No boot menu after clean reinstall of Windows and Ubuntu 24.04.2

[alistair-geo]

After trying a few different distros, dual booting with Windows 11, I decided to go with Ubuntu. I did a reset of Windows (which destroyed my Arch installation, as expected) and reinstalled Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS.

Now, my PC boots directly into Windows. I don’t get a boot menu.

The firmware ‘fixed boot order priorities’ are USB/Windows boot manager/Network/NVME/CdDvd. Ubuntu doesn’t appear there.

Ubuntu is listed in ‘UEFI hard disk drive BBS priorities’, and I can boot Ubuntu by selecting it in ‘boot override’.

I’d like to get my boot menu back. I’ve run boot-repair and the boot info summary is at https://paste.ubuntu.com/p/fHTjQkdtWF/

I’m out of my comfort zone here, and I’d appreciate it if someone could take a look and advise me. Should I take the suggested repair, or is there something else I should try?

[tea-for-one]

@alistair-geo

I can boot Ubuntu by selecting it in ‘boot override’.

Boot into Ubuntu as above
Open a terminal and enter

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Edit your grub file as below

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`( . /etc/os-release; echo ${NAME:-Ubuntu} ) 2>/dev/null || echo Ubuntu`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""
GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=false

Save and exit
Then update the file and hopefully Windows will be found

sudo update-grub

You’ll have to make sure that Ubuntu is the priority selection in BBS Priorities
Reboot

[alistair-geo]

I tried this, but it hasn’t fixed the issue.

Ubuntu still doesn’t appear in the ‘fixed boot order priorities’, which are the things I can change.

I think I was mistaken about ‘UEFI hard disk drive BBS priorities’. I think that list is empty. I was looking at the ‘boot override’ section of the ‘save and exit’ screen, which does have both Windows boot manager and Ubuntu.

So, I need to get Ubuntu into the boot order priorities list, then I can make it #1. I don’t know where the firmware gets the entries for that list.

[vidtek99]

You don’t say what sort of machine you are using. Desktop, laptop, or some sort of other device or even a VM.

IF you are able to boot to Ubuntu by using the bios boot override then install efibootmanager and follow the help file instructions. You can choose which system/drive/m2 drive is first in order and delete obsolete entries. Be careful, read the help first.
Tony

[tea-for-one]

@alistair-geo

I was looking at the ‘boot override’ section of the ‘save and exit’ screen, which does have both Windows boot manager and Ubuntu.

Can you not set Ubuntu as a priority there?
UEFI settings vary from one PC to the next, can you supply a picture?

[alistair-geo]

Sure. Here’s the boot screen:

And here’s the save and exit screen:

Hope this helps clarify my problem.

Thanks for spending time on it, much appreciated.

[tea-for-one]

Click the little arrow for UEFI Hard Disk Drive BBS Priorities
I reckon you can put Ubuntu as a priority there.
You may have to save on that screen and also save again on the exit screen.

[alistair-geo]

That’s fixed it. All is good now, many thanks.