UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

cphase · 2012-01-26 00:19:13

What I have is an Asus X73E-BH51 laptop [actually have two, one for the QUEEN (when I registered it on the Asus site it shows up as a K73E)].
Below are the specs:

Bios: AMI Aptio
Version: K73E 205
VBios version: 2089.I13K73.004
EC version: 202d080001
Proccessor: Intel I5-2430M
I have UEFI Enabled in the bios.
The first issue I encountered on my first install is when I insert Archboot (also tried Ubuntu x86_64) iso on cd/dvd or usb I get two cd/dvd or usb entries in the boot manager. One is preceded by UEFI, if I choose this option I get the Grub 1.99 screen, I then choose the x86_64 option it goes to a black screen and that’s where it stays indefinitely. So I end up using what I assume is the bios version and choosing x86_64 option from there. The issue from that option is I am not able to boot into a true UEFI environment so I can’t use efibootmgr to make my boot entry. In this bios I do have an option to manually create a boot option but the first time around I was to unfamiliar with the process to make an entry that would boot assuming I can manually boot it this way. Just as a test over the weekend I installed RHEL 6.1 to see if I could get it to work. Under /sys/efi/firmware I have the efi variables and a boot option in the boot manager. It is booting into what is their patched grub legacy (I believe) so pure UEFI is working. (Unless I am wrong)

I guess I have several questions:
1. My partioning scheme is :
sda1 200Mib fat32 EF00 /boot
sda2 JFS 8300 /
sda3 Reisers 8300 /VAR
sda4 JFS 8300 /Home
sda5 swap 8200
Does this look ok?
2. The manual entry for the boot manager in the bios should be /boot/efi/efi/arch/grubx64.efi?
3. Also from reading the grub2 wiki does grub.cfg go in /boot/efi/efi/arch or /boot/efi/efi/grub?
4. From this web site Gitoriousit says: “Format the whole /dev/sda as GPT using “GPT fdisk” aka gdisk. Create the EFI SYSTEM PARTITION, one Windows Partition NTFS of any size you want, any number of Linux Data Partitions (use gdisk type code 8300) each of any size.” Does the whole drive need to be GPT and do I need an NTFS partion?
Thanks in advance for any help!!
Jeff

Last edited by cphase (2012-01-26 00:20:14)

cphase · 2012-01-26 15:25:37

This is posted in the correct place isn't it?

the.ridikulus.rat · 2012-01-26 15:34:38

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Un … _Interface
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GU … tion_Table
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GRUB2

the.ridikulus.rat · 2012-01-26 15:48:57

Can you try http://mirror.rit.edu/archlinux/iso/arc … chboot.iso ? It includes UEFI Shell binaries from which you can use bcfg command to setup the boot entries https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Un … rface#bcfg . Also use a USB ( https://gitorious.org/tianocore_uefi_du … I_boot_USB ) instead of writing the iso to a cd as it is much faster.

BTW please post the details of your system as mentioned at https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/HCL/Firmwares/UEFI .

the.ridikulus.rat · 2012-01-26 15:53:28

cphase wrote:

I guess I have several questions:
1. My partioning scheme is :
sda1 200Mib fat32 EF00 /boot
sda2 JFS 8300 /
sda3 Reisers 8300 /VAR
sda4 JFS 8300 /Home
sda5 swap 8200
Does this look ok?
2. The manual entry for the boot manager in the bios should be /boot/efi/efi/arch/grubx64.efi?
3. Also from reading the grub2 wiki does grub.cfg go in /boot/efi/efi/arch or /boot/efi/efi/grub?
4. From this web site Gitoriousit says: “Format the whole /dev/sda as GPT using “GPT fdisk” aka gdisk. Create the EFI SYSTEM PARTITION, one Windows Partition NTFS of any size you want, any number of Linux Data Partitions (use gdisk type code 8300) each of any size.” Does the whole drive need to be GPT and do I need an NTFS partion?
Thanks in advance for any help!!
Jeff

Answers -

1. You have your UEFISYS partition as the /boot partition itself. Archboot setup expects UEFISYS to be separate from /boot. I suggest creating a separate partition for /boot.
2 .The entry should be for /boot/efi/efi/arch/grubx64.efi .
3. grub.cfg should go into /boot/efi/efi/grub .
4. NTFS partition not necessary if you do not dual-boot or share data with Windows. GPT or any partitioning scheme for that matter is for the "whole" drive and not per partition, therefore it is obviously needed.

Disclaimer: I am the author of the the gitorious wiki page you posted.

Last edited by the.ridikulus.rat (2012-01-26 15:54:21)

cphase · 2012-01-26 18:10:19

@ rat THANKS for the reply! I have read the links you provided already but thanks again for the help!! I am using the Archboot iso on a flash drive formated as FAT32.

