Hello friends, here I bring you a tutorial to install refind in Windows 8. Remember that computers with Windows 8 come with EFI (http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extensible_Firmware_Interface) which, let's say, is not very friendly with our Linux distributions.
There are 3 main reasons why you should install Refind in Windows 8 (obviously in my opinion).
- It is not recommended to delete the Windows 8 rescue partition, as it can corrupt the BIOS, especially those laptops that come with "System Rescue (F4). "
- If you don't want to erase Windows 8
- If you spend a lifetime changing the boot device, install Refind and forget about having to re-enter the BIOS for something like that.
refind is a Boot Manager like GRUB With the advantage that it automatically detects the "bootable" devices or partitions of your computer at each boot. (for more information visit http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/), which means that with this we can make Windows 8 can see the partitions with Linux.
Let's do it
First of all this tutorial is based on a guide for Gentoo (http://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/UEFI_Dual_boot_with_Windows_7/8) to which it incorporates certain modifications.
Resize Windows partition
If you are going to install Linux, the minimum you need is a place on your Hard Drive, then you can make a space for it using the Disk Manager for this: press WIN+X and then in the panel that appears click Disk Management.
Once there right click on the disk to size and select Dicrease the volume
Now simply select the space that you want Windows to leave so that you can make use of it (I recommend the maximum you can), then REDUCE and ready!!!
Install Refind
Now the next step is to install Refind for this we download the following file:
Once downloaded, unzip it in a folder, which is located in an easy to find or remember address.
After downloading and unzipping the file, press WIN+X and we click on SCommand prompt (Administrator)
Once entering the Command Prompt you type:
mountvol S: /s
(Assuming there is no drive S: if not, change S to any letter)
Now go to the folder that you unzipped refind to see the subdirectories inside it
dir C:/carpeta/donde/esta/refind
(Tips: as in Linux you can use TAB for autocomplete)
Already being inside the Refind folder and with the possibility of seeing the subdirectories (you can do dir and you should see the file README among others) you type the following command which copies the refind folder to a new drive
xcopy /E refind S:\EFI\refind\
Now type to enter drive S: and the refind directory of drive S:
S:
cd EFI\refind
In the Refind installation manual it says that you can remove some drivers that you don't need in the folders drivers_x64 y drivers_ia32 Since unnecessary drivers delay the system startup, I recommend leaving them all since the delay is minimal and imperceptible. But if you still want to remove the drivers that you will not use you can check the following page: http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/drivers.html
Now you must rename the file refind.conf-sample a refind.conf you can do this with the following command
rename refind.conf-sample refind.conf
And finally to set Refind as your default boot program:
bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path \EFI\refind\refind_x64.efi
This command is valid if your system is 64bits if it is 32bits you must change refind_x64.efi a refind_ia32.efi
Now when you restart, the refind menu should appear to select the OS you want.
Recommendations for the new Linux OS you install to only have Refind as boot manager
- When you install your system it is recommended that you have a boot partition (/ boot) and this can be formatted in EXT2 or in FAT
- Refind automatically searches for vmlinuz files on your boot partitions
- Don't install GRUB or another Boot Manager. When you install your linux system create a refind.conf file in / Boot and in it, add all the necessary options to start your system. The most basic (and necessary) are those where you indicate which is your root partition. My refind.conf file has the following lines:
"Boot with standard options" "root=/dev/sda7 ro initrd=\initramfs-linux.img"
Where / dev / sda7 is my root partition. - If you forgot to create the refind.conf file, no problem, in Refind select your OS and press the F2 key twice to edit (momentarily) the boot options and there you can add the line "Root = / partition / root ro" and once entered into your system you can create the file refind.conf with the necessary boot options.
- If you forget to insert the CD or USB drive before refind starts, it doesn't matter !!! just insert the device while Refind is on screen press the key ESC and your new boot device will automatically appear.
- If for some reason you installed GRUB and it was positioned on Refind, enter the BIOS and select as a boot device superior to Windows, Refind will appear again on the next reboot.
