Arch Linux

vrik

Member

Registered: 2023-01-30

Posts: 22

Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

I was following the installation wiki however when i tried to boot from the usb i got dropped into normal shell. I tried following this but this is what i got

grub> insmod fat
grub> set root=(hd0,msdos1)
grub> chainloader (${root}/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/boot/mgfw.efi)
error: can't find command 'chainloader (hd0,msdo'.

the output of "set" command is:

?='0'
color_highlight='black/light-grey'
color_normal='light-gray/black'
feature_200_final='y'
feature_chainloader_bpb='y'
feature_default_font_path='y'
feature_menuentry_id='y'
feature_menuentry_options='y'
feature_nativedisk_cmd='y'
feature_ntldr='y'
feature_platform_search_hint='y'
feature_timeout_style='y'
grub_cpu='x86_64'
grub_platform='efi'
lang=''
locale_dir=''
net_default_ip=''
net_default_mac=''
net_default_server=''
pager=''
prefix='(memdisk)/boot/grub'
pxe_default_server=''
root='hd0,msdos1'
secondary_locale_dir=''

for some further context. After i got this error i tried to boot the usb on another computer that had mint/windows double boot and it worked just fine, the machine encountering the problem is running ubuntu

Also just a general question, would it be a good idea if i were to use cfdisk to remove all old partitions and then make new ones or would that be a bad idea? (i want a completely clean slate for my install)

Last edited by vrik (2023-01-31 11:56:38)

d.ALT

Member

Registered: 2019-05-10

Posts: 949

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

What do you want?
- actually installing ArchLinux onto an USB pen?
or
- boot the ArchLinux Live USB?

Last edited by d.ALT (2023-01-30 16:23:12)

---

<49,17,III,I>    Fama di loro il mondo esser non lassa;
<50,17,III,I>    misericordia e giustizia li sdegna:
<51,17,III,I>    non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa.

vrik

Member

Registered: 2023-01-30

Posts: 22

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

i want to boot archlinux from live usb in order to install it

d.ALT

Member

Registered: 2019-05-10

Posts: 949

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

Then, please have a look at here: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/USB_fl … ion_medium

---

<49,17,III,I>    Fama di loro il mondo esser non lassa;
<50,17,III,I>    misericordia e giustizia li sdegna:
<51,17,III,I>    non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa.

vrik

Member

Registered: 2023-01-30

Posts: 22

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

yes i read that and used rufus to format my live usb. I know that the way i formatted the usb is correct because it booted alright (by alright i mean that i could continue the installation) on my other computer which was running mint/windows double boot

d.ALT

Member

Registered: 2019-05-10

Posts: 949

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

I know that the way i formatted the usb is correct because it booted alright (by alright i mean that i could continue the installation)

Sooo... Your ArchLinux Live USB is correctly booting. I don't sse the problem, then.

---

<49,17,III,I>    Fama di loro il mondo esser non lassa;
<50,17,III,I>    misericordia e giustizia li sdegna:
<51,17,III,I>    non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa.

vrik

Member

Registered: 2023-01-30

Posts: 22

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

yes it works correctly on the other computer but not on the one i intend to install arch on. which means something else is broken

Last edited by vrik (2023-01-30 16:46:17)

d.ALT

Member

Registered: 2019-05-10

Posts: 949

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

but not on the one i intend to install arch on

Ah, oh, OK! Well... Are you actually booting your PC from the ArchLinux Live USB? Are you trying to boot in pure UEFI mode? Or there's some CSM going on? Is the ArchLinux's Start Screen appearing?

---

<49,17,III,I>    Fama di loro il mondo esser non lassa;
<50,17,III,I>    misericordia e giustizia li sdegna:
<51,17,III,I>    non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa.

vrik

Member

Registered: 2023-01-30

Posts: 22

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

yes im booting from the archlinx live usb in uefi mode and once it boots i get dropped into grub "normal" shell, there are no error messages or anything, just a prompt to enter commands into
there is no option to enable CSM in my bios so i dont think its enabled

d.ALT

Member

Registered: 2019-05-10

Posts: 949

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

<EDIT>

I tried following this

Still, I don't get how this should be related to ArchLinux' USB actually booting!
Why do you want to chainload Windows' .efi Loader? it has nothing to do with booting ArchLinux USB...
</EDIT>

Can you please boot into Ubuntu and try creating (again) the ArchLinux Live USB? But this time please use one of the Linux CLI methods as reported here: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/USB_fl … _utilities

Last edited by d.ALT (2023-01-30 17:23:33)

---

<49,17,III,I>    Fama di loro il mondo esser non lassa;
<50,17,III,I>    misericordia e giustizia li sdegna:
<51,17,III,I>    non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa.

vrik

Member

Registered: 2023-01-30

Posts: 22

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

ok i used the cat method and got the same result (dropped into grub "normal" shell, there are no error messages or anything, just a prompt to enter commands into)

the reason why i tried the chainloading solution is because it was the closest thing i found to solution and figured i might as well try it

d.ALT

Member

Registered: 2019-05-10

Posts: 949

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

the reason why i tried the chainloading solution is because it was the closest thing i found to solution and figured i might as well try it

Solution to what, precisely? Chainloading Windows' .efi Loader from GRUB will simply get you to boot into Windows... I don't see how this "solution" could lead you to boot ArchLinux's Live USB.

