my understanding correct?
What I am looking for from DELL is guidance on how to do this. I am not asking DELL how to install LInux but I am looking for guidance on how. to get my machine into a position to do this and any ramifications of doing so. I am installing Linux on a entirely separate disk so as not to disturb the Window's 8 installation.
When I bought the machine, there was nothing on the website to indicate how locked into the Window's operating system you are. I think that DELL has a duty of care to help out customers who are in this position i.e being hindered into using the PC for other usages, which should be up to the consumer.
I know that I am not the only customer that wishes to do this and your help in this matter is greatly appreciated.
RoHe
10 Elder
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45.2K Posts
1
March 30th, 2013 21:00
If you change the Boot Mode from UEFI to Legacy, you'll have to reinstall Windows 8. So you may want to image the entire hard drive before doing that, just in case you decide to undo...
Unfortunately, Dell and the other PC makers are stuck with a lot of things being forced on them by Microsoft.
You might search these forums for other threads about installing Linux on the XPS 8500.
If you have Win 8 Pro or Ultimate, you have free downgrade rights to Win 7 Pro, which might be more tolerant of your dual boot arrangement. But you will have to install Win 7 in Legacy mode with Secure Boot disabled in BIOS.
Without Secure Boot enabled in BIOS, you'd be no more at risk than you would be with Win 7 on any older version PC.
MRRanjan
7 Posts
0
March 30th, 2013 18:00
Change the boot mode to legacy which is the old BIOS and make sure 1st Boot device is not Windows Boot Manager
speedstep
9 Legend
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47K Posts
0
March 31st, 2013 13:00
64 BIT UBUNTU 12.04.2 LTS will boot in secure boot mode on systems.
Ubuntu developers were informed of the problem by one user last year, after he had tried to UEFI boot Ubuntu 12.04 or 12.04.1 on a Samsung 530U3C live from a USB flash drive. The Ubuntu folk overcame this by using the Microsoft windows 8 certificate in the Latter Versions of 12.04 LTS.
The problem also appears to affect Ubuntu 12.10
Hispalinux
, an 8,000 strong Spanish association of Linux users and developers, has filed a complaint with the Madrid office of the European Commission claiming, according to a Reuters report, that Windows 8 contains an "obstruction mechanism" called UEFI Secure Boot. This mechanism, it says, controls the system boot up and means users must seek keys from Microsoft to install another operating system.
Hispalinux head, lawyer Jose Maria Lancho, told the news agency that it was "absolutely anti-competitive" and a "de facto technological jail for computer booting systems". The complaint
says that although Microsoft says UEFI Secure Boot is a security measure, its implementation would not mean the end of malware and viruses.
The complaint comes just over three weeks after the EU Competition Chief Joaquin Almunia said, in a written answer to parliamentary questions, that the "Commission is monitoring the implementation of the Microsoft Windows 8 security requirements. The Commission is however currently not in possession of evidence suggesting that the Windows 8 security requirements would result in practices in violation of EU competition rules".
linnam
2 Posts
0
April 1st, 2013 02:00
I have read this article and I wasn't all all surprised that the EU competition authority may be getting involved. Will Microsoft never learn? I think that in due course, the Linux foundation will have to work together to integrate UEFI Secure boot into their distributions. I will download the Ubuntu version that you suggested and see whether I get further than the "Invalid Signature detected error" that I am currently facing.
Thanks for the advice.
Philip_Yip
9 Legend
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16.1K Posts
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April 1st, 2013 17:00
Its best to disable Secure Boot and UEFI. You can then reinstall Windows 8 and Linux but you will need a Reinstallation DVD.
For Reinstallation of Windows 8 see A Clean Install of Windows 8 in my Windows Reinstallation Guide:
http://philipyip.wordpress.com/dell-community-forums/
One other workaround would be to install UBUNTU in a Virtual Machine such as Virtual Box. The XPS 8500 should have ample enough power to run UBUNTU well in a Virtual machine.