Install Ubuntu 14.04 on Samsung Ultrabook Ativ Book 9

To install Ubuntu 14.04 on a Samung Ultrabook Ativ Book 9, this is how to do it.

I decided to keep the factory installed Windows 8.1 beside my Ubuntu install using dual boot. Thanks to enrish for the basic info. I found out there is no need to shrink the Windows 8.1 partition as long there is space enough for Ubuntu. The Ubuntu installation will do this for you. Before you do anything – make sure you have a backup as usual. If you decide not to keep the Windows 8.1 install, do keep the recovery partitions. No need to install any screen drivers, Ubuntu worked out of the box.

  1. In WIndows, run the Samsung Update Utility and update everything including BIOS/firmware.
  2. In Window Control Panel go to Power options and click on Choose what the power button does. Click on Change settings that are currently unavailable then scroll down and deselect Turn on fast startup (source http://askubuntu.com/questions/221835/installing-ubuntu-on-a-pre-installed-windows-8-64-bit-system-uefi-supported). Restart your system.
  3. When booting, press F2 to enter the setup.
  4. In the Boot section, disable Fastboot
  5. Insert the USB flash drive with Ubuntu ISO (prepared with create startup disk on another computer). 
  6. Configure boot device order, setting the flash drive to be the first option.
  7. Save and reboot. Now the system should be booting on the flash drive.
  8. Select to Install Ubuntu. During installation Ubuntu will recognize that you have Windows 8.1 installed and you have the option to install Ubuntu beside the Windows 8.1. The Ubuntu install will shrink the Windows 8.1 partition to make room for Ubuntu. By dragging the vertical bar you can decide how large the partitions for Windows vs Ubuntu should be. Continue installing Ubuntu as usual.
  9. After installing Ubuntu, unplug the flashdrive and when booting, press F2 and enable Fastboot again.

 

5 replies
  1. Ben
    Ben says:

    Is this the version of the notebook with the 3200×1800 resolution screen? If so, how does Ubuntu 14.04 play with that? Is the scaling good, or does it look wacked out?

  2. Tony Maro
    Tony Maro says:

    My BIOS didn’t have a “fastboot” option to disable, it called it “Fast BIOS”, but had the same effect of course.

    Multitouch doesn’t seem to work but then again what Linux / Ubuntu apps would support it? Also, the touchscreen worked, but the touchpad did not. I was pleasantly surprised that the touchscreen worked at all, that the resolution did the 3200×1800 fine, and that the wifi worked too.

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