- Finally, so that you have the logo of your OS and not of Tux, simply add a 128x128p image in PNG format to your / Boot partition and name it with the same name as your system image, in my case it is vmlinuz-linux.png
For more information on how to add options to refind.conf can visit: http://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/configfile.html
Sorry, but it's not clear what "mountvol S: /" is for.
I understand the concept of mount in linux, but it is not clear to me what you mount under the S drive:
What is / in Windows, the rescue partition, an alias for C :, something else…. ?
The command I misspelled is "mountvol: S / s" and it is used to create a mount point in: S and the / s option is used to say that that mount is accessible to ESP (efi system partition)
Speaking of mount "points" :)) there is a command to see if a folder has been used as a mount point ... for example.
# mountpoint / boot
/ boot is a mountpoint
It seems to be that it mounts the hidden partition where the Windows 8.1 bootmgr is, or so I think.
I want to thank you for this tutorial, although I must mention that the grub that installs ubuntu 14.04 LTS has support for efi, I followed the steps and took the first / boot partition recommendation separately and everything works great. adding that I disabled the secure boot from bios.
greetings.
I was glad that it worked for you, I hope you like Refind, for me, the best bootmanager.
regards
Hey.
Simply thanks.
Thank you very much.
Greetings.
It was not very clear to me whether the first thing to do is install the distribution or install refind.
Hey.
Refind first, then distro.
Greetings.
It is not necessary. I just installed it, following the steps discussed here, and I had Ubuntu 14.04 mounted.
Hello! When I enter the mountvol command I get »The parameter is not correct«. What is this about?
Regards!
Hello, good post, although I have a problem. I have tried everything but when starting it continues to show the Windows 8 Boot Manager. In BCDedit it shows me that Refind is selected but it still shows the Windows Boot.
This is what I have in BCDedit (I don't know exactly what HarddiskVolume is the Refind so I don't know if the one shown is the correct one)
Windows boot manager
------------
Identifier {bootmgr}
device partition = \ Device \ HarddiskVolume2
path \ EFI \ refind \ refind_x64.efi
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
integrityservices Enable
default {current}
resumeobject {2b07bd70-e6d7-11e3-825c-fcf8aebc3427}
displayorder {2b07bd7d-e6d7-11e3-825c-fcf8aebc3427}
{current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 5
Windows boot loader
----------
Identifier {2b07bd7d-e6d7-11e3-825c-fcf8aebc3427}
device partition = F:
path \ WINDOWS \ system32 \ winload.efi
description Windows Technical Preview
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {2b07bd7e-e6d7-11e3-825c-fcf8aebc3427}
integrityservices Enable
recoveryenabled Yes
isolatedcontext Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice partition = F:
systemroot \ WINDOWS
resumeobject {2b07bd7c-e6d7-11e3-825c-fcf8aebc3427}
nx OptIn
bootmenupolicy Standard
Windows boot loader
----------
Identifier {current}
device partition = C:
path \ Windows \ system32 \ winload.efi
description Windows 8.1
locale en-us
inherit {bootloadersettings}
isolatedcontext Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice partition = C:
systemroot \ Windows
resumeobject {2b07bd70-e6d7-11e3-825c-fcf8aebc3427}
nx OptIn
bootmenupolicy Standard
detecthal Yes
I hope they can help me
PS: I have Windows 8.1, Windows 10 and Ubuntu 14.04 (I think that was the version), however Ubuntu is not in the BCDEdit since in UEFI it does not support it as it says in the Article.
Can you show or say that it shows you the bios in the boot unit selection menu?
Forget it, I already solved it, for some reason the "Safe Boot" of the Bios was activated (I always have it deactivated, but the other time I updated the BIOS) causing it to only start the Windows Boot Manager. Also I installed the Refind from Ubuntu to be more automatic (using Install.sh).
Now you just have to edit the entries and customize it: 3
Same thanks
Thanks for the tutorial, I have a brand computer with windows 8, it only lets me install ubuntu and windows 8, it throws me the windows 7 installation, which is the system I need, I have disabled the uefi secure boot and tried a hundred thousand things, I only got it half installed once, and I left the installation halfway in the first restart of the installation, if there is no pass, before doing all the steps of the tutorial, I would like to know if with this application I could solve my problem.