Anyway...

Does creating others Linux USB Live System(s) get your computer actually booting into a Live Environmet just fine?

What ArchLinux's ISO did you download? Did you verify its Chechsums?

Within Ubuntu, insert your ArchLinux's Live USB and post here:

$ sudo gdisk -l /dev/YOUR_USB_IDENTIFIER
### eg.: $ sudo gdisk -l /dev/sdb ###

Can you please post here a photo of your computer's screen when you're in the UEFI's Boot Menu?
(please paste here the link to the uploaded image, not the image itself!)

Last edited by d.ALT (2023-01-30 18:46:08)

---

<49,17,III,I>    Fama di loro il mondo esser non lassa;
<50,17,III,I>    misericordia e giustizia li sdegna:
<51,17,III,I>    non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa.

just4arch

Member

Registered: 2023-01-07

Posts: 99

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

ok i used the cat method and got the same result (dropped into grub "normal" shell, there are no error messages or anything, just a prompt to enter commands into)

Someone please correct me, but afaik ArchISO doesn't even use grub.
This "normal shell" doesn't say something like "root #" by any chance?

d.ALT

Member

Registered: 2019-05-10

Posts: 949

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

ok i used the cat method and got the same result (dropped into grub "normal" shell, there are no error messages or anything, just a prompt to enter commands into)

Someone please correct me, but afaik ArchISO doesn't even use grub.
This "normal shell" doesn't say something like "root #" by any chance?

Yup. In fact, I'm trying to understand what's going on with vrik computer... If the ArchLinux's USB fail, that should proceed with starting Ubuntu's GRUB (which could be confirmed by i used the cat method) But... Did he actually boot into Ubuntu? Or USER is using the other computer (Linux Mint)?

@vrik:

• Computer A has Ubuntu installed, right? Is Ubuntu the only OS on A?

• Computer B is Dual Boot: Linux Mint + Windows. Did I understand correctly?

• Which one fails booting ArchLinux's USB? Computer A or B?

• grub> chainloader (${root}/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/boot/mgfw.efi)

  on which computer did you try this?

---

<49,17,III,I>    Fama di loro il mondo esser non lassa;
<50,17,III,I>    misericordia e giustizia li sdegna:
<51,17,III,I>    non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa.

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,428

Website

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

ArchISO doesn't even use grub

It uses GRUB for UEFI booting but syslinux otherwise.

@OP: are you sure you selected the USB stick from the motherboard firmware ("BIOS") boot menu?

Do these commands get the ISO loading (reboot first to clear your earlier attempts):

cmdpath='(cd0)/EFI/BOOT'
config_directory='(memdisk)/boot/grub'
config_file='(memdisk)/boot/grub/grub.cfg'
default='archlinux'
root='memdisk'
normal

---

Para todos todo, para nosotros nada

just4arch

Member

Registered: 2023-01-07

Posts: 99

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

It uses GRUB for UEFI booting but syslinux otherwise.

It's been a while, thanks for clarifying.

vrik

Member

Registered: 2023-01-30

Posts: 22

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

• Computer A has Ubuntu installed, right? Is Ubuntu the only OS on A?

• Computer B is Dual Boot: Linux Mint + Windows. Did I understand correctly?

• Which one fails booting ArchLinux's USB? Computer A or B?

   

grub> chainloader (${root}/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/boot/mgfw.efi)

   

• on which computer did you try this?

1. yes ubuntu is the only OS installed

2. correct

3. computer A

4. computer A

Does creating others Linux USB Live System(s) get your computer actually booting into a Live Environmet just fine?

when i tried with a mint liveusb it booted into ubuntu

What ArchLinux's ISO did you download? Did you verify its Chechsums?

i installed kernel.org's iso and the signature seems alright, i also tried with rackspace.com's and got the same results

Within Ubuntu, insert your ArchLinux's Live USB and post here:

the result i got is

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.8

Partition table scan:
  MBR: MBR only
  BSD: not present
  APM: not present
  GPT: present

Found valid MBR and GPT. Which do you want to use?
 1 - MBR
 2 - GPT
 3 - create blank GPT

Your answer: 

Can you please post here a photo of your computer's screen when you're in the UEFI's Boot Menu?

here

Do these commands get the ISO loading (reboot first to clear your earlier attempts):

cmdpath='(cd0)/EFI/BOOT'
config_directory='(memdisk)/boot/grub'
config_file='(memdisk)/boot/grub/grub.cfg'
default='archlinux'
root='memdisk'
normal

this didnt really do anything, it just cleared the console

Sorry for the long time to reply

Last edited by vrik (2023-01-31 08:35:36)

d.ALT

Member

Registered: 2019-05-10

Posts: 949

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

grub> chainloader (${root}/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/boot/mgfw.efi)

• on which computer did you try this?

• computer A

But on A there's Ubuntu only and still you tried chainloading a non-existing OS (Windows).

