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I installed Linux Ubuntu 20.04 directly from Windows 10. It rebooted and I could boot from the USB flash disk to perform the installation.

After installing everything correctly, I realized that, after rebooting the OS, GRUB is not showing to me and boots directly on Ubuntu. I run grub-repair, and I am showing a shot from the sw below.

enter image description here

from the picture above, it seems that my OS is installed in UEFI mode. When I run boot repair and I reboot the same problem happens. No Grub showing, it boots directly to Ubuntu.

One thing I realized is that my machine (a brand new PC) does not show anything in the boot (was the fast boot activated on my Windows OS/BIOS?), and boots directly on Ubuntu. I tried to enter BIOS by pressing ESC, DELETE, F1, F2, F10, F11 and F12. Nothing.

Below are the contents of the /etc/default/grub file

# If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update
# /boot/grub/grub.cfg.
# For full documentation of the options in this file, see:
#   info -f grub -n 'Simple configuration'

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=hidden
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

# Uncomment to enable BadRAM filtering, modify to suit your needs
# This works with Linux (no patch required) and with any kernel that obtains
# the memory map information from GRUB (GNU Mach, kernel of FreeBSD ...)
#GRUB_BADRAM="0x01234567,0xfefefefe,0x89abcdef,0xefefefef"

# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only)
#GRUB_TERMINAL=console

# The resolution used on graphical terminal
# note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE
# you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo'
GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

# Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entries
#GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY="true"

# Uncomment to get a beep at grub start
#GRUB_INIT_TUNE="480 440 1"

Here are the contents of /boot/efi

screenshot of terminal

Here are the contents of /boot/grub/grub.cfg

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  set have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
if [ "${initrdfail}" = 2 ]; then
   set initrdfail=
elif [ "${initrdfail}" = 1 ]; then
   set next_entry="${prev_entry}"
   set prev_entry=
   save_env prev_entry
   if [ "${next_entry}" ]; then
      set initrdfail=2
   fi
fi
if [ "${next_entry}" ] ; then
   set default="${next_entry}"
   set next_entry=
   save_env next_entry
   set boot_once=true
else
   set default="menuentry 'Windows Boot Manager (on /dev/nvme0n1p1)' --class windows --class os  'osprober-efi-36CE-B279' {"
fi

if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
  menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
  menuentry_id_option=""
fi

export menuentry_id_option

if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}
function initrdfail {
    if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -n "${partuuid}" ]; then
      if [ -z "${initrdfail}" ]; then
        set initrdfail=1
        if [ -n "${boot_once}" ]; then
          set prev_entry="${default}"
          save_env prev_entry
        fi
      fi
      save_env initrdfail
    fi; fi
}
function recordfail {
  set recordfail=1
  if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
function load_video {
  if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
    insmod all_video
  else
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod ieee1275_fb
    insmod vbe
    insmod vga
    insmod video_bochs
    insmod video_cirrus
  fi
}

if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd1,msdos5'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos5  3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857
fi
    font="/usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi

