Mageia forum

by **harkelyn** » Feb 13th, '26, 20:44

I have installed Mageia 9 from a DVD onto a 64-bit Dell laptop. The system boots then it displays-

Invalid partition table!

-in the upper left corner of the screen. However when I press Return, it continues booting and runs Mageia 9.

Is there a solution for this?

by **doktor5000** » Feb 14th, '26, 15:04

Hi there, when exactly is that displayed during the boot process? During the bootloader, during the bootsplash ?

Please also post the output as root of

Code: Select all: lsblk -f fdisk -l journalctl -ab | grep -iE "diskdrake|partition|harddrake"

by **harkelyn** » Feb 14th, '26, 21:06

Hello, my interpretation of how events unfold is, Invalid Partition Table! gets displayed after the bootloader sequence, at which point the system pauses/stalls with those three words showing against an otherwise dark screen. There is no bootsplash unless I press the Enter key, and then Mageia 9 starts up quite normally.

As you'll discern from the output below, there is no other operating system installed on this computer. It's simply Mageia 9 without disk encryption or other complicating elements : )

Code: Select all: lsblk -f NAME FSTYPE FSVER LABEL UUID FSAVAIL FSUSE% MOUNTPOINTS sda ├─sda1 │ ├─sda2 │ ext4 1.0 7cd3a725-660e-4fe0-83f6-e248ac988b1e 10.1G 43% / ├─sda3 │ swap 1 86f42797-cda6-4be1-a7b9-6b42c847c1df [SWAP] └─sda4 ext4 1.0 d59c101f-6e61-43c8-997e-2fd34a8b09e3 91.4G 0% /home sr0

Code: Select all: fdisk -l Disk /dev/ram0: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram1: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram2: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram3: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram4: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram5: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram6: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram7: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram8: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram9: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram10: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram11: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram12: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram13: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram14: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/ram15: 32 MiB, 33554432 bytes, 65536 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 Disk /dev/sda: 119.24 GiB, 128035676160 bytes, 250069680 sectors Disk model: SanDisk SD7SB6S1 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: gpt Disk identifier: 79E1E4BC-8CD6-4A56-9AFD-3B74D67C7355 Device Start End Sectors Size Type /dev/sda1 2048 2351137 2349090 1.1G BIOS boot /dev/sda2 2353152 44498977 42145826 20.1G Linux filesystem /dev/sda3 44500992 52690977 8189986 3.9G Linux swap /dev/sda4 52692992 249700385 197007394 93.9G Linux filesystem

Code: Select all: journalctl -ab | grep -iE "diskdrake|partition|harddrake" Feb 14 13:35:21 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: ### Program is starting ### Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: running: dmidecode Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: modified file /etc/sysconfig/harddrake2/kernel Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: SATA_STORAGE took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: RAID_STORAGE took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: ATA_STORAGE took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: CARD_READER took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: FIREWIRE_CONTROLLER took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: PCMCIA_CONTROLLER took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: SCSI_CONTROLLER took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: USB_CONTROLLER took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: USB_HUB took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: SMB_CONTROLLER took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: BRIDGE took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: FLOPPY took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: ZIP took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: HARDDISK took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: USB_STORAGE took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: CDROM took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: BURNER took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: DVDROM took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: TAPE took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: AGP took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: VIDEO took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: DVB took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: TV took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: MULTIMEDIA_OTHER took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: AUDIO took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: WEBCAM took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: CPU took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: ISDN took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: USB_AUDIO took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: RADIO took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: ATM took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: WAN took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: BLUETOOTH took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: ETHERNET took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: MODEM took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: ADSL took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: MEMORY took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: PRINTER took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: GAMEPORT took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: JOYSTICK took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: KEYBOARD took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: MISC_INPUT took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: MOUSE took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: removed MOUSE: PixArt|USB Optical Mouse Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: removed MOUSE: |PixArt USB Optical Mouse Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: usbhid already loaded Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: running: udevadm info --query env --path /devices/platform/i8042/serio1/input/input8 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: input/by-id/usb-noserial-event-mouse missing Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: modified file /etc/sysconfig/mouse Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: removed files/directories /etc/X11/xinit.d/mouse_buttons Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: removed files/directories /etc/X11/xinit.d/xpad Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: modified file /etc/modprobe.conf Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: to put in /etc/modprobe.preload i8k, nvram, sdhci_pci, evdev Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: modified file /etc/modprobe.preload Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: BIOMETRIC took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: UPS took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: SCANNER took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: UNKNOWN took: 0:00:00 Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: created file /etc/sysconfig/harddrake2/previous_hw Feb 14 13:35:22 localhost.localdomain service_harddrake[754]: launched command: display_driver_helper --check-loaded

by **doktor5000** » Feb 15th, '26, 01:10

harkelyn wrote:Invalid Partition Table! gets displayed after the bootloader sequence, at which point the system pauses/stalls with those three words showing against an otherwise dark screen. There is no bootsplash unless I press the Enter key

So that error messages seems to be displayed by grub2 then. This can happen if the MBR is corrupted, or if there's a BIOS/UEFI mismatch,
e.g. in your case you have a disk with GPT partition table but legacy boot, which seems a bit strange.

