How To Fix GRUB Menu Not Showing in Dual-Boot UEFI Mode Installation

In this article, we will be discussing how to fix the GRUB menu not showing in dual-boot UEFI mode installation. This is a common issue faced by many users who have installed multiple operating systems on their machine. But don’t worry, we have got you covered with some effective solutions.

What is GRUB and UEFI?

Before we delve into the solutions, let’s briefly understand what GRUB and UEFI are. GRUB (Grand Unified Bootloader) is a boot loader package developed to support multiple operating systems and allow the user to select among them during boot-up. UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is a specification that defines a software interface between an operating system and platform firmware, replacing the legacy BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) interface.

Solution 1: Adjusting Boot Order in UEFI Firmware Settings

The first solution involves adjusting the boot order in your UEFI firmware settings. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Boot into Windows and navigate to the UEFI firmware settings. This can usually be accessed by searching for “advanced startup” in the Settings app and clicking Restart.
2. Once in the UEFI settings, navigate to the boot options tab and find the boot order menu.
3. Look for an option called “OS Boot Manager” and highlight it.
4. Use the appropriate keys (usually F5 or F6) to move “OS Boot Manager” above “Windows Boot Manager” in the boot order.
5. Save the changes by pressing F10 and exit the UEFI settings.
6. Restart your laptop and the GRUB menu should now appear, allowing you to choose between Ubuntu and Windows.

Solution 2: Disabling Hibernation and Fast Boot Features

If the first solution doesn’t work, you can try disabling the hibernation and Fast Boot features. Here’s how:

1. Boot into Ubuntu and open a terminal. You can do this by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.
2. Run the following command to disable the hibernation feature:

sudo systemctl hibernate off

This command disables the hibernation feature in Ubuntu, which can sometimes interfere with the GRUB menu.

3. Next, disable the Fast Boot feature by opening the Control Panel in Windows (the old version), selecting Energy Settings, enabling “show hidden settings”, and unchecking Fast Boot. The Fast Boot feature in Windows can also interfere with the GRUB menu.
4. Completely shut down your laptop, do not reboot.

Solution 3: Reinstalling the GRUB Boot Loader

If none of the above solutions work, you may need to reinstall the GRUB boot loader. Here’s how:

1. Boot from the Ubuntu installation media.
2. Open a terminal and execute the following commands:

sudo mount /dev/sd*** /mnt
sudo mount /dev/sd** /mnt/boot/efi
for i in /dev /dev/pts /proc /sys /run; do sudo mount -B $i /mnt$i; done
sudo chroot /mnt
grub-install /dev/sd*
update-grub

In these commands, replace “sd*” with the appropriate disk, efi partition, and system partition identifiers. You can use GParted to identify the partition numbers. The grub-install command installs the GRUB bootloader, and update-grub updates the GRUB bootloader with the latest configuration.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the GRUB menu not showing in dual-boot UEFI mode installation can be fixed by adjusting the boot order in UEFI firmware settings, disabling hibernation and Fast Boot features, or reinstalling the GRUB boot loader. Always remember to back up your important data before making any changes to your system. If you’re still facing issues, consider seeking help from a professional or a tech-savvy friend.