1. Asus X73E-BH51 laptop
2. Intel i5-2430 2.4Ghz
3. Not sure at this time, will post later
4. N/A its a laptop
5. AMI Aptio c2010
6. NO, havent been able to get into a pure UEFI env to load efivars
7. YES, BIOS => Save & Exit => Launch EFI Shell from filesystem device
8. Dont remember may be 2.0
9. No I did not try this
10. FAT32

I will try an install again here shortly and I will make an extra partion for /boot if it needs it.

Anything else I can provide please fell free to ask!!

THANKS!

cphase · 2012-01-27 03:47:53

Well I have been @ this for about two weeks and I am more confused now than ever. I have to be making this harder than it really is.

If you have a UEFISYS and a boot partion which one does grub2 get installed on? What is the other boot partion for? Are they both FAT32? Which one do you mount as /boot?
It has been a long day, I may need to start fresh tomorrow. SO confused now!

cfr · 2012-01-27 04:31:16

If you have a separate boot partition, you mount that as /boot. (Mine is on the root partition so it doesn't need mounting separately.)

Mount the UEFISYS partition at /boot/efi.

Only the UEFISYS partition needs to be Fat32.

You install grub2 to the whole disk - not any partition. It will find the UEFISYS partition itself.

At least, it did for me although I have /boot/efi/efi/boot rather than /boot/efi/efi/arch for some reason.

cphase · 2012-01-27 06:15:08

@cfr thanks for the reply!
I have always had a seperate partition for boot. If grub2 goes on the UEFISYS partion what will go on the boot partition?
sda1 200Mib fat32 EF00 /boot/efi
sda2 JFS 8300 /
sda3 Reisers 8300 /VAR
sda4 JFS 8300 /Home
sda5 swap 8200

Maybe this scheme will work??

Will give it another try tomorrow!!

Thanks again for every ones help!!!

cphase · 2012-01-30 19:36:06

Well I made some head way this weekend. I partitioned my hdd as follows:

1 100 mib /boot ext4
2 400 mib /boot/efi UEFI_SYSTEM fat32
3 30 gib / jfs
4 10 gib /var reisers
5 553 gib /home jfs
6 2 gib swap SWAP

Did a clean install, dropped out of the install w/o installing the bootloader. Used a live cd to get to a grub. prompt ran

grub> linux  (hd0,gpt1)/vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/sda3
grub> initrd  (hd0,gpt1)/initramfs-linux.img
grub> boot

to boot in to the new system Checked my partitions and the UEFISYS partition was formatted as FAT16. Unmounted /boot/efi formatted it FAT32 remounted it installed grub2. When I tried to run efibootmgr it failed so I rebooted went into the bios made a manual entry

/efi/arch/grubx64.efi

and booted to grub2.

Here is one of the issues I am having. After choosing my entry in grub the boot process stops almost right away:

 Booting ‘Arch Linux, with Linux linux’
Loading Linux linux…
Loading initial ramdisk…

The second issue I have is since I changed UEFISYS partition from FAT16 to FAT32, I cannot manually boot into my new install I get a message after the initial file check that says:

The system will be automatically rebooted in 15 seconds

. Looks like the fat32 partion is saying

dosfsck  3.0.12, 29 OCT 2011 FAT32, LFN
Open: No such file or directory

Nat exactly sure what is causing either of these issues. Will continue my search.

THANKS!!

cphase · 2012-01-30 22:25:55

Here is my grub.cfg:

#
# 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 $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${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="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}
function load_video {
  insmod efi_gop
  insmod efi_uga
  insmod video_bochs
  insmod video_cirrus
}
set menu_color_normal=light-blue/black
set menu_color_highlight=light-cyan/blue
insmod part_gpt
insmod jfs
set root='(hd0,gpt3)'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root  --hint-bios=hdo,gpt3 –hint-efi=hd0,gpt3 –hint-baremetal=ahcio,gpt3 4447ea34-815f-4fc0-98fb-92f64f787cbc else
search –no-floppy –fs-uid –set=root  4447ea34-815f-4fc0-98fb-92f64f787cbc
fi
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
insmod part_gpt
insmod fat
set root=’hd0,gpt2’
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root  --hint-bios=hdo,gpt2 –hint-efi=hd0,gpt2 –hint-baremetal=ahcio,gpt2 aedb-0e16 else
search –no-floppy –fs-uid –set=root  aedb-0e16
fi
set locale_dir=($root)/efi/grub/locale
set lang=
insmod gettext
fi
terminal_input console
terminal_output gfxterm
set timeout=5
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Arch Linux, with Linux linux' --class archlinux --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    load_video
    set gfxpayload=keep
    insmod gzio
    insmod part_gpt
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,gpt1)'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root  --hint-bios=hd0,gpt1 –hint-efi=hd0,gpt1 –hint-baremetal=ahcio,gpt1 ae912a5a-31d6-421f-9890-965215cf1bb8 else
search –no-floppy –fs-uid –set=root  ae912a5a-31d6-421f-9890-965215cf1bb8 else
fi
    echo    'Loading Linux linux ...'
    linux/vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/by-UUID/4447ea34-815f-4fc0-98fb-92f64f787cbc  ro  quiet
    echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
    initrd/initramfs-linux.img
}
menuentry 'Arch Linux, with Linux linux Fallback' --class archlinux --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
    load_video
    set gfxpayload=keep
    insmod gzio
    insmod part_gpt
    insmod ext2
    set root='(hd0,gpt1)'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root  --hint-bios=hd0,gpt1 –hint-efi=hd0,gpt1 –hint-baremetal=ahcio,gpt1 ae912a5a-31d6-421f-9890-965215cf1bb8 else
search –no-floppy –fs-uid –set=root  ae912a5a-31d6-421f-9890-965215cf1bb8 else
fi
    echo    'Loading Linux linux ...'
    linux/vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/by-UUID/4447ea34-815f-4fc0-98fb-92f64f787cbc  ro  quiet
    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/20_memtest86+ ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
### 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  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

