Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

twosheds · 2025-11-18 23:21

For work I still need Windows 10 as /default/ OS, but I want to learn Linux and have that as a second OS with dual boot.
Since Q4OS has an easy Windows app for setup, I installed that last night next to Windows 10, after shrinking my C volume.
The Q4OS setup used the empty volume, but it did not make a boot menu, nor did it ask me anything about boot options.
Today I restored Windows as the default boot option. I had urgent work to do and I could not find a way to boot in Windows.

Can I still make Q4OS on the (untouched) EXT4 partition a secondary boot option? If so, how?
If I need to install Q4OS again, how can I run setup and keep Windows as the default OS?

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

twosheds · 2025-11-19 02:24

twosheds wrote:

Can I still make Q4OS on the (untouched) EXT4 partition a secondary boot option? If so, how?

Not sure if this is the right approach, but I tried creating a second boot option manually.
I can see the files that Q4OS setup created and in BCDEdit I used the following:

device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
path \EFI\Q4OS_Andromeda\grubx64.efi

That doesn't work; "A required file is missing or contains errors"
File: \EFI\Q4OS_Andromeda\grubx64.efi
Error code: 0xc000007b

Qwertius · 2025-11-19 03:32

Hi Twosheds.

Sorry to hear you had problems.

Good news is that Q4OS has some user friendly options for you to try.

Assuming you don't want to touch the Registry / powershell (Command prompt) or konsole in Q4OS these are the easier options.

Q4OS Windows Installer

Q4OS has an .exe file for installing the system using a modified Wubi installer.

Look for Q4OS Aquarius, WinSetup.exe - 64bit / x64 on our download page.

Once installed - you have an operating system within Windows. It is perfectly safe.

It adds Q4OS to your Windows 10 'Metro' boot screen.

From there - it's just a matter of selecting which OS to start.

As an alternative ---

Q4Rescue ---

This is another terrific rescue OS built around Q4OS.

Once installed to a flash-drive - you can use it to fix the boot issue.

,
,
,

Just let us know how you want to proceed.

Q

Last edited by Qwertius (2025-11-19 03:38)

q4osteam · 2025-11-19 08:47

Welcome to the forum @twosheds

twosheds wrote:

Since Q4OS has an easy Windows app for setup, I installed that last night next to Windows 10, after shrinking my C volume.

You don't need to shrink any volume. Q4OS for Windows setup will install in a loop file https://www.q4os.org/dqa014.html

twosheds wrote:

The Q4OS setup used the empty volume, but it did not make a boot menu, nor did it ask me anything about boot options.

See the 3. Boot menu paragraph https://www.q4os.org/dqa014.html#boome

twosheds · 2025-11-19 19:22

@Qwertius,

Thanks for these tips! I will try the Q4Rescue first and if necessary the Q4OS Aquarius WinSetup.

twosheds · 2025-11-19 19:31

q4osteam wrote:

Welcome to the forum @twosheds

Thank you!

q4osteam wrote:

You don't need to shrink any volume. Q4OS for Windows setup will install in a loop file https://www.q4os.org/dqa014.html

Okay, I downloaded the wrong setup file obviously. This is very helpful info that I didn't see before. Much obliged!

twosheds · 2025-11-19 19:57

While setting the boot order to USB (to use my Q4Rescue drive) I saw a 'Q4OS_Andromeda' patiently waiting there for me!

Apparently the Q4OS setup did everything right the first time arround. I just didn't expect a BIOS boot menu and never checked it.

I just need to press F2 and choose the OS in BIOS. No Grub or BCD needed.

Qwertius · 2025-11-20 09:42

twosheds wrote:

@Qwertius,
Thanks for these tips! I will try the Q4Rescue first and if necessary the Q4OS Aquarius WinSetup.

Glad to help

Cheers

Q

nirick · 2025-11-23 21:47

Hi everyone, I'm a new member.
I've tried about twenty Linux live ISOs and have come to the conclusion that I like Q4OS, after trying Andromeda Plasma and Andromeda Trinity live.
I have a 15-year-old laptop on which I'd like to install Andromeda Trinity x64 (Plasma is wonderful, but the PC is too old) in dual boot with Windows 10 Home x64.
Can you confirm that it will be possible to set the partition during installation and that I'll automatically see the operating system selection menu upon startup?
Thanks, bye!

nirick · 2025-11-23 22:33

Maybe it's a good idea to start with Aquarius x64 via the Windows installer? I'm thinking about it, even though I've never tried Aquarius live, I might give it a try!

nirick · 2025-11-23 23:53

Guys, the die is cast! i'm installing Aquarius 5.x with the installer from Windows 10 Home x64!

digbyd11 · 2025-11-24 15:25

Hi I have a similar problem which none of the above has fixed.
Just used the Q4OS Aquarius, WinSetup.exe - 64bit / x64 on my Windows 10.
Everything goes fine the first set up no problem then the desktop environment no problem.
But when I restart my computer there is no dual boot screen just straight into Windows.
My Windows is set for the dual boot to be active and show for 30 seconds before defaulting to the Windows OS.
It seems as it the Q4OS has not been registered in the dual bbot so just goes straight to the only option Windows.
Any ideas?

