In the past, we covered how to dual boot Windows 7 and Windows 8, and Windows XP and Windows 8 operating systems. Dual booting a newer version of Windows OS with an earlier version of Windows has always been a simple task.
At times, a user may need to install the popular Ubuntu OS in dual with Windows 8 for some reasons. Though dual booting Windows 8 and Ubuntu (Windows 8 installed first) is pretty easy, the only catch is that the installer doesn’t recognize Windows 8 partition. In other words, you can’t use the straight-forward install Ubuntu alongside with Windows option during setup. So, how to dual boot Windows 8 and Ubuntu?
If you are looking for a simple way to install Windows 8 in dual boot with Ubuntu (Windows 8 installed first), follow the step-by-step instructions given below.
Dual boot Windows 8/8.1 with Ubuntu
NOTE: We assume that you have already installed Windows 8 on the computer.
Procedure:
Step 1: Turn on the PC and boot into Windows 8. Create a new partition for Ubuntu installation. You can create a new partition by following our how to create a new partition and how to shrink or extend a partition guides. You can also take the help of Partition Wizard (free) software for advanced task.
Step 2: The next step is to download Ubuntu from this official page. Both 32-bit and 64-bit versions are available. If you are unsure which one to download, simply download 32-bit Ubuntu.
Step 3: To start the installation you need to have the installation media. That is, you need to either burn the Ubuntu ISO onto a DVD or create a bootable USB. We suggest you use a USB drive (2 GB+) as installing from USB is faster than DVD. If you have a USB drive, use Universal USB Installer to make the bootable USB.
Connect the USB drive to the PC, backup data from USB drive, and then follow the steps given below to create bootable Ubuntu USB:
To create bootable Ubuntu USB:
a. Download Universal USB Installer from here. Run Universal USB Installer (it doesn’t require any installation).
b. Click I agree button on the License Agreement screen to proceed to the next step.
C. Here, you will be asked to select the Linux distribution. Select Ubuntu from the drop-down list and click Browse button to browse to the Ubuntu ISO file that you have downloaded in step 2. Enable the option named Show all drives and then carefully select your USB drive letter. Finally enable Format Drive (Erase Content) option and click Create button.
d. Your bootable Ubuntu USB should be ready within a minute.
Step 4: Once you have the bootable USB, restart your PC (make sure that the USB is connected to PC). Make necessary changes to the BIOS to enable USB booting and then restart the PC again. You will see following options:
# Run Ubuntu from this USB
# Install Ubuntu on a Hard Disk
# Test memory
# Boot from first hard disk
# Advanced options
# Help
Select Install Ubuntu on a Hard Disk option and hit enter key.
Step 5: Within a few seconds, you will be greeted with a welcome screen where you need to select your Language. Once dine, click Install Ubuntu button.
Step 6: In the following screen, Ubuntu setup offers options to download updates (while installing) and install MP3 plugin. Select both options and click Continue button.
Step 7: If your PC is not connected to the Internet, you will be asked to select a wireless network, if available. If you don’t have a wireless network at your place, simply select I don’t want to connect to a wi-fi network right now option and click Continue. And if you have a wi-fi network, select the network and click Continue button.
Step 8: This is the most important step of installation. If you are getting Install Ubuntu alongside with Windows 8 option select that option and click Continue. On the other hand if you are getting “This computer currently has no detected operating systems. What would you like to do?” message, select Something else option and click Continue to proceed to Installation Type screen.
Step 9: In the Installation Type screen, carefully select the drive that you have previously created for Ubuntu and click Delete button. You should now see free space entry. Select the free space entry and click Add button to create a Swap partition. Select Location of new partition as Beginning and then select Use as Swap. Click Ok button.
Next, in the Installation Type screen, again select on the free space and click Add button. This time, Select location of partition as Beginning, select use as EXT4 journaling file system and finally select Mount point as “/”. Click Ok button.
Finally click Install Now button to start installing Ubuntu.
Step 10: In the next two screens, you will be asked to select your location and keyboard layout. In the last step, you will be asked to enter login details (user name and password). Once done, you will be asked to restart the computer.
Step 11: Restart the computer to see the following screen:
You may see Windows Recovery Environment option instead of Microsoft Windows 8 entry in the boot menu if you have installed Ubuntu after choosing “Something else” option in step 8. In simple words, Ubuntu 11.10 setup doesn’t recognize Windows 8 and adds Windows 8 entry as Windows Recovery Environment (or, at least, this is what I got when I installed Ubuntu 11.10 in dual boot with Windows 8 Developer Preview build).
Simply select Microsoft Windows or Windows Recovery Environment entry to boot into Windows 8. To boot into Ubuntu select Ubuntu with Linux. Good luck!
