I think I just destroyed my brand new laptop

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Installing a new OS alongside an existing one is something that is so easy to screw up if you miss a step of the instructions or do something differently. I learned the hard way over the years to be extremely careful and don't go off script or you can end up making a world of problems for yourself. It is kinda like doing a heart transplant... if you get it wrong you can't always go back and undo a mistake!

It sounded like the OP forgot to create the swap partition. Ironically, the installation would likely have been fine anyway without it unless he has a machine low on RAM which is unlikely on a new Windows 8 machine. Besides, he could have split off a bit later on to hold one. Formatting the Ubuntu partition wasn't the way to go.

It should still be possible to get into those settings. I did so on my Windows 8.1 machine with UEFI. It is totally undocumented. I can't remember which key(s) I had to hold down now though. I suggest you try rebooting the machine while trying F1 then repeat with F2 right up to F12. Then try with ESC, DEL. You could also do a google search for your hardware cross referenced with UEFI / BIOS as someone may know the keys to hold down.

I did what you said. I got fed up and just slid my finger back and forth on the top row of keys (all the f's) and I am now at the Toshiba setup utility. I don't want to mess anything else up so do you know what I should do?

EDIT: Looking at it, it seems to just be hardware settings, like the webcam and display and such. There are other things like "change boot order" which I don't knew if I should mess with.

^ Look for the page with the settings for boot up sequence. You need to be able to boot up from external media. So look for that and report back on what the sequence is. I may be gone for an hour now...

In short. You need to be able to boot up off your external media e.g. the Ubuntu installation disk. With a bit of luck it will allow you to reinstall Ubuntu, hopefully without wrecking your windows partition.

At this point it may be better that you get help from someone who is more of a Linux expert such a Kurgan or Cornflake or ask on an Ubuntu forum.

Change boot order is exactly what you need to look at. Ensure the boot sequence has your external media set FIRST e.g. USB stick or DVD.

I changed USB to the first priority over HDD/SSD, but it still didn't let me boot to the USB, same error as before... Should I put HDD all the way at the bottom? Now the sequence is USB, HDD/SSD, ODD, LAN.

EDIT: Ok, I repeated the reboot but switched to a different USB slot (that one is blue and the others aren't so I figured it might help). I guess it did, I an currently reinstalling Ubuntu. Hopefully at the end of all this nothing will have been corrupted or messed up.

Last edited by L_Holmes on 18 Aug 2014, 6:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

Let's just recap. Your USB stick does contain the installation for Ubuntu right? It isn't just a copy of the Ubuntu file you downloaded - it is an ISO installation that you've put on the stick? Otherwise it won't boot off the USB. Also the stick needs to be inserted prior to you doing the power on - I'm sure you know that but something is not right.

Provided USB is the first item in the bootup sequence and provided it is actually a bootable USB stick, then it WILL boot up from it and give you the chance to reinstall Ubuntu from scratch.

I'll just add that if you don't know if you've got the ISO on the USB stick, take a look at what files are on it. If there is one large file then you haven't installed the ISO image on it. The stick should be full of lots of smaller Ubuntu related files and nothing else.

Hope it works out this time and hope you haven't buggered Windows somewhere in the process.

Nope, it worked I am currently on my Windows again, I haven't tested Ubuntu really yet, but it said the installation was successful so I wanted to test Windows first. I am about to check Ubuntu now. Jeez, I am so relieved, I thought I was going to have to pay some repair service to fix it. Thank you for the help!

YAY!! !