I’ve been hearing about a lot of users who dual-boot Windows and GNU/Linux are unable to load GNU/Linux after installing the August cumulative Windows update. I saw this item in today’s (08/22/2024) CodeProject newsletter, and I suppose I’m lucky that I use rEFInd as my boot manager because I run my computers with SecureBoot enabled (I run Arch-based distributions because I’ve learned how to sign the kernel for them).
If you dual-boot Windows with GNU/Linux, this item may provide some useful information.
UPDATE!
It appears that Microsoft has offered a temporary work-around. I saw this item in today’s (8/26/2024) CodeProject newsletter. It includes steps to remove, and ‘fix’ the issue caused by the improper installation of an update to grub. If you’re being affected by this issue, read the linked item to learn how to get back into your affected computer.
I’ve been using Linux now for 10+ years (started with Ubuntu and now progressed to Debian 12) and have never dual booted with Windoze and never will. If I want to use Windoze (can’t think why these days) I’d buy a separate machine just for that purpose. The last thing I would want is to run the risk of infecting my daily driver!
Then this post is definitely not intended for you . I’m simply trying to offer a bit of help to my fellow dual-boot-ers, even though I’m not affected by this calamity.
Many people have very strong opinions about using the MSFT OS, and each has his/her reasons for them. When I say that everyone has a right to his/her opinions, and to express them, I mean it with no reservations/limitations. The only thing I object to, is trying to force anyone else to adhere to/support those opinions against their will. In the end, we should all agree to disagree, if we can’t find a better path, but we should all support each other’s rights to their own opinions too.
It’s easy to bash Microsoft and Windows in particular. I’m still amazed how well it works in general.
Hopefully it was an honest mistake and not an attempt to break about 0.05% of desktops. There aren’t that many dual booters out there I wouldn’t think. I am one of them and it didn’t seem to affect me. At least not that I know of.
I have a much bigger beef with Apple or probably more so with Apple fans with blinders on and don’t recognize certain things.
Then you may be among the fortunate dual-boot-ers. Linux Mint uses the Grub bootloader. Have you updated Windows, and did you install the August 2024 Cumulative Update yet? If so, you may be one of the fortunate users who didn’t get the Grub patch that is at the heart of all the current hubbub. The Grub patch isn’t supposed to be installed on computers that dual boot Windows and GNU/Linux using Grub, but it has been getting erroneously installed on some of them.
If you haven’t completed the update yet, you may be best served to read the linked item before updating Windows.
Guessing you either don’t run SB or you employed the “don’t touch” registry patch MSFT published in time. I have one machine where I did not do that in time, and since then have run into issues with installing LMDE6 with SB enabled (following Mr. Wilcox’s astute guidelines here). It appears to install fine, and the Ventoy I use to install passes the “shim-signed” test, but when it’s time to reboot into LMDE it just won’t do it with SB enabled: “error: bad shim signature, you need to load the kernel first” which in my experience means a “shim-signed” signature failure. Also I’m not quite as bold as Ernie to employ rEFind instead of grub (there’s a lot about grub 2 I really hate) or to get Arch installs running with self-signed kernels. It is so much easier to install in a VM but I have had mixed luck with all the “free” (Hyper-V, VirtualBox) as opposed to “Pro” (VMware) type hypervisors.
. I’m simply trying to offer a bit of help to my fellow dual-boot-ers, even though I’m not affected by this calamity.