if loadfont $font ; then
  set gfxmode=640x480
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
  set lang=en_US
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ] ; then
  set timeout=10
else
  if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ] ; then
    set timeout_style=hidden
    set timeout=10
  # Fallback hidden-timeout code in case the timeout_style feature is
  # unavailable.
  elif sleep --interruptible 10 ; then
    set timeout=10
  fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
function gfxmode {
    set gfxpayload="${1}"
    if [ "${1}" = "keep" ]; then
        set vt_handoff=vt.handoff=7
    else
        set vt_handoff=
    fi
}
if [ "${recordfail}" != 1 ]; then
  if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
    if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
      if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
        set linux_gfx_mode=keep
      else
        set linux_gfx_mode=text
      fi
    else
      set linux_gfx_mode=text
    fi
  else
    set linux_gfx_mode=keep
  fi
else
  set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
menuentry 'Ubuntu' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857' {
    recordfail
    load_video
    gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
    insmod gzio
    if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
    insmod part_msdos
    insmod ext2
    set root='hd1,msdos5'
    if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos5  3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857
    else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857
    fi
    linux   /boot/vmlinuz-5.4.0-42-generic root=UUID=3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857 ro  quiet splash $vt_handoff
    initrd  /boot/initrd.img-5.4.0-42-generic
}
submenu 'Advanced options for Ubuntu' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857' {
    menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 5.4.0-42-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-5.4.0-42-generic-advanced-3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857' {
        recordfail
        load_video
        gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
        insmod gzio
        if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
        insmod part_msdos
        insmod ext2
        set root='hd1,msdos5'
        if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos5  3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857
        else
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857
        fi
        echo    'Loading Linux 5.4.0-42-generic ...'
        linux   /boot/vmlinuz-5.4.0-42-generic root=UUID=3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857 ro  quiet splash $vt_handoff
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd  /boot/initrd.img-5.4.0-42-generic
    }
    menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 5.4.0-42-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-5.4.0-42-generic-recovery-3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857' {
        recordfail
        load_video
        insmod gzio
        if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
        insmod part_msdos
        insmod ext2
        set root='hd1,msdos5'
        if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos5 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos5 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos5  3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857
        else
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857
        fi
        echo    'Loading Linux 5.4.0-42-generic ...'
        linux   /boot/vmlinuz-5.4.0-42-generic root=UUID=3d41e78e-87bd-4edf-801d-249386bf9857 ro recovery nomodeset 
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd  /boot/initrd.img-5.4.0-42-generic
    }
}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux_zfs ###
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux_zfs ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry 'Windows Boot Manager (on /dev/nvme0n1p1)' --class windows --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-efi-36CE-B279' {
    insmod part_gpt
    insmod fat
    if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root  36CE-B279
    else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 36CE-B279
    fi
    chainloader /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
}
set timeout_style=menu
if [ "${timeout}" = 0 ]; then
  set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
menuentry 'UEFI Firmware Settings' $menuentry_id_option 'uefi-firmware' {
    fwsetup
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
  source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

How can I see GRUB when I boot?

Zanna
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Madeyra
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    Is your windows installation still present? Is there a file /boot/efi/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi? Is there mention of 'Windows Boot Manager' in /etc/boot/grub.cfg? If the answer to all these questions is not yes, then there is a more severe problem than the non-appearance if the grub menu. – Siep Aug 24 '20 at 11:42
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    Your hard drive could have set on fire and you would still be able to access your BIOS. Are you sure that you've been thorough enough? In the manual for your motherboard, what are the instructions to access the BIOS menu? – Nmath Aug 24 '20 at 12:01
  • @Siep /boot/efi is empty, and there is no boot in /etc :-( – Madeyra Aug 24 '20 at 12:28
  • @Nmath the manual says f2 or delete, but the screen blinks in the boot. It happened like that since the windows was installed only. – Madeyra Aug 24 '20 at 12:38
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    Sorry, you need sudo to view the contents of /boot/efi, and I meant /boot/grub/grub.cfg, not /etc/boot/grub.cfg. – Siep Aug 24 '20 at 12:39
  • @Siep could you please check my edit? – Madeyra Aug 24 '20 at 12:44
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    There is indeed a boot entry for windows in grub.cfg, and /etc/default/grub looks ok too. I am no expert, but I see that the main ubuntu entry is on 'hd1,msdos5', which suggests legacy/mbr partitioning of sdb, which is asking for trouble on an EFI dual-boot system. People more knowledgable than me may have suggestions how to resolve this. – Siep Aug 24 '20 at 13:22
  • In general, it would have been simplest to let windows shrink the C:-drive and install ubuntu on the sdd too, if the sdd is big enough. – Siep Aug 24 '20 at 13:26

1 Answers1

2

I solved the error and the solution was very stupid and simple.

My PC is quite new. When I installed it, I didn't realize there was a plastic connector covering one of my video cards slots. I didn't know the guys from the company I bought it covered the unused slots with some plastic covers.

What was happening is the fact that, at every boot, the PC got confused on which video card was being used so it started to blink trying to read signals from all the connected video cards. So I couldn't see Grub and also couldn't see the BIOS screen and other boot steps from the motherboard in the monitor. After I removed, it solved. I could see grub and also could enter BIOS.

Maybe it can help some other guys trying to configure new PCS. Thanks a lot to everybody who tried to help me.

Madeyra
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