2013-09-01

Install Ubuntu 13.10 via Grub Legacy



I need to install Ubuntu 13.10 into an old Linux machine. The BIOS has been locked such that I cannot boot from CD or USB drives.

The machine has grub 0.97 and a pretty old CentOS installed on it, which I've got the root access, so I decided to try to load the ubuntu iso file with it.

I tried to enter the grub commands there, but then it failed with error like this:

stdin: error 0
/init: line 7: can't open /dev/sr0: No medium found
After spending hours in searching and trying, I found this url: http://askubuntu.com/questions/47076/usb-boot-problems
which solved the problem for me.

The full commands I used are:

root (hd1,0)
kernel /casper/vmlinuz.efi boot=casper live-media-path=/casper/ ignore_uuid
initrd /casper/initrd.lz

This link http://manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/karmic/man7/casper.7.html
describes the parameters for casper

Screen Color Calibration


configure softwares
gimp: edit->preferences->color management->try to use system monitor profile
firefox: about:config -> gfx.color_management.mode -> 1
 
test pages


I bought a spyder 4 express and would like to try dispcalGUI on my surface pro, so I have to install Argyll CMS's driver, which is not signed.

For windows 8, one option to disable driver signature enforcement is through "advanced startup settings", which lists a few options after a restart, and you can press f7 or 7 to disable it.
However for my surface pro, it refused to recognize my keyboard, no matter it is a bluebooth keyboard, a usb wireless keyboard or a normal usb keyboard.
I guess a touch/type cover might work, but I don't have one.

Another option is to enable test mode (bcdedit -set testsigning on), before which you should also disable secure boot in the bios setting 
(shut down the device, hold the volumn up key before pressing the power button and release it when you see the surface logo)
However in this case, any signed driver could be installed, but unsigned drivers are still rejected.
For windows 7, there are words that you may use dseo13b to hack, but no luck for me on windows 8.

I had thought about using my Linux VM to do the calibration, which is running under Hyper-V, but unfortunately Hyper-V does not support USB forwarding.
I'd even thought about other VM softwares, but according to the Internet, it might not work. (because VM may not access the graphics card)

Another solution came into my mind is to boot up the device with a Linux on a USB stick, then I'll be able to do whatever I want. 
But there is only one USB port on Surface Pro, and I'm not sure if USB boot or Spyder would work behind a USB hub.

Finally I gave up.

Other possible solutions:
- Sign the driver with WDK, with your own certificates
- Install Linux and free the power of the device