q4osteam · 2025-11-24 15:33

Welcome to the forum @digbyd11

On some computers, firmware forces the Windows bootloader to be the only in the boot list, which means by default, you won't see Q4OS entry when you boot your computer. Please see the chapter "3. Boot menu" for the solution https://www.q4os.org/dqa014.html#boome

nirick · 2025-11-25 05:23

Hello, my old laptop is having trouble booting Q4OS in dual boot mode. An underscore remains stuck in the top left corner and the system won't boot. I tried both with the Aqiuarius Plasma x64 installer from within Windows and then with the live installation alongside a partition I sized, with Andromeda Trinity x64. Since my newly purchased SSD is in MBR because I have the old legacy BIOS, I thought there might be an extra partition (like a small unallocated space) beyond the 4 allowed by MBR, so I deleted the Windows recovery partition. At that point, however, the dual boot wouldn't boot and a GRUB error appeared. At that point, I tried reinstalling Andromeda Trinity from live mode, but the partition I needed to resize wouldn't allow me to take up all the space of the previous one. All I could do was reinstall Windows and postpone the problem to the forum. Can anyone tell me if there's a way to dual-boot Andromeda Trinity? Thanks in advance.

digbyd11 · 2025-11-25 14:44

q4osteam wrote:

Welcome to the forum @digbyd11
On some computers, firmware forces the Windows bootloader to be the only in the boot list, which means by default, you won't see Q4OS entry when you boot your computer. Please see the chapter "3. Boot menu" for the solution https://www.q4os.org/dqa014.html#boome

Thanks for the info. I had tried the solutions given but with no luck. So uninstalled everything and reset my Boot Menu then reinstalled Q4OS again. No luck, after the full install the Boot Menu still only contains Windows, no Q4OS.

On the reinstall of Q4OS Windows after the first part of the install, when it gets to the bit that says "done your computer needs to reboot" when I reboot the first lines that come up say.

Failed to open #EFI#DebianBoot#S - Invalid Parameter
Failed to load image : Invalid Parameter
start_image() returned Invalid Parameter, falling back to default loader
Loading Q4OS Aquarius operating system ...
Loading initial ramdisk...
Initializing system ...

Then everything goes fine the install finishes and I set up the desk top environment, reboot and there is no Q4OS in the Boot Menu only Windows.

Looks as if the "Failed .... Invalid Parameter" stuff stops the Q4OS being registered but I can not fine any ref to what to do about it !

Attachments:

IMG_0286.JPG, Size: 254.76 KiB, Downloads: 92

digbyd11 · 2025-11-25 15:08

First, sorry about the previous double post, this seems to have been when I included the image file.

A bit more info is that at the very end of the install this is part of the messages that come up.

..... detect bootable binaries on them ...., and stuff happens to try and add a boot menu entry.

I assume that the earlier "Failed to load image" means there is no binary to find and hence no boot menu entry can be created!

Last edited by digbyd11 (2025-11-25 15:11)

q4osteam · 2025-11-25 16:09

@digbyd11
It looks something is removing Q4OS boot entry from Bios. Maybe antivirus or some other protective software ? You could try fix Q4OS bootloader entry from Windows this way:

- Navigate to the folder where the fixefiboot.bat file resides. The path should be something like this: C:\Windows\linux64\Debian12_S001\winboot\EFI\ (You may need to adjust the drive letter if your Windows partition isn't C:, but it usually is).
- Locate the file named "fixefiboot.bat"
- Right-click the fixefiboot.bat file.
(Run as administrator)
- When finished, restart

Post back the result please

digbyd11 · 2025-11-25 21:24

Hi Thanks for the response.

Before I try to run the "fixefiboot.bat" there are two things which need to be clarified.

1) The Q4OS has installed to "C:\Linux64\Debian12_S001\winboot\EFI\" not the "C:\Windows\"path.
2) The "C:\Linux64\Debian12_S001\winboot\EFI\" does not contain any "fixefiboot.bat".

The only "*.bat"files in the install are under "C:\Linux64\Debian12_S001" including "fixefiboot.bat".

Should I (a) move the install to the "C:\Windows\"path.
and (b) move the "*.bat"files including "fixefiboot.bat" to the "\EFI\" directory
and then run the "fixefiboot.bat".

Or does the install process need to be revised so that the install is made as per your details ?

Regards

q4osteam · 2025-11-25 21:31

digbyd11 wrote:

The only "*.bat"files in the install are under "C:\Linux64\Debian12_S001" including "fixefiboot.bat".

Yes, that's it. Just run fixefiboot.bat as is.

digbyd11 wrote:

Should I (a) move the install to the "C:\Windows\"path.
and (b) move the "*.bat"files including "fixefiboot.bat" to the "\EFI\" directory
and then run the "fixefiboot.bat".
Or does the install process need to be revised so that the install is made as per your details ?

No.

digbyd11 · 2025-11-25 22:30

Hi done that and rebooted. No change. Only option in the Boot Menu is Windows.