Does creating others Linux USB Live System(s) get your computer actually booting into a Live Environmet just fine?

when i tried with a mint liveusb it booted into ubuntu

Well... There's something wrong with your USB stick (or with your computer's UEFI implementation).

---

<49,17,III,I>    Fama di loro il mondo esser non lassa;
<50,17,III,I>    misericordia e giustizia li sdegna:
<51,17,III,I>    non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa.

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,428

Website

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

Please post the output of this command from the problematic machine:

efibootmgr -u

Sorry for the long time to reply

No need to apologise. It's your thread so take as long as you need.

---

Para todos todo, para nosotros nada

vrik

Member

Registered: 2023-01-30

Posts: 22

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

Well... There's something wrong with your USB stick (or with your computer's UEFI implementation).

i tested the mint liveusb on the mint+windows double boot and it worked, which means that UEFI implementation must be broken

Please post the output of this command from the problematic machine:

efibootmgr -u

here it is

BootCurrent: 0007
Timeout: 0 seconds
BootOrder: 0014,000D,000E,0007,0006,0008,0009,000A,000B,000C,0013
Boot0000  BIOS Setup       
Boot0001  Boot Menu
Boot0002  Diagnostic Screen
Boot0003  Recovery and Utility
Boot0004  Diagnostic Program
Boot0005  Diagnostic Progrogram ROM
Boot0006* Floppy Disk Drive:
Boot0007* Drive0 HDD:
Boot0008* Drive2 HDD:
Boot0009* Drive4 HDD:
Boot000A* Drive5 HDD:
Boot000B* CD/DVD Drive:
Boot000C* NETWORK:
Boot000D* USB HDD:
Boot000E* USB CD/DVD:
Boot000F* IDER BOOT CDROM
Boot0010* IDER BOOT Floppy
Boot0011* ATA HDD
Boot0012* Erase Disk
Boot0013* ubuntu
Boot0014* ubuntu

Last edited by vrik (2023-01-31 08:36:03)

d.ALT

Member

Registered: 2019-05-10

Posts: 949

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

What if you remove... Let's say... 7th entry???
Boot into Ubuntu and go with

$ sudo efibootmgr -B -b 0006

$ sudo efibootmgr -u

Take note of 2nd command's output, reboot and tell us what happened.

If ArchLinux's USB still fails to successfully boot, then paste here the output from 2nd output as said above.

Last edited by d.ALT (2023-01-30 22:02:48)

---

<49,17,III,I>    Fama di loro il mondo esser non lassa;
<50,17,III,I>    misericordia e giustizia li sdegna:
<51,17,III,I>    non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa.

vrik

Member

Registered: 2023-01-30

Posts: 22

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

If ArchLinux's USB still fails to successfully boot, then paste here the output from 2nd output as said above.

it still failed to boot correctly, the output is

BootCurrent: 0007
Timeout: 0 seconds
BootOrder: 0014,000D,000E,0007,0008,0009,000A,000B,000C,0013
Boot0000  BIOS Setup       
Boot0001  Boot Menu
Boot0002  Diagnostic Screen
Boot0003  Recovery and Utility
Boot0004  Diagnostic Program
Boot0005  Diagnostic Progrogram ROM
Boot0007* Drive0 HDD:
Boot0008* Drive2 HDD:
Boot0009* Drive4 HDD:
Boot000A* Drive5 HDD:
Boot000B* CD/DVD Drive:
Boot000C* NETWORK:
Boot000D* USB HDD:
Boot000E* USB CD/DVD:
Boot000F* IDER BOOT CDROM
Boot0010* IDER BOOT Floppy
Boot0011* ATA HDD
Boot0012* Erase Disk
Boot0013* ubuntu
Boot0014* ubuntu

Last edited by vrik (2023-01-31 08:36:20)

d.ALT

Member

Registered: 2019-05-10

Posts: 949

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

Let's see if 0006 entry has been re-created by UEFI's Firmware: boot again into Ubuntu and check if there's still Boot0006* Floppy Disk Drive: or not by using

$ sudo efibootmgr -u

---

<49,17,III,I>    Fama di loro il mondo esser non lassa;
<50,17,III,I>    misericordia e giustizia li sdegna:
<51,17,III,I>    non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa.

vrik

Member

Registered: 2023-01-30

Posts: 22

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

Boot0006* Floppy Disk Drive isnt there

d.ALT

Member

Registered: 2019-05-10

Posts: 949

Re: Booting from a arch liveusb drops me into grub normal shell [SOLVED]

WARNING!!!
IF YOU'RE UNSURE ASK HERE FIRST BEFORE PROCEEDING!!!

WARNING!!!
Try deleting more and more entries as you go.
At some point you maybe end up successfully booting the ArchLinux's USB (I hope).
WARNING!!!

WARNING!!!
IF YOU'RE UNSURE ASK HERE FIRST BEFORE PROCEEDING!!!

---

<49,17,III,I>    Fama di loro il mondo esser non lassa;
<50,17,III,I>    misericordia e giustizia li sdegna:
<51,17,III,I>    non ragioniam di lor, ma guarda e passa.