Thank you
all the best
Yes, Refind is for this, so that it overlaps the Windows 8 boot.
Hello, thanks for this tutorial, but I would like to know if you can use Refind to manage the boot from two different disks, that is, I want to install xp on one disk and win7 on another, is this possible.
The question comes to the point because I already tried to do the classic installation by installing xp in one partition and then win7 in another partition and it works but the problem is that it is a new computer with a Gigabyte board with usb3.0 and when loading the drivers of the xp board does not recognize USB 2.0 ports.
I would appreciate your help on this issue.
Thanks a greeting
In theory yes, but you have to try since this tutorial is for Windows 8
Thanks for the answer, I'll get on with it, I'll try it and I'll tell you. thanks greetings
It appears to me, after using the mount vol command "the parameter is not correct" how can I solve it? Thanks and regards
I had ubuntu mate 15.04 and windows 8 installed. I did a windows system restore and it unbooted grub. After struggling a bit I was able to get it to start with refind. But I don't understand how to make it recognize the ubuntumate I had.
Thank you.
You must tell refind the location of your ubuntu boot partition (eg dev / sda6)
What if I don't know the address? As I already had it installed and it worked very well. My problem is that I entered by pressing F9 (to boot from ubunto). The problem was that I restored the windows system from 0 and I no longer appeared ubunto, not even pressing F9. So I installed refin. But I have not been able to start with ubunto. Should I go testing until I hit it? How to know the address where root was installed? What is the precise command?
Thanks in advance.
Santiago
Since I don't know, I tried to do what I understood.
I entered the ubuntu part, I pressed F2 twice and edited the following line:
root = / dev / sda1 / root ro
I was changing sda2, sda3 until 9 and in neither did ubuntu mate start. How do I know what the root partition is if I can't get into ubuntu?
And if it can't, how can I remove refind to try to enter via supergrub2?
Thanks again
regards
Could you explain just this part to me?
I am not clear: /
dir C: / folder / where / is / refind
Hola!
I have a problem with xcopy when I run it it always tells me that the refind file cannot be found and I can't copy the files! what could it be?
Thank you very much, it worked perfect.
Thanks a lot. It worked perfect.
Great tuto, thank you very much.
I was lost and looking on the net I found your tutorial, I would like to ask if anyone knows how to delete the entries in the rEFInd menu that it shows in each boot, I don't know where they are and why they are since I have W7, Gentoo nothing else and others appear.
What commands can I use to remove those entries?
Greetings.
Hello
a macanon! No distro appears to me to boot, I only see the refind boot and I don't know how to enter the win menu and change the bootmgr without entering the system, it enables me a shel but it does not house a command!
regards
Unfortunately what happened to you, I cannot help you specifically how to make it work, but I can guide you in the following (although by the time that has elapsed I imagine that you already fixed the problem).
1.- Look in the bios boot for the windows partition and put it first (there is a difference between the boot with refind and the one with windows that you see the differentiation in the names of the boot options)
2.- Review the partition or the / boot folder of your Linux partition, you can use the distro to rescue PC SystemrescueCD, remember that in the Refind documentation, Refind only detects linux systems in whose boot partition there are names recognizable by Refind . example "vmlinuz"
3.- If the previous ones do not work, rescue the data with SystemrescueCD and from there format the PC from the Windows 8 partition.
My impression is that you tried this with Windows 10, I have Windows 8.1, the bios options like "secureboot" disabled and everything worked for me.
Luck
Hello, how can I change the name of the systems by desisr?
How can I make it so that I can edit the names that Boot / boot windows manager does not appear if only Windos and the version in the same way for Linux
Hello,
See if you can help.
I follow the tutorial and all the commands enter fine, but the problem comes that when I supposedly change the bootmgr path… it doesn't change it.
I type bootmgr again and nothing, it follows the original Windows.
Could it be because of the partitions? It is with the original partition system of the PC:
Boot (EFI), System, Recovery ...
Maybe if I do a clean install (deleting partitions) it will work?
everything worked very well thanks