Can't boot to mint...

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vito_spatafore

Can't boot to mint...

Post by vito_spatafore »

hi...

it is the 3rd time I installed Mint and can not boot to it !

I have Debian(sda3) and Arch(sd4), mint(sda5) >>> this last time I put Mint's grub install on sda5

os-prober and update-grub on Debian do not show mint !!!

got GPT table,grub is managed by Debian

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fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 298.1 GiB, 320072933376 bytes, 625142448 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: 2789EE95-F428-4A47-B29D-A6D54DB6605C

Device        Start       End  Sectors  Size Type
/dev/sda1      2048     43007    40960   20M Microsoft basic data
/dev/sda2     43008    555007   512000  250M Microsoft basic data
/dev/sda3    555008  22059007 21504000 10.3G EFI System
/dev/sda4  22059008  63019007 40960000 19.5G Microsoft basic data
/dev/sda5  63019008 115447807 52428800   25G Linux filesystem
BTW: I do not have any win$UCK$ on my drive...

what to DO ??? I know is installed,the installation went smooth...

tia!
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
gold_finger

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by gold_finger »

Descriptions in the "Type" column of output look a bit strange to me. Can you still boot successfully into both Debian and Arch?

If so, boot into Debian and run following commands in a terminal:

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lsblk
sudo parted -l
sudo blkid -c /dev/null
Copy full output from terminal and paste back here for us to look at.

Do you happen to know if Debian and Arch are installed in Legacy or EFI mode? Maybe Mint DVD is being booted and installed in a different mode from other two. Just a guess at this point.
vito_spatafore

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by vito_spatafore »

thx for replyin dude!

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$ lsblk
NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda      8:0    0 298.1G  0 disk 
├─sda1   8:1    0    20M  0 part 
├─sda2   8:2    0   250M  0 part 
├─sda3   8:3    0  10.3G  0 part /
├─sda4   8:4    0  19.5G  0 part 
└─sda5   8:5    0    25G  0 part 
sr0     11:0    1  1024M  0 rom  


# parted -l
bash: parted: command not found


# blkid -c /dev/null
/dev/sda1: UUID= TYPE="ext4" 
/dev/sda2: LABEL="EFI Boot" UUID= TYPE="ext4" 
/dev/sda3: UUID= TYPE="ext4" 
/dev/sda4: LABEL="root" UUID= TYPE="btrfs" 
/dev/sda5: UUID= TYPE="btrfs" 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


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# os-prober
/dev/sda4::Arch:linux

# update-grub
Generating grub.cfg ...
Found background image: /usr/share/images/desktop-base/desktop-grub.png
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-4-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-4-amd64
Found Arch on /dev/sda4
done
Last edited by vito_spatafore on Mon Dec 08, 2014 6:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
gold_finger

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by gold_finger »

Can't really tell from above what type of partition that /dev/sda2 is. Would expect it to have mount point of "/boot/efi" listed next to it in lsblk output if Debian were installed in EFI mode. Since it doesn't show that, I'm thinking it's installed in Legacy mode. If Mint were also installed in Legacy mode, then updating grub (and os-prober) in Debian should have worked. If booted and install attempted in EFI mode, I'm not sure what you'd see and that could be the problem. But...

Before we get too bogged down in Legacy vs. EFI mode goose chase, try installing Mint again -- but this time use "Ext4" formatting for the partition (/dev/sda5) instead of "btrfs". I think I vaguely remember someone else here on forums having problems when trying to install to btrfs formatted partition and when they changed to Ext4 problem disappeared.

P.s. You can direct Mint's grub to its root partition like last attempt. Then boot into Debian and update grub. I'm hoping just the switch to Ext4 makes the difference and it all now works.
vito_spatafore

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by vito_spatafore »

Thank U very much 'pal' !

I'm goin to do that,but first I need to order that flags,labels,etc from my table(mess,big mess)... do you know some tool to do that?

tia!
gold_finger

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by gold_finger »

vito_spatafore wrote:but first I need to order that flags,labels,etc from my table(mess,big mess)... do you know some tool to do that?
I don't really understand what you are asking? If you're talking about changing partition labels, just boot up with live Mint and use GParted to do that. Just right-click on partition and choose "Label" to make your changes. Make sure you don't change file system formatting on Debian or Arch partitions. Only do that to the Mint partition.
vito_spatafore

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by vito_spatafore »

Hi!

Downloadin right now 17.1 cinnamon...but, need some info ASAP:

where to install the BOOTloader :?: on sda, sda1, sda2, sda3, sda4 :?: :?: :idea:

just to remember that my Debian take control over grub/boot which is sda3 btw...

tia!

and ASAP :!:
vito_spatafore

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by vito_spatafore »

Code: Select all

#  gdisk -l /dev/sda
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 0.8.10

Partition table scan:
  MBR: protective
  BSD: not present
  APM: not present
  GPT: present

Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT.
Disk /dev/sda: 625142448 sectors, 298.1 GiB
Logical sector size: 512 bytes
Disk identifier (GUID): xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Partition table holds up to 128 entries
First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 625142414
Partitions will be aligned on 2048-sector boundaries
Total free space is 509696621 sectors (243.0 GiB)

Number  Start (sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
   1            2048           43007   20.0 MiB    0700  
   2           43008          555007   250.0 MiB   0700  
   3          555008        22059007   10.3 GiB    EF00  sda3
   4        22059008        63019007   19.5 GiB    0700  
   5        63019008       115447807   25.0 GiB    8300  
:idea:
DrHu