Do you intend to boot in UEFI mode, or in legacy/BIOS mode? Maybe you installed in legacy mode but switched to UEFI mode later on, or vice versa ?
See e.g. https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=206885

Also your /dev/sda1 is shown without filesystem type by lsblk. What does diskdrake say about that ? As root run diskdrake and maybe also post the output here if there are any messages about disks/partitions.

by **harkelyn** » Feb 15th, '26, 22:29

Do you intend to boot in UEFI mode, or in legacy/BIOS mode?

-I would be happy to boot in UEFI mode. When I try to select that in the boot menu, a message is displayed: Warning / File System Not Found! So I use legacy mode which, after the Invalid Partition Table! message being displayed, lets this computer boot into Mageia,

Do I need to switch on Secure Boot prior to selecting UEFI? *Edit* I now remember that last week shortly after I performed this installation, I did switch on Secure Boot, and then selected UEFI Boot. This made booting into Mageia completely impossible, so I switched off Secure Boot and returned to Legacy Mode. So under present circumstances I cannot boot using UEFI.

: IMG_2470.jpg (755.27 KiB) Viewed 2504 times

Code: Select all: diskdrake Too late to run INIT block at /usr/lib64/perl5/vendor_perl/Glib/Object/Introspection.pm line 257. Ignore the following Glib::Object::Introspection & Gtk3 warnings Subroutine Gtk3::main redefined at /usr/share/perl5/vendor_perl/Gtk3.pm line 539.

: IMG_2471.jpg (806.05 KiB) Viewed 2504 times

: IMG_2475.jpg (285.65 KiB) Viewed 2504 times

by **doktor5000** » Feb 15th, '26, 22:53

harkelyn wrote:-I would be happy to boot in UEFI mode. When I try to select that in the boot menu, a message is displayed: Warning / File System Not Found!

That is because (as far as I can tell) you're missing a FAT32 filesystem which would contain the UEFI binaries that would then be loaded by your UEFI.

You do not need secure boot, and Mageia (by default) also does not support secure boot.

Please also add a screenshot from diskdrake from the disk overview and after clicking on /dev/sda1.

This is what it should look like, at least for the first partition as I've also got a windows installation on that disk before the Mageia install:

Code: Select all: [doktor5000@Mageia9]─[21:47:20]─[~] sudo gdisk -l /dev/nvme1n1 GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.9 Partition table scan: MBR: protective BSD: not present APM: not present GPT: present Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT. Disk /dev/nvme1n1: 3907029168 sectors, 1.8 TiB Model: WD_BLACK SN850X HS 2000GB Sector size (logical/physical): 512/512 bytes Disk identifier (GUID): 673AEF51-CA03-4700-93A9-76A5B0DB21F7 Partition table holds up to 128 entries Main partition table begins at sector 2 and ends at sector 33 First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 3907029134 Partitions will be aligned on 2048-sector boundaries Total free space is 4531 sectors (2.2 MiB) Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name 1 2048 206847 100.0 MiB EF00 EFI system partition 2 206848 239615 16.0 MiB 0C01 Microsoft reserved ... 3 239616 2062145066 983.2 GiB 0700 Basic data partition 4 2062145536 2063824895 820.0 MiB 2700 5 2063826944 3907029134 878.9 GiB 8E00

by **harkelyn** » Feb 15th, '26, 23:16

I believe this is what you asked to see-

: 8C3B5A1F-9872-448C-933E-F180554D250F.jpeg (2.67 MiB) Viewed 2498 times

*Edit* Additional information I noticed while poking around in the BIOS menu:

: IMG_2476.jpg (548.21 KiB) Viewed 2386 times

by **doktor5000** » Feb 16th, '26, 17:54

You can take screenshots easier by simply pressing the print screen button, then saving them, and later attaching them here. That way we could also see the rest of the window.
But the type of the partition seems to be wrong, also that it doesn't have a filesystem.

It might help if you could attach the file /root/drakx/report.bug.xz here as that contains information what happended during the installation of Mageia.
My recommendation would be to reinstall Mageia, and make sure that you remember if you select anything other then the default settings.

by **harkelyn** » Feb 16th, '26, 18:20

You've been very patient - I'll reinstall Mageia and will proceed more carefully this time! - thank you.

by **benmc** » Feb 16th, '26, 23:38

hi,

FYI: some BIOS / UEFI can be finicky(tm) as to where the EFI bootloader is installed.

If you are going to re-install, and in UEFI mode, you may have to select where the bootloader is installed: install in "/EFI/BOOT"

: Screenshot_20260217_103557.png (17.93 KiB) Viewed 2305 times

by **harkelyn** » Feb 17th, '26, 03:12

That’s a useful tip, thank you benmc.

by **benmc** » Feb 17th, '26, 05:25

I have a couple of machines that require this.

And one, that not only this, but I manually have to enrol Mageia as an approved operating system!

YMMV

by **doktor5000** » Feb 17th, '26, 18:00

FWIW, also have a look at https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Installing_o ... boot_media
before reinstalling to know whether you boot the install media via UEFI or legacy BIOS, as that determines what you can install.

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