Mageia Grub doesnt show after installation

[chrzanek]

Hi,

I've just installed Mageia. After the reboot when installation was completed grub doesn't show. I tried to fix that with boot repair and got following log http://paste.ubuntu.com/15683148/. Then I tried the easy BCD. But it doesnt work my casual windows 7 start up looks like Vista. How to add grub to mbr or Mageia to BCD?

[doktor5000]

Might be helpful if you would be a little bit more specific. What installation media did you use, what bootloader did you choose and where did you choose to install it?
What fix with what boot repair did you try ? And what did you try with easy BCD in particular?

Generally, if windows is already installed, just to a default Mageia install, and you'll get grub as bootloader from where you can start your windows install.

From the output you posted, the installed MBR is the one from windows. You should read https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Installation ... th_Windows
and maybe https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Mageia_in_du ... 8_and_over

[chrzanek]

Hi, lets forget about EasyBCD. I did it http://howtoubuntu.org/how-to-repair-re ... tu-live-cd and now have grub2 and grub in the boot (I did it on liveCD of Mageia). Then I see this screen (grub is now booting automatically) . Then I tried to repair with BootRepair and now's get this: . I'am green at all in linux instalation

[gohlip]

Your windows is installed in bios-legacy and your Mageia is installed in uefi.
**Groan** Sigh...
Don't do that. Install all OS in same system totally in uefi or totally in bios-legacy.
Also if more than 1 disk, all in msdos partitioning or all in gpt partitioning.

Now, try this..
at bios, select boot in uefi, does that boot mageia? (it won't boot windows) [1]
Let us know and we'll figure out a way so that it also boots Windows next time.

[1] - It may not boot Mageia as you may not have disabled secure boot.

[gohlip]

Jumping ahead (as I don't think it will boot anything in uefi)

Now, just make sure bios is always set to boot bios-legacy.
Either at boot section in bios and select either "disable uefi" or "always boot in bios-legacy"
Then boot up Magia live cd
At livecd terminal

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# mount /dev/sda8 /mnt
# sudo grub2-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda

Reboot normally.

[gohlip]

Your screen shots show grub-legacy. (v 0.97)
It can be made to boot, but there's more complicated hassles involved. (set root, ....grub2-mkconfig -o /.../menu.lst..., update-grub)
Try out my last post and it will make grub2 default and with it boots everything, including windows. After all you already have grub.cfg which will boot well.

[chrzanek]

Hi,
Thanks for reply. I have only option to boot uefi or uefi+ legacy. I try to do something from live cd and now have grub nad grub2 in /boot. Should I set uefi + legacy and do steps that you writed? Or reinstal and instead of efi partiton do a /boot in fat 32?

[gohlip]

You should boot livecd in bios-legacy. See if this is somehow possible.
If unsure after booting livecd, confirm at terminal,

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 [ -d /sys/firmware/efi ] && echo UEFI || echo BIOS

If output is "BIOS" then you are correctly booting livecd in bios-legacy.
If output is "UEFI" then you are booting in uefi.

Note grub commands work differently in uefi and bios-legacy.
Commands (I repeat here) will work only in bios-legacy.

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    # mount /dev/sda8 /mnt
    # sudo grub2-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda

To answer you other point, leave that efi partition alone for the moment.
You grub.cfg shows an msdos partitioning, yet you have an efi (actually called $esp) partition.
When you have settled this (booted Mageia and windows well), we'll address this issue.
Just fixing /etc/fstab will do. It shouldn't have the $esp partition listed.

Good luck.

[gohlip]

To encourage you, the last time you booted and did a chroot following the ubuntu link, you had already booted into bios-legacy. (Because you can do a grub -legacy install - that can only be done in bios-legacy). So boot up the same way as you did last time.
Also note as you followed the Ubuntu link, you did "grub-install " that is for ubuntu. In Mageia, it should be "grub2-install" 'grub-install' in Mageia is grub-legacy, that's why you also had grub-legacy installed as well.
Also strange that Mageia allows fat32 (/efi $esp) when partitioning is in msdos. That shouldn't happen. Can Mageia grub head honcho (I think that will be Barry Jackson) look into this? Thanks.

Again, chrzanek, don't worry about this post. Just to encourage you and for Barry to look into it.

[chrzanek]

Hi,
I'am getting following bash: sudo: grub2-install: command not found

[isadora]

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[live@localhost ~]$ su
[root@localhost live]# [ -d /sys/firmware/efi ] && echo UEFI || echo BIOS
BIOS
[root@localhost live]# lsblk
NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda      8:0    0 931,5G  0 disk
├─sda1   8:1    0   100M  0 part
├─sda2   8:2    0 871,4G  0 part
├─sda3   8:3    0     1K  0 part
├─sda5   8:5    0 292,4M  0 part
├─sda6   8:6    0  18,9G  0 part
├─sda7   8:7    0   3,4G  0 part
└─sda8   8:8    0  37,5G  0 part
sr0     11:0    1   1,5G  0 rom 
loop0    7:0    0   1,5G  1 loop /run/mgalive/ovlsize
[root@localhost live]# mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
[root@localhost live]# grub2-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda
bash: grub2-install: nie znaleziono polecenia
[root@localhost live]# grub2-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda
bash: grub2-install: nie znaleziono polecenia
[root@localhost live]# sudo grub2-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda
sudo: grub2-install: command not found

This is my Terminal.

[gohlip]

sudo: grub2-install: command not found

Then at livecd install grub2 package before doing command.

