Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

Katsutoshi · 2014-01-15 20:41:48

Hello guys.

I have 2 HDD: 1 with Windows 7 installed in EFI Mode and 1 with Arch Linux installed in EFI Mode.

So, when i install gummiboot and reboot, only Arch Linux is showed on the list of Bootloader and i don't have much experience with bootloader...

What i have to do to insert the Windows entry on the list? It's possible with Gummiboot or i have to use another boot manager?
I tried to use Grub2 but all i have when i reboot is a error (i don't have the screenshot now, but probally its because the OS Probe can't add the Windows on the boot loader).
And rEFInd gives me the same result of Gummiboot.

Thanks for any help and sorry for my poor english.

Last edited by Katsutoshi (2014-01-15 20:50:53)

ijanos · 2014-01-15 20:51:52

I assume you have two EFI partitions, one on each drive. This is a wrong setup, use one EFI partition.

Remove the EFI partition from the HDD with Arch, mount the other EFI partition in /boot or /boot/efi and run install gummiboot again.

However, this way the machine will not boot if you remove the drive with the EFI partition. If you want to keep both EFI partitions, then use GRUB2 instead of gummiboot. GRUB2 is able to load boot managers from other partitions, but gummiboot only loads them from the same EFI partition.

durazelI · 2014-01-15 20:57:11

assuming your efi partition is /boot.

Create new menu file for windows: in /boot/loader/entries/windows.conf

    title  Windows 7
    efi    EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootx64.efi

if it doesn't work try \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootx64.efi or EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootx64.efi

edit: this is for one efi partition setup

Last edited by durazelI (2014-01-15 20:57:48)

ijanos · 2014-01-15 21:00:46

durazelI wrote:

assuming your efi partition is /boot.
Create new menu file for windows: in /boot/loader/entries/windows.conf
    title  Windows 7
    efi    EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootx64.efi
if it doesn't work try \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootx64.efi or EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootx64.efi
edit: this is for one efi partition setup

Gummiboot should automatically detect the windows loader, if it is not in the list by default then it is most likely a two-partition setup.

durazelI · 2014-01-15 21:05:51

ijanos wrote:

Gummiboot should automatically detect the windows loader, if it is not in the list by default then it is most likely a two-partition setup.

in my menu there was only efi shell 1 & 2 and boot to firmware interface (EFI bios). Had to add arch and windows by hand.

Katsutoshi · 2014-01-16 14:36:08

Thank you all, guys.

I'll try to use only one EFI partition or/and try to make GRUB2-EFI work.

But thanks for the responses.

Last edited by Katsutoshi (2014-01-16 14:36:54)

AnalogKid · 2015-03-12 00:51:24

I need some additonal information on this topic. Gummiboot appears to be very poorly documented.

I have a single hard drive with 3 partitions: EFI, Arch and Windows.

Arch will start OK.

Windows will start OK if I force the computer to ignore the EFI partition and present a choice of boot-able partions, from which I can choose the Windows one.

No matter my efforts, I cannot get a sucessful Windows start from the Gummiboot menu.

Most attempts result in a blank screen which never recovers and requires a power-switch restart.

What is the secret? I am assuming that there is a trick to telling Gummiboot what partition Windows is installed in.

ijanos · 2015-03-12 21:13:18

AnalogKid wrote:

I need some additonal information on this topic. Gummiboot appears to be very poorly documented.
I have a single hard drive with 3 partitions: EFI, Arch and Windows.
Arch will start OK.
Windows will start OK if I force the computer to ignore the EFI partition and present a choice of boot-able partions, from which I can choose the Windows one.
No matter my efforts, I cannot get a sucessful Windows start from the Gummiboot menu.
Most attempts result in a blank screen which never recovers and requires a power-switch restart.
What is the secret? I am assuming that there is a trick to telling Gummiboot what partition Windows is installed in.

There is not much documentation for gummiboot because it is really, realy simple. Can you post the content of your EFI partition? (the output of tree for example)
You also talk about "your efforts", please explain them.

ps: this is a necrobump, you should have started a new topic, keep that in mind next time.

AnalogKid · 2015-03-12 22:40:31

ijanos wrote:

There is not much documentation for gummiboot because it is really, realy simple. Can you post the content of your EFI partition? (the output of tree for example)
You also talk about "your efforts", please explain them.

ps: this is a necrobump, you should have started a new topic, keep that in mind next time.

Thanks; I will reply shortly.

