upgrading to 18.3 from 17.3 on dual boot dual hdd with win7

[michael louwe]

@ Swiso, .......

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The Windows EFI System Partition is only 104MB in size. It is possible that the Partition is full and has no free space at all = cannot be changed. This may be the source of the problem, ie boot partition full. Eg ... viewtopic.php?t=256436

[Swiso]

It doesen't look like..apparently only 28.2% is used

c.png

[Swiso]

I have made a backup of the ESP if it might be helpful...its 12MB but don't know how to share..

[michael louwe]

@ Swiso, .......

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To boot Win 7, try changing UEFI/BIOS setup to boot first from the Win 7 drive, ie /sdc, or boot directly with Windows Boot Manager.

If you want to recover Grub-efi, (quoted from https://wiki.debian.org/GrubEFIReinstall ) ... check that your EFI system partition (most probably /dev/sda1) is mounted on /boot/efi. If the /boot/efi directory does not exist, you will need to create it.

mount /dev/sdc1 /boot/efi

Reinstall the grub-efi package

apt-get install --reinstall grub-efi

Put the debian bootloader in /boot/efi and create an appropriate entry in the computer NVRAM

grub-install /dev/sdc

Re create a grub config file based on your disk partitioning schema

update-grub

This link ... https://sites.google.com/site/easylinuxtipsproject/6 is about using the Live LM USB/DVD to reinstall Grub-efi on a non-booting LM system.
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For some reference ... https://www.happyassassin.net/2014/01/2 ... work-then/ (uefi-boot-how-does-that-actually-work-then/)

https://nwrickert2.wordpress.com/2013/0 ... and-linux/ (notes-on-uefi-windows-and-linux)

https://askubuntu.com/questions/380447/ ... ew-machine (uefi-boot-fails-when-cloning-image-to-new-machine)
(One possible workaround to this problem is to copy GRUB from EFI/ubuntu/grubx64.efi to EFI/BOOT/bootx64.efi = create a new folder, BOOT, in the EFI folder and rename grubx64.efi to bootx64.efi. Restart.)

https://www.lifewire.com/change-the-efi ... gr-4028027 (change-the-efi-boot-order-efibootmgr)

https://www.linuxbabe.com/command-line/ ... r-examples (how-to-use-linux-efibootmgr-examples)

[michael louwe]

@ Swiso, .......

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One possible solution is to use the Live LM 18.3 USB/DVD, launch the GParted program, click on the Win 7 EFI System Partition, ie /sdc1, and (right-click.?) delete the boot/efi flag.
... Then click on the LM EFI Boot Partition, ie /sdd1, and add the boot/efi flag.

Repeat the above procedure for reinstalling grub-efi, except, it's for /sdd1 and /sdd.
... Shutdown.

Boot into the LM 18.3 drive and see if things work properly. If not, reverse the above procedures for flagging the boot/efi.
... Hopefully, some experts will drop by to help out. Otherwise, you may need to reinstall both Win 7 and LM 18.3. If so, better to use Legacy BIOS mode install(= change the hard-drives from GPT to MBR/ms-dos mode with GParted), instead of using UEFI mode.

[Swiso]

Thank you very much Michael,
Later today I will try your suggestions.
If these don't work, as an extreme measure , before reinstalling everything, do you think it could work if I delete the whole boot partition and follow one of these instructions ?:
http://www.hasper.info/repair-a-destroy ... ot-sector/
https://www.easeus.com/partition-manage ... 0-8-7.html

I am worried less about LM because I have a backup and now know how to install it...while W7 it's a bigger job and something I would prefer to avoid...

Thank you very much

[michael louwe]

@ Swiso, .......

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Yes, I think your 2 links can be used to recover and boot Win 7.
... The hasper.info link will require grub-efi to be reinstalled on the Win 7 EFI System Partition, ie /sdc1, in order to also boot LM 18.3. Alternatively, reinstall LM 18.3 on /sdd.
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According to this link, ... viewtopic.php?f=46&t=260547 , a buggy UEFI/BIOS firmware implementation by the OEM will bork the installation of Linux and will also bork rEFInd = requiring rEFInd to be installed in Fallback mode. Maybe this was why rEFInd could not boot Win 7.

[Swiso]

I am back,
Following these instructions I was able to repair Windows Boot sector and I was able to boot in Windows again:
http://www.hasper.info/repair-a-destroy ... ot-sector/

After that I reinstalled LM and put bootloader on sdc1 ( EFI system partition ).

sdc.png

sdd.png

After reboot, I correctly see GRUB with all the options; LM boot correctly, but Windows don't boot...screen remain black and after 15-20 seconds I hear the Windows 7 loading sound...