Mageia5 and later should have grub2 in its package.
What Mageia version are you using?
Note your installed (not bootable yet) Mageia is set up in grub2.

[edit] - I noted you use root in terminal. (su ~)
Normally, I don't.
But I don't think that is the reason for not proceeding with grub2-install.

[gohlip]

Alternative - using grub-legacy

I have not used grub-legacy for over 6 years now...
If commands here is wrong, others please help to correct.... thanks.

At grub prompt (as shown in your screen shot) of grub-legacy that appears when you start computer.

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grub> root (hd0,7)
grub> setup (hd0)

Now there are several ways after the above, try each one to boot. The first may not boot if menu.lst is not set up properly.
[1]

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grub> root (hd0,7)                 
grub> configfile /boot/grub/menu.lst
grub> boot

[2]

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grub> root (hd0,7)
grub> kernel /boot/vmlinuz-desktop root=/dev/sda8  nokmsboot ro
grub> initrd /boot/initrd-desktop.img               
grub> boot

[3]

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grub> root (hd0,7)
grub> kernel /boot/grub/core.img
grub> boot

The third [3] will use grub2 in grub-legacy if grub2 is set up properly (I'm not sure if that is true)

After booting up, at terminal,

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sudo update-grub

to include windows and others in its (grub-legacy) menu.

[chrzanek]

Hi,
In legacy grub I've got a error 2 on first solution and on other (2,3) error 2.
I added on live cd in control panel 2 packs grub2-efi and grub2-mageia-theme(this one was attach to the first pack). and now getting following bash on terminal:

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[root@localhost live]# grub2-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda
grub2-install: błąd: /usr/lib/grub/i386-pc/modinfo.sh doesn't exist. Please specify --target or --directory.

I can't do sudo on live cd because "Live is not in sudoers"

[chrzanek]

Here are screens from legacy.
I also wonder to re-install mageia and set /boot to FAT32 instead of EFI partition or try install ubuntu or elementary to see if they are working.

[gohlip]

Alright, best you reinstall.
But here's some things that we need to be aware of first.
o uefi cannot use msdos partitioning disk (your disk is msdos)
So you have to install in bios-legacy.
o In bios-legacy, you can use grub-legacy or grub2.
In msdos/boot-legacy, neither grub-legacy nor grub 2 needs $esp (the /efi partition)

I installed Couldron (Mageia 6) in uefi/gpt but the grub.cfg is unbootable. But I manually correct it to enable it to boot.
Not sure about Mageia 5. My Mageia 5 is in msdos/bios-legacy system and I use grub 2
(Haven't used grub-legacy for many years - even in Mageia2, I used grub 2)

So what I am saying is that if Mageia 5, you can try with grub2, but don't use Mageia 6 yet.

In summary,
o don't use Mageia 6
o boot using bios-legacy
o do not use/mount $esp when installing
o you can use either grub-legacy or grub 2, whichever you're comfortable with

Good luck.

[chrzanek]

Should I configure the grub2 at the end of the instalation ? Or just press finish ?

[gohlip]

A separate post because it has nothing to do with your installation but may clarify things.

msdos/bios-legacy using grub 2
msdos can only be booted using bios-legacy, never/cannot by uefi
No need for $esp partition. In msdos, this partition should not even be there.
Basic partition to be mounted is just / ,
swap, /home and others are optional and based on requirements and personal needs.

gpt/uefi using grub 2
Install media must be booted using uefi to be able to install in uefi
Must have $esp in fat 32 format and must be mounted as /boot/efi [1]
If other OS's present (especially Windows), do not format this $esp when installing.
Must disable secure boot
Only other necessary partition to be mounted is / (others are optional)

[1] - $esp can also be mounted as /boot instead, but this is required if we want to use systemd boot (bootctl) instead of grub 2.
Grub 2 will not be effective in this setup.
I also have used/ still using bootctl as well as grub 2, but I personally think grub 2 is far superior and bootctl has many flaws and could be a problem in many cases.
In case you wonder, I can boot all my OS's (including Mageia 6) in bootctl and also all (including Mageia 6) in grub 2.

ps : Ah.... I may also have given the impression I dislike grub-legacy. No, I think it is the best thing when it came out (and I am grateful for it), just that grub 2 has improved on it much. Again, my opinion.

[gohlip]

Should I configure the grub2 at the end of the instalation ? Or just press finish ?

I think grub will automatically configure when completed. But if asked, go configure.

[chrzanek]

I'am not asked just a configure button.

[chrzanek]

Also is it make a diffrence when I'am installing Mageia on diffrence partition ? I made new one with 100GB for Linux

[gohlip]

Also is it make a diffrence when I'am installing Mageia on diffrence partition ? I made new one with 100GB for Linux

No difference, but 100 GB is way too much... (but I keep data on different partition, not /home).

[chrzanek]

Basically I would set it to /home - 20gb /swap - 4gb uefi - 1gb / - rest

[gohlip]

Basically I would set it to /home - 20gb /swap - 4gb uefi - 1gb / - rest

This "4gb uef", I hope you're just 'leaving it there' not mounting it or using it.
Don't use it.

BTW, $esp for grub (as /boot/efi) size of 150 MB is good enough. I have not exeeded 70 MB.
But if used for bootctl (as /boot) suggest a size of 500 MB.

Not 4 GB, certainly.

[chrzanek]

I wasn't able to re-install Mageia. But I also found the solution , when I was installing it I've choosen UEFI:Flashdrive probbably. But When I tried to do it with legacy The error says that 'No mageia installation on this cd'. So I tried another linux and it installed perfectly. Is there any way that my iso was broken ?