Ubuntu – Ubuntu 14.04 install: grub-efi-amd64-signed failed to install into /target/

14.04dual-bootgrub2uefi

I'm trying to install Ubuntu 14.04 on a Dell Inspiron 7537, in dual-boot with Windows 8.1, with a UEFI system. After the creation of the new partitions, I've been able to install Ubuntu 14.04 without any problem. It booted regularly, as far as I launched Windows again. Probably some program (McAfee?) has modified my EFI partition, and since that moment I've not been able to launch the "ubuntu" entry of UEFI anymore. GRUB failed to load, and the PC lauched the second option of UEFI, i.e. Windows 8.1.

Of course, I've tried to make a new installation of Ubuntu, but now I get this error when Ubiquity tries to configure Grub2:

grub-efi-amd64-signed failed to install into /target/.
Without GRUB boot loader, the installed system will not boot

and then Ubiquity crashes. At this point I tried to clean up the EFI settings using both efibootmgr on Ubuntu LiveUSB and EasyUEFI on Windows. These tools remove the entry correctly, but the problem remains unsolved.

Also Boot-Repair seems to fail, as when it asks me to launch

sudo chroot "/mnt/boot-sav/sda7" dpkg --configure -a

I get the same error:

Setting up grub-efi-amd64-signed (1.34+2.02~beta2-9) ...
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.
grub-install: error: cannot open `/boot/efi/EFI/ubuntu/shimx64.efi': Read-only file      system.
dpkg: error processing package grub-efi-amd64-signed (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 grub-efi-amd64-signed

I tried also to restore the laptop to factory settings, but fruitlessly.

It is very strange, as the first time everything worked perfectly. What can be my problem? Is there any way to delete all the references to Ubuntu from the EFI partition?

Thank you very much.

Best Answer

Is there any way to delete all the references to Ubuntu from the EFI partition?

  • Boot via Live CD/USB
  • mount the EFI partition
  • delete the Ubuntu folder from the partition

... but, I would use Disks from Ubuntu Live to backup the partition to ISO first. So when you feel re-invigorated you can try bcdedit from within Windows. My HP Laptop will now no longer boot to Ubuntu without me changing the path of bootmgr as shown in the first answer here

As long as you have a backup of your EFI you can always return to prior state.

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