Introduction
This article addresses the frustrating "Boot Device Not Found" error that can occur when dual-booting a HP Envy Core i7 with both Windows 10 and Ubuntu 24 installed on separate physical drives (2 x 750GB HDDs). Let's explore the topic and discuss how to resolve this issue, guiding you through the necessary steps to ensure your system is back up and running as efficiently as possible.
Context and Background
A Boot Device Not Found error occurs when the computer's firmware cannot identify a storage device containing the necessary boot loader required to load the operating system. These types of errors are particularly common in dual-boot configurations where two or more operating systems are installed on separate physical drives. Many factors, such as incorrect partitioning, corrupted bootloaders and misconfigured boot settings can cause the Boot Device Not Found error. We will explore key concepts, providing a comprehensive solution to this issue.
Identifying the Boot Order
A dual-boot setup comprises two separate operating systems, each with its own boot loader to initiate the OS. In the case of the HP Envy Core i7, we must ensure the boot order is configured correctly. The BIOS firmware will first try the drive containing the default boot loader. It's essential to identify the correct drives contain the operating systems and their corresponding boot loaders.
GRUB Boot Loader
GRUB (GRand Unified Bootloader) is a popular boot loader software package used by Linux distributions, including Ubuntu. GRUB handles loading the kernel of the Linux OS while providing a user interface (GRUB menu) to boot into different operating systems, kernel versions, and recovery modes. In a dual-boot scenario, GRUB can have problems identifying the correct drive that houses the Windows OS.
Understanding and Resolving the Boot Device Not Found Error
To resolve the Boot Device Not Found error, ensure the system’s BIOS properly identifies the boot order. We can accomplish this by manually updating the BIOS settings or by utilizing third-party tools.
Adjusting the Boot Order Manually
To modify the boot order in the system's BIOS setup:
- Power on the computer and rapidly press the F10 key during startup (depending on the HP Envy model, F1 or Esc may be required instead).
- Navigate using the arrow keys to the "System Configuration" or the "Boot Order" section.
- Ensure the correct drive containing the Windows OS is selected as the first option.
- Save and exit the BIOS setup.
Restoring the GRUB Boot Loader
If the manual boot order adjustment fails, it might be necessary to repair the GRUB boot loader. To restore the GRUB boot loader, do the following:
- Boot using the Ubuntu installation or Live USB.
- Open a terminal and type the following commands to install the necessary packages:
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair
Once installed, launch Boot-Repair by typing:
sudo boot-repair
Perform the following actions in the Boot-Repair utility:
- Choose the recommended repair.
- After the process completes, restart the computer.
This article discussed dual-booting a Windows 10 HP Envy Core i7 with Ubuntu 24 on a separate physical drive. It explored the Boot Device Not Found error, its possible causes and solutions such as adjusting the boot order via BIOS setup or restoring the GRUB boot loader using the Boot-Repair tool. Dual-booting can be a complex task, but these guidelines help ensure your system runs smoothly, stability and enables access to both operating systems seamlessly.