BIOS issues with installation.

aasta · 2014-12-23 01:19:41

I'm having issues with the (GRUB) BIOS... error being: "error: No such partition". The setup is:

Drive:
No partitions, dm-crypt container with btrfs filesystem.

USB1:
sdb1 -- 28.9 GiB vfat Partition (with assortment of files... one being used as an encryption key)

USB2:
sdc1 -- 2MiB BIOS Partition
sdc2 -- 28.9GiB ext4 Partition (for /boot/)

Not sure what I've done wrong but I have done this before (and had it work), although that was using USB1 as the keyfile in its entirety as opposed to using a file on the drive as a keyfile. nls_cp437, vfat, and ext4 have been set in the modules for the initramfs. Cryptkey=/dev/sdb1:vfat:/keys/secretkey.key as well as the rest of the encryption strings have been set in the kernel parameters. If any more information is needed to figure this out let me know.

karol · 2014-12-23 03:17:22

You can use 'lsblk -f' to check if your grub setup has the right partitions listed.

aasta · 2014-12-23 07:29:23

karol wrote:

You can use 'lsblk -f' to check if your grub setup has the right partitions listed.

It does. I'm not super knowledgeable about linux startup... but near as I can tell it isn't even loading the kernel or initramfs. In the grub.cfg the first archlinux entry is correct in the UUID... however I don't think it is even getting that far. It would seem the core.img isn't even finding the boot partition and .cfg to start with much less boot the system. I would think it might be an issue with using GPT partitioning with a non-UEFI boot method... however I did the same configuration before with no issues.

Trilby · 2014-12-23 12:45:40

What is your bios boot priority. This is the expected result if you haven't selected to boot from the usb first.

TheSaint · 2014-12-23 13:25:23

Some time we oversight something that is assumed to be correct. I suggest to post the detailed informations regarding grub.cfg,

cat /proc/cmdline
ls -lF /dev/disk/by-partuuid

from inside chrooted installation and fstab.

aasta · 2014-12-24 06:29:08

Trilby wrote:

What is your bios boot priority. This is the expected result if you haven't selected to boot from the usb first.

The boot order is correct. Grub starts but it starts into GRUB Rescue with the no partition found error.

As for the fstab, the issue is that we are not getting that far. The bootloader itself isn't starting... or rather the bootloader is starting but not finding the config file. We are not getting to the initramfs. I did check the fstab anyways though and everything checked out. UUIDs are correct. I can screen capture the boot process and upload a gif of it if it would help better explain the error.

TheSaint · 2014-12-24 06:52:07

Then start from the Arch iso and chroot into the installation. There you'll see if grub.cfg is correct.
You may find easier with a live CD/ISO with GUI, so you can post the file contents once you mount your installation.

aasta · 2014-12-24 10:25:14

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
insmod part_gpt
insmod part_msdos
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  load_env
fi
if [ "${next_entry}" ] ; then
   set default="${next_entry}"
   set next_entry=
   save_env next_entry
   set boot_once=true
else
   set default="0"
fi

if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
  menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
  menuentry_id_option=""
fi

export menuentry_id_option

if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}

function load_video {
  if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
    insmod all_video
  else
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod ieee1275_fb
    insmod vbe
    insmod vga
    insmod video_bochs
    insmod video_cirrus
  fi
}

if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod btrfs
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root  a746a57d-0cdf-43f4-9997-5789ff4c95d4
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a746a57d-0cdf-43f4-9997-5789ff4c95d4
fi
    font="/rootvol/usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi

if loadfont $font ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
  set lang=en_US
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_input console
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ] ; then
  set timeout_style=menu
  set timeout=5
# Fallback normal timeout code in case the timeout_style feature is
# unavailable.
else
  set timeout=5
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Arch Linux' --class arch --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-a746a57d-0cdf-43f4-9997-5789ff4c95d4' {
	load_video
	set gfxpayload=keep
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_gpt 
	insmod ext2
	set root='hd2,gpt2'
	if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd2,gpt2 --hint-efi=hd2,gpt2 --hint-baremetal=ahci2,gpt2  9c0a76c2-7607-4a73-a421-327fcbcb4e9e
	else
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9c0a76c2-7607-4a73-a421-327fcbcb4e9e
	fi
	echo	'Loading Linux linux ...'
	linux	/vmlinuz-linux root=UUID=a746a57d-0cdf-43f4-9997-5789ff4c95d4 rw rootflags=subvol=rootvol  cryptdevice=/dev/sda:enc cryptkey=//dev/sdb1:vfat:/folder/keyfile.file crypto=sha512:aes-xts-plain64:512:0:
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	 /initramfs-linux.img
}
submenu 'Advanced options for Arch Linux' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-a746a57d-0cdf-43f4-9997-5789ff4c95d4' {
	menuentry 'Arch Linux, with Linux linux' --class arch --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-linux-advanced-a746a57d-0cdf-43f4-9997-5789ff4c95d4' {
		load_video
		set gfxpayload=keep
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_gpt 
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd2,gpt2'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd2,gpt2 --hint-efi=hd2,gpt2 --hint-baremetal=ahci2,gpt2  9c0a76c2-7607-4a73-a421-327fcbcb4e9e
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9c0a76c2-7607-4a73-a421-327fcbcb4e9e
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux linux ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-linux root=UUID=a746a57d-0cdf-43f4-9997-5789ff4c95d4 rw rootflags=subvol=rootvol  cryptdevice=/dev/sda:enc cryptkey=//dev/sdb1:vfat:/Original/IBSBjWC.gif crypto=sha512:aes-xts-plain64:512:0:
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	 /initramfs-linux.img
	}
	menuentry 'Arch Linux, with Linux linux (fallback initramfs)' --class arch --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-linux-fallback-a746a57d-0cdf-43f4-9997-5789ff4c95d4' {
		load_video
		set gfxpayload=keep
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_gpt 
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd2,gpt2'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd2,gpt2 --hint-efi=hd2,gpt2 --hint-baremetal=ahci2,gpt2  9c0a76c2-7607-4a73-a421-327fcbcb4e9e
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9c0a76c2-7607-4a73-a421-327fcbcb4e9e
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux linux ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-linux root=UUID=a746a57d-0cdf-43f4-9997-5789ff4c95d4 rw rootflags=subvol=rootvol  cryptdevice=/dev/sda:enc cryptkey=//dev/sdb1:vfat:/Original/IBSBjWC.gif crypto=sha512:aes-xts-plain64:512:0:
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	 /initramfs-linux-fallback.img
	}
}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
  source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/60_memtest86+ ###
### END /etc/grub.d/60_memtest86+ ###

Only thing that catches my eye as odd or wrong is line 62 where it is doing something with btrfs... which the only filesystem on the computer with btrfs is the main drive (/dev/sda) which is encrypted and at that point of the boot process... still encrypted. Oddly enough I never had that issue before... not to say it isn't an issue now. Maybe someone with better knowledge of GRUB config files knows?

Last edited by aasta (2014-12-24 10:32:06)

Arch Linux

#1 2014-12-23 01:19:41

BIOS issues with installation.

#2 2014-12-23 03:17:22

Re: BIOS issues with installation.

#3 2014-12-23 07:29:23

Re: BIOS issues with installation.

#4 2014-12-23 12:45:40

Re: BIOS issues with installation.

#5 2014-12-23 13:25:23

Re: BIOS issues with installation.

#6 2014-12-24 06:29:08

Re: BIOS issues with installation.

#7 2014-12-24 06:52:07

Re: BIOS issues with installation.

#8 2014-12-24 10:25:14

Re: BIOS issues with installation.

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