Fast boot is disabled, Secure boot is disabled and CSM also disabled.
Boot device order in UEFI is set to ubuntu.

No idea why.

[michael louwe]

@ Swiso, .......

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Try sudo update-grub

[Hoser Rob]

... Going with version 2, formatting the partition where LM 17.3 is located and installing 18.3 in that partition, is how I should do it ? ...

Yes. That's always best with a major point release because the web upgrade method isn't reliable enough. This is especially true going from 17.3 to 18.x because there were big changes.

[michael louwe]

@ Swiso, .......

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Can you boot Win 7 directly through UEFI/BIOS setup, eg boot order menu.?

[Swiso]

Solved.

I had to change some settings in the UEFI/BIOS:
CSM:
-Launch CSM -> Enabled
-Boot Device Control -> UEFI Only

Secure Boot:
-OS Type -> Windows UEFI mode

That's logical while W7 was installed in UEFI mode.
After changing these settings, when booting , GRUB appear and both systems boot correctly.
Thanks god

To answetr last two posts:
Yes Michael, I did the "sudo update-grub" command after reinstalling LM.
it was not possible to boot directly to W7 from UEFI/BIOS setup..... the reason was the settings I changed right now.

Thank you very much for the help and patience in helping me out.
Very appreciated !
Thanks a lot.

[michael louwe]

@ Swiso, .......

Congrats.

-Launch CSM -> Enabled

Just a fyi,
CSM = Compatibility Support Module = a BIOS setting, when enabled, allows modern UEFI computers(= 2012-- ) to boot in Legacy BIOS mode, eg at that time, to boot and install Win XP/Vista/7 or Ubuntu 10.04 = for backward-compatibility.

Intel CPUs will stop supporting the CSM setting in 2020 = the eventual extinction of 32bit OS = will patch the 2038 date bug.
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Secure Boot:
-OS Type -> Windows UEFI mode

Secure Boot, when enabled, requires bootloaders to be signed and activated online by M$ or their agents(= eg Verisign). The signature certificates cost Fedora, Ubuntu and LM US$100 per year. Even though Ubuntu and LM have signed grub-efi bootloaders, the online activation process by M$'s or their agents' servers, a process that is required during the install of LM, can be borked, intentionally or otherwise.
... So, it is recommended to disable Secure Boot when installing LM in UEFI mode but users are free to install LM with Secure Boot enabled. Better to install LM in Legacy BIOS mode, especially if single-booting.

[Swiso]

-Launch CSM -> Enabled

Just a fyi,
CSM = Compatibility Support Module = a BIOS setting, when enabled, allows modern UEFI computers(= 2012-- ) to boot in Legacy BIOS mode, eg at that time, to boot and install Win XP/Vista/7 or Ubuntu 10.04 = for backward-compatibility.

Intel CPUs will stop supporting the CSM setting in 2020 = the eventual extinction of 32bit OS = will patch the 2038 date bug.

Practically, what that could mean to my PC if I will not change any components ?
I have Win 7 64bit and LM 18.3 64 bit installed.

Secure Boot:
-OS Type -> Windows UEFI mode

Secure Boot, when enabled, requires bootloaders to be signed and activated online by M$ or their agents(= eg Verisign). The signature certificates cost Fedora, Ubuntu and LM US$100 per year. Even though Ubuntu and LM have signed grub-efi bootloaders, the online activation process by M$'s or their agents' servers, a process that is required during the install of LM, can be borked, intentionally or otherwise.
... So, it is recommended to disable Secure Boot when installing LM in UEFI mode but users are free to install LM with Secure Boot enabled. Better to install LM in Legacy BIOS mode, especially if single-booting.

The recommendation is only to disable WHEN installing and the enabling again , or to let Secure Boot disabled ?

[michael louwe]

@ Swiso, .......

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Since, your computer is working fine, no need to bother about the UEFI/BIOS settings for Secure Boot or CSM = "Do not fix what ain't broken".

Let me rephrase; ... new Intel CPUs from 2020 onward will not support the CSM setting = the computers will not be able to boot in Legacy BIOS mode.

About Secure Boot, please refer to ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_E ... _criticism
http://en.community.dell.com/techcenter ... t-overview
https://wiki.debian.org/SecureBoot
... AFAIK, after an OS has been installed with Secure Boot disabled, the OS will still run if SB is then re-enabled.

[Swiso]

That's clear.
Thank you very much.