this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2024
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Linux

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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[–] faizalr@fedia.io 148 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It is a time for a single linux boot.

[–] jeena@piefed.jeena.net 43 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I never did dual boot. The first time moving from windows 2000 to Linux, my hard drive was only 2 GB and I couldn't fit both of the OS:es on it, so I nuked the windows one.

[–] azimir@lemmy.ml 24 points 3 weeks ago

At one point my 1GB disk was the "big one" in the dorm. It was the windows share of some random media. I had room for the whole 40MB videos "Jesus vs Frosty" (The Spirit of Christmas) and "Jesus vs Santa Claus". It was before South Park became an actual show, but people watched those 100's of times off my hard drive.

When I bought a 3GB from Fry's it was an open question how we'd fill it. Of course, that was just as the mp3 codec started to gain traction... Problem solved.

[–] faizalr@fedia.io 11 points 3 weeks ago

That is freedom.

[–] NiPfi@lemmy.world 107 points 3 weeks ago (23 children)

So they were trying to patch systems that use GRUB for Windows-only installs? What a load of BS. Why would anybody install GRUB to boot only Windows with that? Or am I overlooking something?

Furthermore, if GRUB has a security issue, they should've contributed a patch at the source instead of patching it themselves somehow. I'm a bit stunned at the audacity of touching unmounted filesystems in an OS patch. Good thing Windows still doesn't include EXT4 and BTRFS drivers because they might start messing with unencrypted Linux system drives at this rate

[–] skullgiver@popplesburger.hilciferous.nl 60 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

They updated the system key store to invalidate known vulnerable boot configurations. One of those configurations was old versions of Grub, which had a pre-boot exploit a couple of years ago.

The issue has already been patched for years, but it appears some Linux distros never bothered to update their system configuration. Not sure if this is a shortcoming of Grub or one of the distro maintainers that were affected, though.

In fact, Microsoft tried to not apply this patch on dual boot systems, leaving them vulnerable but working, but clearly their detection failed. I think their detection required chainloading the Windows bootloader or something?

Either way, the only Linux file that Windows will ever touch with updates is the "fallback for when the boot configuration is completely fucked" bootloader, which both Linux and Windows overwrite after installation, incase the boot configuration gets completely fucked. If you're relying on that bootloader, you were always going to get fucked by some update eventually; either your installation failed or your motherboard is broken.

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[–] z00s@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)
[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 8 points 3 weeks ago

lol they fuck with my BIOS boot settings to the point i had to password it. they are that bad.

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[–] azvasKvklenko@sh.itjust.works 79 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

No surprises there, just the usual shit

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[–] cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de 71 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

That's what happens when you don't keep windows locked inside a virtual machine.

[–] xavier666@lemm.ee 16 points 3 weeks ago

Microsoft breaks bootloader and nixes Linux partition

Microsoft: "patch seems to be working as intended"

[–] merthyr1831@lemmy.world 57 points 3 weeks ago (8 children)

This is a regular occurrence and honestly we need to stop recommending dual boot. Use separate drives if you need to, but sharing the same drive is destined to brick something

[–] CyberpunkLibrarian@lemmy.ml 23 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I literally got this error using a bootable SSD with Ubuntu Mate on it. Separate drives aren't immune to the issue.

[–] NutWrench@lemmy.ml 14 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

I think I've managed to avoid this by making the Linux drive my boot drive and by leaving the Windows drive untouched. (i.e. grub bootloader on the Linux drive, with option to boot to Windows as the second choice)

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[–] Petter1@lemm.ee 13 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

But having 2 drives does not solve the boot loading issue, I mean, even if you have two drives, you still have only one bootloader, not?

[–] Bitrot@lemmy.sdf.org 20 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

No. You can have more than one EFI system partition with separate bootloaders on each drive and set their boot order in the BIOS, just like booting from USB or anything else.

This is also possible with just one drive. The efi boot entries for each OS are stored separately in the efi system partition.