Ethan says
I followed the instructions exactly, but it isn’t giving me the option to boot Windows; it boots Ubuntu by default without showing the Windows 8 option. Thanks
Jeff Walters says
I have to disagree that you should choose the 32 bit version if you’re unsure. All PCs that are running windows 8 are 64 bit capable and from what I understand the 32 bit version is either incompatible or just won’t work very well on these newer PCs. My advice, for what it’s worth is to go with the 64 bit version if you’re dual booting Windows 8.
Thomas says
@Chuchu @Pablo
I’ve got the same problem and I don’t know how to fix this…
Do you have found a solution yet?
Bobby says
does using YURI instead of Universal USB Installer make a difference?
Chuchu says
Installation Complete > Restart Now pressed
Step 11: screen not coming …
By default win 8 is opening in my case . PLZ help.
leon says
@Punk
So this is obviously an older guide. Those of you that read this should know that you SHOULD NOT FOLLOW this guide if you are running an EFI boot loader. Newer laptops like Lenovo’s have Windows 8 Preinstalled with Windows and EFI. If you install grub you will BREAK windows 8 if it is set up with EFI.
——————————– ————————-
Do you have links to newer guides for Lenovo’s Windows 8 with EFI Preinstalled?
I could load Ubuntu from flash drive on my IdeaPad N580, but could not make it work as dual load from HD.
Any suggestions?
pablo says
After the install when I restart it automatically enter windows 8 a does not gives me the option to boot Ubuntu
admin says
@ Amanda
The option to enable USB Booting is present in BIOS. Check your PC manufacture’s website to know how to open BIOS.
Amanda says
“Step 4: Once you have the bootable USB, restart your PC (make sure that the USB is connected to PC). Make necessary changes to the BIOS to enable USB booting and then restart the PC again. You will see following options:”
How in the world do I enable USB booting? I’ve tried about a million ways and I still cannot get past this step. I thought since this tutorial was specifically for Windows 8 that maybe it would explain that. Nobody else on the web seems to have an answer for how to enable usb booting. Sigh.
Ganesh says
I tried installing but the option install along with Windows didn’t come up. I didn’t use WUBI but in the past that is on Windows 7 I didn’t have that problem. After after installation also the Windows 8 bootloader doesn’t detect Ubuntu. I tried some stuff I saw online to over ride GRUB over Windows 8 bootloader but didn’t work.
Enno Borgsteede says
Nice instructions, and I especially like the warning about Ubuntu not recognizing Windows 8, because that happened to me too. Only thing is, I see no boot options on startup.
I have a brand new system with 64 GB SSD as /dev/sda and 2 TB HDD as /dev/sdb and installed both Ubuntu and the boot loader on /dev/sdb. The system always boots in Windows 8.
Sujan Niraula says
Thanks a lot I was Searching for this.
Punk says
So this is obviously an older guide. Those of you that read this hsould know that you SHOULD NOT FOLLOW this guide if you are running an EFI boot loader. Newer laptops like Lenovo’s have Windows 8 Preinstalled with Windows and EFI. If you install grub you will BREAK windows 8 if it is set up with EFI.
NoThanks says
Big waste of time. Fatal Grub error. @winux, this has nothing to do with programming. Grow up.
zwei says
anyone try this with ubuntu 12.04 LTS installed first?
winux says
@Mike : are u an idiot? Do u have any programming skills? idiot shut up. Linux is very very good and it has got modern look too. have u tried KDE? Yeah we cannot play many popular games on Linux because games companies make their game for windows. And i am sure you are dumb ass too cause most of softwares can be installed with one click without compiling. So STFU!
femke98 says
Mike don’t know wat ubuntu is and i think he never work with it.
Ubuntu installs with 15 minuts, youe don’t have to compile nothing at all and it works just fine. Mark don’t know were he’s talking about.
Qw3rtz says
Mike, why would you need to compile anything? You can install anything in Ubuntu Software Center.
Kim says
Thank you. Works perfectly.
Jackhole says
Every time I boot into windows 8 through grub it crashes windows 8 load screen. Anybody else have this problem?
Also, in Ubuntu, you can run “sudo update-grub” at any time to add newly installed operating system to the bootloader. It just automatically regenerates the grub setup like it did when it was first installed (and based on the defaults set in /etc/default/grub).
zombie says
you may need to update this sorry for posting on an old topic but with windows 8 CP you cannot boot into windows 8 dirctly from grub mbr anymore by default there is only one extra step though install first line of updates but then again i am also testing 12.04 LTS final beta :)
Hyztname says
Thanks a lot, i was needing both of these system to work.
What partition should I put to install?(ext4,ext3,exFat…)
Mike says
No thanks. Linux is a huge joke. Its GUI sucks, most of its programs are a piece of shit with a crappy UI, you can’t game on it, and you’ll spend more time compiling crap than actually using your computer.