Installing Linux

SBK · 15 Aug 2021 at 12:58

I have attempted to install Linux on a laptop, the installation seemed to go well and I had presumed all was good. However the computer just boots straight back into windows .

How do I check it is on the hard drive and what should I do next ?

Disk manager accessed from windows only shows one boot partition ??

tonys · 15 Aug 2021 at 13:57

Sounds like you tried a live version which would be installed to memory and not the hard drive.

SBK · 15 Aug 2021 at 14:14

The 'live' version worked well and I went on to installing the whole thing alongside Windows. I went through the whole process, 20+ minutes, entering username and password - I even watched it install Grub...

It must have went somewhere - LOL

pete910 · 15 Aug 2021 at 21:55

Details would help,

Distro ?
SSD, NVME ?
UEFI/Legacy ?

Is there no grub splash first prior to the os being booted ?

SBK · 15 Aug 2021 at 23:28

pete910 said:
Details would help,

Distro ?
SSD, NVME ?
UEFI/Legacy ?

Is there no grub splash first prior to the os being booted ?

Linux Mint
tradition hard drive
UEFI

Grub doesn't appear, it just defaults to windows. Looking at the disk drive through windows, I think a new partition was created (not 100% certain) but nothing to suggest linux is in any of the partitions.

Can't find anything in boot/bios.

I am sure it has all installed but can't find any evidence of it. may be I an going insane.

may be I should just install it again ?

oap · 16 Aug 2021 at 16:31

You will not be able to see the linux partition from windows, check your boot options in bios, you may have to change a couple of settings.
Google search will be your new friend.

Chaos · 16 Aug 2021 at 17:16

You could try Rescatux or Supergrub to fix it.
But be carefull incase you destroy everything

https://www.supergrubdisk.org/

KompuKare · 16 Aug 2021 at 17:29

oap said:
You will not be able to see the linux partition from windows, check your boot options in bios, you may have to change a couple of settings.
Google search will be your new friend.

Not directly, but Disk Manager (run DiskMgmt.msc) will show all partition and it knows the Windows types, so you can deduce whether a partition has been created:

The above shows Windows installed with the first partiton (549MB, NTFS) being the hidden (well it doesn't get a drive letter by default) boot partition, the 449.72GB NTFS drive being Windows on Drive C:, the 516MB part is meant to be a recovery partition but it's got no space, and finally the 15GB is a basic Linux partition.
If DiskManager only shows the first two or three, nothing was written to the drive.