I'm not a believer in the "necrobump" nonsense. This is the thread Google found for my search. It will be the same thread that Google finds for other people with the same problem years from now. Keeping the information - and hopefully solution - in this thread will ensure that future searchers will find it.

AnalogKid · 2015-03-12 22:59:13

ijanos wrote:

There is not much documentation for gummiboot because it is really, realy simple. Can you post the content of your EFI partition? (the output of tree for example)
You also talk about "your efforts", please explain them.

The following is /boot

├── EFI
│   ├── Boot
│   │   └── BOOTX64.EFI
│   ├── gummiboot
│   │   └── gummibootx64.efi
│   └── Microsoft
│    └── Boot
│    └── bootmgfw.efi
├── initramfs-linux-fallback.img
├── initramfs-linux.img
├── loader
│   ├── entries
│   │   ├── arch.conf
│   │   └── windows.conf
│   └── loader.conf
├── syslinux
│   └── syslinux.cfg
└── vmlinuz-linux

Efforts so far:

Install Windows 7 on separate partition, do nothing to Gummiboot
Result: fail

Run "Gummiboot update"
Result: fail

Manually copy bootmgfw.efi from Windows 7 install to /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/
Result: fail

Manually create "windows.conf" file using ...
efi = /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
options root= (tried UUID and PARTUUID of Windows install location)
Result: fail

Used bcdboot in Windows to attempt to copy the bootloader to /boot/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/ on the EFI partition.
Result: fail

Last edited by AnalogKid (2015-03-12 23:09:32)

nullified · 2015-03-12 23:16:54

AnalogKid wrote:

I'm not a believer in the "necrobump" nonsense. This is the thread Google found for my search. It will be the same thread that Google finds for other people with the same problem years from now. Keeping the information - and hopefully solution - in this thread will ensure that future searchers will find it.

The policy is in effect for a reason: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fo … bumping.22
read the rules before not believing in the "nonsense." That attitude sucked any desire to help you right out of me.

AnalogKid · 2015-03-13 16:30:08

Ignoring the rule lawyers who themselves break rules 5 13 21 and 22 to promote their favourite rule, I am going to follow rule 16.

Since this is the website and thread that Google finds when searching the symptoms of this problem, regardless of how old this thread is, this is the appropriate thread to post to because this is the page people in the future will find in their own Google search when they encounter this problem, just as I did.

Starting a new thread in the name of "tidiness" is unhelpful to the future because it likely will not achieve a higher Google page rank than this thread and thus will not be found and will not help people months and years from now.

Sadly, dear future users of Gummiboot attempting to get it working in a multiple-partition, Arch / Windows setup, I have concluded that Gummiboot is junk for this purpose.

I realized the stupidity of fighting with a poorly documented product like Gummiboot when there is a superior product like rEFInd with thorough, excellent documentation. What was I thinking?

rEFInd also comes with the huge advantage that it works where Gummiboot does not.

Note that you will need to download the .zip file directly to obtain the install.sh and other scripts mentioned in the documentation.

My only trouble (ERROR Unable to find root device '') was solved by running the mkrlconf.sh script to create a needed refind_linux.conf file.

Future visitors to this thread from Google: You're welcome.

nullified · 2015-03-13 17:07:41

AnalogKid, I will kindly point out that the original problem of this thread concerns using gummiboot with two EFI partitions on different HDDs. Your issue is different. Furthermore I suspect you just don't know how to follow directions. Your antics are unhelpful and annoying.

ewaller · 2015-03-13 17:26:11

I think it is time to close this thread.

Let's all be good to each other.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fo … bumping.22
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fo … _not_flame
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fo … ther_users

Arch Linux

#1 2014-01-15 20:41:48

Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

#2 2014-01-15 20:51:52

Re: Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

#3 2014-01-15 20:57:11

Re: Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

#4 2014-01-15 21:00:46

Re: Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

#5 2014-01-15 21:05:51

Re: Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

#6 2014-01-16 14:36:08

Re: Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

#7 2015-03-12 00:51:24

Re: Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

#8 2015-03-12 21:13:18

Re: Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

#9 2015-03-12 22:40:31

Re: Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

#10 2015-03-12 22:59:13

Re: Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

#11 2015-03-12 23:16:54

Re: Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

#12 2015-03-13 16:30:08

Re: Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

#13 2015-03-13 17:07:41

Re: Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

#14 2015-03-13 17:26:11

Re: Gummiboot not recognizing Windows in another HDD

Board footer