Error at boot - /grub-core/fs/fshelp.c: . . . normal.mod (new install) [solved]

SprinterDriver · Post by **SprinterDriver** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 4:18 pm

Hi.

I just installed LM 20.3 Cinnamon on a somewhat old computer, Dell Optiplex 780. The difference from a default install:

Formatted the /sdb1 (80GB old Intel flash drive) as BTRFS
The /var is located /sda1

The installation went normally without any warnings. However, at boot I get this error:

Code: Select all

error: ../../grub-core/fs/fshelp.c:257:file '/boot/grub2/i386-pc/normal.mod' not
 found.
 Entering rescue mode...
 grub rescue>

The thing about this computer is, there seem to be no way to alter the boot order at bios, so I cannot force the computer to boot (only) from INTEL SSDSA2M080.
What I ghave done so far to prevent wrong hdd to boot: I booted up LM live desktop and useg Gparted to remove boot flag on WDC WD3200AVJS-6 (sda). This had no effect at next reboot, so I suspect there is something else wrong here.

Extra info about former OS:
I've ran Fedora 34 on this computer since about a year now. The difference is that the OS partition was then on a hard drive at the same location and sata cable as the SSD today. Unfortunately I do not remember where the boot sector was located back then (intended to be helpful or to verify that this pc was indeed able to boot from second hdd).

Swap the drives? - cannot do

I ask myself. Unfortunately the computer cabinet is not very flexible, the WDC WD3200AVJS-6 (sda) is placed in a special plastic casing that cannot hold a 2,5' drive.

I hope some of you can spot if I have done some obvious stupid choices during installation. A quick web search on the boot error doesn't give me much information.

Some info (Currently on live desktop Mint-Mate, booting from a 32GB thumb drive with Ventoy)

sudo fdisk -l

Code: Select all

sudo fdisk -l
Disk /dev/loop0: 1.10 GiB, 2117734400 bytes, 4136200 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes


Disk /dev/sda: 298.9 GiB, 320072933376 bytes, 625142448 sectors
Disk model: WDC WD3200AVJS-6
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xf067edd7

Device     Boot     Start       End   Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sda1            2048  63127551  63125504  30.1G 83 Linux
/dev/sda2        63127552 169033727 105906176  50.5G 83 Linux
/dev/sda3       169033728 625141759 456108032 217.5G 83 Linux




Disk /dev/sdb: 74.54 GiB, 80026361856 bytes, 156301488 sectors
Disk model: INTEL SSDSA2M080
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xb380e4a0

Device     Boot Start       End   Sectors  Size Id Type
/dev/sdb1  *     2048 156301311 156299264 74.5G 83 Linux


Disk /dev/sdc: 57.72 GiB, 61958258688 bytes, 121012224 sectors
Disk model: Voyager GT 3.0  
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x786eeb53

Device     Boot     Start       End   Sectors  Size Id Type
/dev/sdc1            2048 120946687 120944640 57.7G 83 Linux
/dev/sdc2       120946688 121012223     65536   32M ef EFI (FAT-12/16/32)


Disk /dev/dm-0: 2.9 GiB, 2239365120 bytes, 4373760 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x3b769de0

Device      Boot Start     End Sectors  Size Id Type
/dev/dm-0p1 *        0 4373759 4373760  2.1G  0 Empty
/dev/dm-0p2        616    8615    8000  3.9M ef EFI (FAT-12/16/32)

sudo lsblk -f

Code: Select all

mint@mint:~$ sudo lsblk -f
NAME   FSTYPE   LABEL  UUID                                 FSAVAIL FSUSE% MOUNTPOINT
loop0  squashfs                                                   0   100% /rofs
sda                                                                        
├─sda1 ext4            59b0089c-0926-45d0-9ff1-3252e976e1ff                
├─sda2 btrfs    Håom   4d3c5932-453b-4eb2-9a71-3c017b230cd7                
└─sda3 btrfs    lager1 879e6a15-206b-46c2-881f-197d79808eda                
sdb                                                                        
└─sdb1 btrfs           6d264107-8170-43af-9b0b-dc673e422e80                
sdc                                                                        
├─sdc1 ext4            4444b562-d7aa-4a97-803b-f1881debbfcf                
└─sdc2                                                            0   100% /media/mint/Linux Mint 20.3 MATE 6
sr0

sudo inxi -Fxmz

Code: Select all

mint@mint:~$ sudo inxi -Fxmz
System:    Kernel: 5.4.0-91-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.3.0 Desktop: MATE 1.26.0 
           Distro: Linux Mint 20.3 Una base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:   Type: Desktop System: Dell product: OptiPlex 780 v: N/A serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: Dell model: 0C27VV v: A01 serial: <filter> BIOS: Dell v: A15 date: 08/06/2013 
Memory:    RAM: total: 3.68 GiB used: 992.1 MiB (26.3%) 
           Array-1: capacity: 8 GiB slots: 4 EC: None max module size: 2 GiB note: est. 
           Device-1: DIMM_1 size: 2 GiB speed: 1066 MT/s type: DDR3 
           Device-2: DIMM_3 size: No Module Installed 
           Device-3: DIMM_2 size: 2 GiB speed: 1066 MT/s type: DDR3 
           Device-4: DIMM_4 size: No Module Installed 
CPU:       Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core2 Duo E8400 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Penryn rev: A L2 cache: 6144 KiB 
           flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 11970 
           Speed: 1995 MHz min/max: 2000/3000 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1995 2: 1995 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel 4 Series Integrated Graphics vendor: Dell driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 
           Display: server: X.Org 1.20.11 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Q45/Q43 (ELK) v: 2.1 Mesa 21.0.3 direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel 82801JD/DO HD Audio vendor: Dell driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.4.0-91-generic 
Network:   Device-1: Intel 82567LM-3 Gigabit Network vendor: Dell driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: ece0 bus ID: 00:19.0 
           IF: enp0s25 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 430.32 GiB used: 119.1 MiB (0.0%) 
           ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WD3200AVJS-63B6A0 size: 298.09 GiB temp: 37 C 
           ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Intel model: SSDSA2M080G2LE size: 74.53 GiB 
           ID-3: /dev/sdc type: USB vendor: Corsair model: Voyager GT 3.0 size: 57.70 GiB 
Partition: ID-1: / size: 1.84 GiB used: 119.1 MiB (6.3%) fs: overlay source: ERR-102 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 36.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Info:      Processes: 168 Uptime: 19m Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 Shell: bash v: 5.0.17 inxi: 3.0.38

[edit]

I was able to install LM Mate after deactivated the WDC WD3200AVJS-6 hdd, and it boot up just fine. I will now try to re-activate that drive to see if this in fact are a boot sequense issue. The only thing I did different is to not put /var on a second hdd.

[edit 2]

Ok, I know what the issue are. I re-activated the WDC WD3200AVJS-6 hdd, and after reboot I got the same error.

That means this is solely a issue about boot order and not related to Linux Mint OS. I put it as "solved".

[edit 3]

Solution: I installed LM over again, but this time I put /boot as first partition on the WDC WD3200AVJS-6 hdd.