[–] non_burglar@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

EFI can also live in firmware memory.

You can pull the linux drive, boot from the windows drive, and if one of the firmware updates was for efi, windows will trash the entry for your Linux disk.

This has happened for me many times, I had to use a grub rescue disk to rebuild the efi table.

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[–] CeeBee_Eh@lemmy.world 10 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)

even if you have two drives, you still have only one bootloader, not?

The idea is to have completely separate boot and OS drives. You select which one you want to boot through the BIOS boot selection (ie. pressing F10 or F11 at the BIOS screen).

This functionally makes each OS "unaware" of the other one.

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[–] slembcke@lemmy.ml 53 points 3 weeks ago (5 children)

Doesn't Windows break dual booting semi-regularly? I've always avoided it as I've had friends get burned by this in the past. I guess I just keep different OSes on different drives, but that obviously isn't feasible for everyone.

[–] NauticalNoodle@lemmy.ml 17 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

I know that used to be the case. It's why I stopped trying to use a dual-booting system and instead just installed windows in Virtualbox.

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[–] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 42 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Remove your Microsoft installation, done.

Yes but...

But what? This is Microsoft, they fucked it up so many times that it's either incompetence or sabotage, and knowing Microsoft, it's probably both.

This is the same company that invented millions to sabotage Linux through the legal system (hello sco), and the same company that in purpose left gaping security holes open as to not lose any money, causing China to hack the US government through said holes.

Then we decide that just that money isn't enough so we'll spy on you at every step of the way, we will force feed you ads, and we'll use you to train our shitty AI

Frack Microsoft, frack any and all of their software.

[–] priapus@sh.itjust.works 39 points 3 weeks ago (3 children)

If you need to dual boot, be sure to use separate EFI partitions for windows and Linux, separate drives if possible. Windows has done this far too many times.

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago

Just remove Windows. One problem less on the list.

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[–] spaghettiwestern@sh.itjust.works 32 points 3 weeks ago

Not the first time. I thought a Windows 10 update wiped grub, but Microsoft actually deleted my entire Linux partition. Others have experienced the same thing.

Windows is required for a couple of apps I need with no alternatives, but the only way it runs on any of my computers is in a VM.

[–] thingsiplay@beehaw.org 25 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

How do people use Windows with confidence, with stories like these?

[–] octopus_ink@lemmy.ml 25 points 3 weeks ago

stockholm syndrome

[–] PerogiBoi@lemmy.ca 23 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

They don’t want you to have dual boot. They want you to choose.

[–] faede@mander.xyz 28 points 3 weeks ago

Glad I chose linux then.

[–] QuestionMark@lemmy.world 9 points 3 weeks ago (6 children)
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[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 22 points 3 weeks ago

as they like to do every once in a while

[–] fossilesque@mander.xyz 21 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

I put windows in the shame box (VM).

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[–] uebquauntbez@lemmy.world 20 points 3 weeks ago

Microsoft! You missed your last chance to stay on my computers with your os. Take care, so long and thanks for all the cons.

[–] sentient_loom@sh.itjust.works 19 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)
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[–] datelmd5sum@lemmy.world 16 points 3 weeks ago

I had the intention of reinstalling my windows because it was like from back when win10 was new and the winsxs folder was so big that a 100GB partition was not enough for just windows with all the 3rd party programs installed on another partition... but I noticed that all my games run on Linux so I ended up wiping the 100GB nvme windows partition and moving my dual boot Linux there. I've been without windows for a couple of months now and I haven't really missed it.

[–] mihor@lemmy.ml 16 points 3 weeks ago

Yess, let the hate flow through you! ⚡

[–] olafurp@lemmy.world 14 points 3 weeks ago

The only way to fix your computer is to uninstall all spyware like Windows

[–] Yerbouti@sh.itjust.works 10 points 3 weeks ago

This reminds me I still have a win 10 partition on my drive. Ye! Extra space to reclaim!

[–] Zacryon@feddit.org 8 points 3 weeks ago

This again?

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