I do have AVG on my system but this does not report any problems with the install.

Have also checked my Windows set up and this uses UEFI.

Using bcdedit I get the file as attached. If q4os did exist as a second option what should the Windows Boot Lodaer entry look like and I will see if I can force a manual include.

Attachments:

bcdedit.jpg, Size: 76.72 KiB, Downloads: 94

nirick · 2025-11-26 08:41

Sorry, maybe I didn't express myself well in English. I'd like to clarify.
The dual boot loads properly and gives me the choice between Q4OS and Windows. The problem is that after choosing Q4OS, the screen remains stuck on the underscore in the top left. At that point, no button works, and the only solution is to force shutdown with the laptop's physical button.
Then, when I turn it back on, the previous dual boot screen reappears. I'd like to know if anyone has experienced this and if there's a solution to the problem, which is most likely related to the age of my laptop, which has a new SSD but an original legacy BIOS from August 2009.

nirick wrote:

Hello, my old laptop is having trouble booting Q4OS in dual boot mode. An underscore remains stuck in the top left corner and the system won't boot. I tried both with the Aqiuarius Plasma x64 installer from within Windows and then with the live installation alongside a partition I sized, with Andromeda Trinity x64. Since my newly purchased SSD is in MBR because I have the old legacy BIOS, I thought there might be an extra partition (like a small unallocated space) beyond the 4 allowed by MBR, so I deleted the Windows recovery partition. At that point, however, the dual boot wouldn't boot and a GRUB error appeared. At that point, I tried reinstalling Andromeda Trinity from live mode, but the partition I needed to resize wouldn't allow me to take up all the space of the previous one. All I could do was reinstall Windows and postpone the problem to the forum. Can anyone tell me if there's a way to dual-boot Andromeda Trinity? Thanks in advance.

q4osteam · 2025-11-26 10:41

@nirick
Would you create a new topic to solve your issue ? We will solve it apart as it's a separate issue. Please specify how did you install Q4OS in more detail.

q4osteam · 2025-11-26 10:45

@digbyd11
Please, would you create a new topic to solve your issue ? We will solve it apart as it's a separate issue. It seems the OP did solve his issue, so we can close this one.

digbyd11 · 2025-11-26 18:40

q4osteam wrote:

@digbyd11
Please, would you create a new topic to solve your issue ? We will solve it apart as it's a separate issue. It seems the OP did solve his issue, so we can close this one.

Sorry I do not understand my post is part of my ongoing issue which has not been solved.

Have now tried uninstalling again and installing to my E: drive instead. That killed my computer as on reboot the system could not find the Windows install. After about 10 reboots which kept failing I use ESC on boot up which got me the Grub screen. Booting to the second limited boot to Q4OS from this Grub resulted in a full install and system set up of Q4OS with a reduced desk top set up. Then able to install web browser and office with this all seeming to work fine. BUT. Then on reboot the boot menu comes up with the only option being Windows, no Q4OS option. So it seems I have a fully functioning Q4OS on my computer which can not be booted. So the topic is still Set up duel boot Win 10 Q4OS because the install system does not correctly register in the boot menu.

I do not know where the "nifick" stuff is from which does seem to be a different topic.

q4osteam · 2025-11-26 20:16

digbyd11 wrote:

Sorry I do not understand my post is part of my ongoing issue which has not been solved.

It seems to us the OP issue has been resolved see @twosheds post https://www.q4os.org/forum/viewtopic.ph … 914#p32914 . For that reason we have asked you to create a new one. It will also make the discussion more clear.

digbyd11 wrote:

I do not know where the "nifick" stuff is from which does seem to be a different topic.

nirick wrote:

The dual boot loads properly and gives me the choice between Q4OS and Windows. The problem is that after choosing Q4OS, the screen remains stuck on the underscore in the top left.

Do you have dual boot all right, the same way as @nirick ? If not, it's a different issue.

We guess it's quite different issue from the OP too, or can you find the Q4OS boot entry in BIOS the same way as OP ? Did you check BIOS ?

Q4OS Forum

#1 2025-11-18 23:21

Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#2 2025-11-19 02:24

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#3 2025-11-19 03:32

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#4 2025-11-19 08:47

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#5 2025-11-19 19:22

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#6 2025-11-19 19:31

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#7 2025-11-19 19:57

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#8 2025-11-20 09:42

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#9 2025-11-23 21:47

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#10 2025-11-23 22:33

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#11 2025-11-23 23:53

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#12 2025-11-24 15:25

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#13 2025-11-24 15:33

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#14 2025-11-25 05:23

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#15 2025-11-25 14:44

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#16 2025-11-25 15:08

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#17 2025-11-25 16:09

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#18 2025-11-25 21:24

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#19 2025-11-25 21:31

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#20 2025-11-25 22:30

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#21 2025-11-26 08:41

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#22 2025-11-26 10:41

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#23 2025-11-26 10:45

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#24 2025-11-26 18:40

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

#25 2025-11-26 20:16

Re: Set up dual boot Win10 Q4OS

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