[SOLVED] Laptop now boots from NVMe SSD, no extra boot manager, still needs work ?

[BarryMo67]

Laptop model: 2017 HP Stream 14

The long and short is I am almost 100% sure HP has blocks in BIOS and/or Firmware to stop owners from doing what I am doing now. Just looking for any other Stream owners or Technically interested persons wanting to keep some web surfer laptops out of the landfill.

So this has been a month of me farting around with my old 2017 HP Stream 14 32 GB eMMC 4 GB.
What started as just a battery replacement and a search for disassembly videos, landed me in a rabbit hole of upgrades and software additions. I was left with 2 methods to make this happen. Method 1 is Duet with rEFInd +Windows 10 (Tundra Time on YouTube), and Method 2 PoP OS + rEFInd+ Windows 10 (PFC on YouTube). Both left me hitting a wall of Install Loops.

Everything worked flawlessly up to the point of first reboot. In rEFInd if Windows Logo is selected it's a Recovery Error and reboot does not make second stage of install. If Fall Back Logo is selected the install only starts over again.
Yesterday a Linux user spelled it out for me in simple to understand terms doing a manual install, creating partitions manually to aid in getting around the Streams limitations. So now with no need for another boot manager I have PoP OS (Linux) booting off the NVME drive, Windows is still hitting the Recovery Error after first boot.

So I now have the laptop with 8 GB Ram a 480 GB NVME SSD + M.2 to NVME Adapter cable with both OS installed, the 32 GB eMMC partitioned into 26 GB Fat32 Storage + System + Recovery for Linux.

So how on earth can you have two different OSs in their own partition giving two different results on boot?PoP OS Boots happy as a clam, but Windows is still falling on it's face.
Is something in the Firmware or BIOS blocking the Boot?

 

[BarryMo67]

Ok this Notebook is kickin my butt 6 ways to Sunday, I am almost to the point of just letting it go to landfill.
However it is clear somehow many have got my set up to work, I am just missing a key step or instruction, as I can almost fully get there but hit the same wall no matter what Method is used. I hit the wall at Windows first install Reboot.
Methods attempted:
Duet with rEFInd (Thumb Drive), Windows 10 installs to NVME SSD, hits install loop. If Thumb Drive with boot manager removed at first boot Notebook will error as No Operating system installed, or no hard drive detected. Duet with rEFInd has driver for NVME. If Thumb drive left in, you are greeted by 2 options Boot to Windows, or Boot to Thumb drive. If Widows selected install does not proceed only a Recovery Error. Thumb Drive restarts install again. ( Tundra Time on YouTube has this working on Notebook with same specs, also no clear instruction on how he got past First boot to Windows 10 )

Pop OS on 32 GB eMMC + rEFInd (sudo install Linux app), then install Windows 10 to NVME SSD. Now at Boot greeted with 3 options Boot to Windows, Boot to PoP OS, Boot to Thumb Drive. PoP OS works well. Boot to Windows Recovery Error, and last Boot to Thumb Drive only restarts install. ( PFC on YouTube has same spec Notebook running this and again no clear how to get install to get past first boot, instructions in video description)

From a Linux user on Redit, only using PoP OS and Windows 10. this allows me to boot from NVME with no need for rEFInd at all. Only PoP OS is fully bootable
You can do a manual install of Pop:
Boot to PopOS USB fire up gparted

• Make 2 partitions on your 32GB drive
• One is FAT32 1-2GB
• The other is FAT32 4GB
• Make a large ext4 partition on your SSD. As much space as you need for Pop.
• Make the rest of the SSD an NTFS partition
• Start the installer, manual partitions, no encryption.
• Use the first 1GB FAT32 on the 32GB drive as /boot/efi
• Use the second 4GB FAT32 on the 32GB as custom, /recovery
• Use the large ext4 partition on the SSD as your /
• Install

Reboot. See that PopOS works.

• Boot to Windows USB
• Select the NTFS partition to install. Windows will use the existing EFI partition on the 32GB drive as EFI
• Complete installation

Reboot.

On the boot menu systemd-boot you will have an option to boot Pop and another to boot Windows. Check they both work.

This method has worked on systems which cannot boot to NVME (intel 4th gen and older), with either a SATA SSD (for the EFI partition) like you use 32GB drive or even a USB stick.

PoP OS Boots runs stable, Windows 10 install runs flawless up to First Boot landing back at Recovery Error

My own attempt has come closest
Install Windows 10 to 32GB eMMC finish install staying off line to avoid Windows Updates from blowing out the eMMC ( available space on eMMC With Windows 10 is a nightmare only a few GB will be free).
Clone the eMMC to the NVME. At boot I now have a Recovery error that allows me to attempt Startup Repairs. I have tried bcdedit, rebuilding the bcd, have Windows attempt the repair. There are more options available but all fail.

A Windows Deul Boot
My last attempt was an old fashion Windows Duel Boot, but because of hardware( M.2 to NVME cable in Wifi/BT slot ) the traditional way does not work.
Windows 8.1 on eMMC (install works and lives happy on the eMMC), then install Windows 10 to NVME SSD. However I did not get the Windows Boot Option of what OS to Boot

Again I am at a wall. The most frustrating thing is it works somehow but it works and I am missing just 1 thing that gets me over that first Reboot!!

 

[rgd1101]

user got it working

How To - HP Stream 14 users, 32GB eMMC got you down? Break out and Upgrade from E-Waste to Useful !

The following is intended to help, and should apply to most models. Mainly 32GB eMMC with 4GB of RAM (Stock Set-Up). Yes you can Upgrade a 64GB Model as well, but be warned I have not done this on a 64GB Model as of Yet, your Upgrade is far less complex for install as I am told. I may also add...

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