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by DrHu »

I don't see what you are doing, apart from saying a Linux OS installed OK
--for I see your first post shows all Microsoft partitions including the /sda4 (which is later called Arch Linux --your os-prober post), and /sda3 which you say is Debian takeover

The first partition list you had which showed the home ( / partition) was /sda3
--which in you last post you say is Debian Linux ?? and the label for that partition is sda3, which in itself is very ODD, although you can label any partition string you want, calling it the same as a device name makes no sense

Secondly, you seem to have GPT and therefore EFI setups, but you don't explain how that happened

In normal use with a BIOS setup and straight-forward partition setups for any Linux OS, the MBR (Master Boot record) is installed to the first partition, and GRUB 2x boot manager gets placed into your /home partition as /boot
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2
rbmorse

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by rbmorse »

You can have legacy BIOS setups on GPT partitions, although I agree it does get confusing when you're trying to do forensic analysis from a distance.
vito_spatafore

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by vito_spatafore »

DrHu wrote: --for I see your first post shows all Microsoft partitions including the /sda4 (which is later called Arch Linux --your os-prober post), and /sda3 which you say is Debian takeover

The first partition list you had which showed the home ( / partition) was /sda3
Accordin to this

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blkid -c /dev/null
/dev/sda1: UUID= TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sda2: LABEL="EFI Boot" UUID= TYPE="ext4" 
I have EFI boot on SDA2

btw: I do not have win$UCK$ or /home on my drive :!: :arrow: :idea:
vito_spatafore

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by vito_spatafore »

A success!

:P

didn't know that Mint is not installable on btrfs... :x :evil: :roll:
gold_finger

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by gold_finger »

Interesting. I didn't realize the EFI System Partition could be formatted as Ext4. Thought it had to be FAT32. Learn something new every day.

Just so we can see what partitions look like now, can you boot into your Mint installation and provide us with terminal output of these three commands please?

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[ -d /sys/firmware/efi ] && echo "EFI boot on HDD" || echo "Legacy boot on HDD"

Code: Select all

lsblk

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sudo parted -l
(Last character is a lowercase letter "L", not the number 1.)
User avatar
Pierre
Level 21
Level 21
Posts: 13192
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:33 am
Location: Perth, AU.

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by Pierre »

"didn't know that Mint is not installable on btrfs... :x :evil: :roll:"

unless it's really needed to be something else,
- you should always use ext 3 / 4, when formatting the partitions.
Image
Please edit your original post title to include [SOLVED] - when your problem is solved!
and DO LOOK at those Unanswered Topics - - you may be able to answer some!.
vito_spatafore

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by vito_spatafore »

Code: Select all

[ -d /sys/firmware/efi ] && echo "EFI boot on HDD" || echo "Legacy boot on HDD"
Legacy boot on HDD


 ~ $ lsblk
NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda      8:0    0 298,1G  0 disk 
├─sda1   8:1    0    20M  0 part 
├─sda2   8:2    0   250M  0 part 
├─sda3   8:3    0  10,3G  0 part 
├─sda4   8:4    0  19,5G  0 part 
└─sda5   8:5    0    25G  0 part /
sr0     11:0    1  1024M  0 rom  


 ~ $ sudo parted -l
[sudo] password for : 
 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 320GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/4096B
Partition Table: gpt

Number  Start   End     Size    File system  Name  Flags
 1      1049kB  22,0MB  21,0MB  ext4               msftdata
 2      22,0MB  284MB   262MB   ext4               msftdata
 3      284MB   11,3GB  11,0GB  ext4         sda3  boot, legacy_boot
 4      11,3GB  32,3GB  21,0GB  btrfs              msftdata
 5      32,3GB  59,1GB  26,8GB  ext4
vito_spatafore

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by vito_spatafore »

gold_finger wrote:Interesting. I didn't realize the EFI System Partition could be formatted as Ext4. Thought it had to be FAT32. Learn something new every day]
In fact dunno what sda1 and 2 'are'... I'd like to erase them... :o

:shock:
vito_spatafore

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by vito_spatafore »

Image

distrowatch says so :!:
unless it's really needed to be something else
User avatar
Pierre
Level 21
Level 21
Posts: 13192
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:33 am
Location: Perth, AU.

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by Pierre »

they are only the optional file systems. ..
- the Mint install default is usually ext4 - unless you change it.
Image
Please edit your original post title to include [SOLVED] - when your problem is solved!
and DO LOOK at those Unanswered Topics - - you may be able to answer some!.
vito_spatafore

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by vito_spatafore »

Pierre wrote:unless you change it
Is there a trick :?:
gold_finger

Re: Can't boot to mint...

Post by gold_finger »

As long as everything is working now (you can still boot into all distros - right?), just leave it alone.

Somehow the labeling of partitions and some gdisk output codes look screwy/wrong. Looks to me like you've actually got all 3 distros installed in legacy mode -- not EFI mode. The labeling of sda2 as "EFI Boot" is wrong -- don't know how that happened. Either sda1 or sda2 is likely a "bios_boot" partition, which is needed when installing to a GPT disk in Legacy mode. Since Debian is in control of booting, it's using one of the two of them for that. I can't tell which is which, so just leave them both alone.

Debian is installed to sda3 -- but gdisk code for that partition is "EF00", which is what an EFI System Partition is supposed to be. Clearly the code is wrong.

Arch is installed on sda4.

Mint on sda5.
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