How can I keep GRUB as the bootloader after Windows updates?

[SofiaOB]

I’ve been trying to set up a dual-boot system with Windows 11 and Ubuntu on my new laptop, but the Windows boot manager keeps taking over every time. I followed a guide to adjust the boot order in GRUB, but after a Windows update, it just defaults back and I can’t get into Linux without a live USB. Has anyone else dealt with this and found a reliable way to make the Linux bootloader stick?

[Mia52]

That happened to me too. Windows updates love rewriting the EFI entries and your GRUB tweak stops sticking. I kept a live USB handy and learned to expect it.

[Edward_R]

I fixed it by booting into Ubuntu, turning off Secure Boot, and using sudo efibootmgr -v to put the Linux entry at the top. I also disabled Fast Startup in Windows. It mostly sticks now, though a big update can still knock it off for a while.

[Sofia66]

Boot-Repair helped once or twice, but after each big Windows update the system wandered back. It felt like a cat-and-mouse game and I started keeping a rescue USB ready.

[Michael.J]

Have you checked whether your firmware is set to UEFI only versus CSM or legacy? If the firmware prefers the Windows drive or another disk after an update, you might be fighting the wrong layer entirely.