Last edited by cphase (2012-01-31 23:44:04)

cphase · 2012-01-30 22:40:59

updated info:

1. Asus X73E-BH51 laptop
2. Intel i5-2430 2.4Ghz
3. Not sure at this time, will post later
4. N/A its a laptop
5. AMI Aptio c2010
6. NO, havent been able to get into a pure UEFI env to load efivars
7. YES, BIOS => Save & Exit => Launch EFI Shell from filesystem device (beta does not work for me gives an error, had to use the old version)
8. EFI Specification Revision: 2.0
EFI Revision: 4.635
9. I was able to load the EFI shell (see #7). BCFG is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program, or batch file. I created a boot entry manually from the bios to launch grubx64.efi.
10. FAT32 (Archboot formatted it as FAT16 but I changed it)

Diaz · 2012-01-31 03:09:29

On my asus the command bcfg is also not recognized and i can't run efibootmgr. How did you add the entry fro grub2?

cphase · 2012-01-31 04:10:13

@Diaz

On my laptop in the bios under the boot tab it has a place to make a manual entry. You choose the name , the the device(P0 Ibelieve is my hdd. The laptop is @ work right now so this is from memory), then the path (I mounted my ESP @ /boot/efi so the path was /efi/arch/grubx64.cfg) and then select create entry and thats it.

the.ridikulus.rat · 2012-01-31 06:09:18

Diaz wrote:

On my asus the command bcfg is also not recognized and i can't run efibootmgr. How did you add the entry fro grub2?

bcfg is part of Shell 2.0, were you able to launch that?

cphase · 2012-01-31 15:32:04

Quick question before I dash off to work. "I" dont see anything wrong with my grub.cfg file ( does not mean there isn't), could my booting issue be one of two issues, the ESP needs to be FAT16 or could it be the 8 Gib memory issue grub2 was having?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!!

Thanks,
Jeff

the.ridikulus.rat · 2012-01-31 15:53:12

I think its the 8 GiB issue most likely. I don't have such a system to test.

Diaz · 2012-01-31 20:50:38

cphase wrote:

@Diaz
On my laptop in the bios under the boot tab it has a place to make a manual entry. You choose the name , the the device(P0 Ibelieve is my hdd. The laptop is @ work right now so this is from memory), then the path (I mounted my ESP @ /boot/efi so the path was /efi/arch/grubx64.cfg) and then select create entry and thats it.

You are lucky then, my bios has very little options and that one isn't one of them u.u.

the.ridikulus.rat wrote:

Diaz wrote:
On my asus the command bcfg is also not recognized and i can't run efibootmgr. How did you add the entry fro grub2?
bcfg is part of Shell 2.0, were you able to launch that?

It does not show as a valid command on the shell. I already tried downloading different versions from different places and none of them have that command available.

It sucks that every time i reboot the pc i have to manually load grub2 from the shell as i can't run efibootmgr i was trying to run this command.

cphase · 2012-01-31 21:04:00

@Diaz

Not sure why some have the bcfg and some dont. So far the only two I have tried are the beta and the old versions from sourceforge. The beta will not launch at all and the old version gives me the error when I try to run bcfg. Sorry I am of no help right now!!!

cphase · 2012-02-01 00:32:43

Well I took out one of the 4 Gib memory modules and tried to boot again but it still hangs @:

 Booting ‘Arch Linux, with Linux linux’
Loading Linux linux…
Loading initial ramdisk…

.
So I have another question (I know BIG surprise)… Grub2 loads the modules in /boot/efi/efi/grub is this correct? And from the Grub2 wiki it says:

set root=(hdX,Y) sets the boot partition, where the kernel and GRUB modules are stored

.
My kernel is on /dev/sda1 and my ESP is /dev/sda2. Should the kernel and initramfs.img be moved to /boot/efi/efi/grub with the modules?

Thanks once again,
Jeff

cphase · 2012-02-01 01:10:03

Here is the output of set:

grub> set
Locale_dir=(hd0,gpt2)/efi/grub/locale
Prefix=(hd0,gpt2)/efi/grub
Root=hd0,gpt2

If my root partition is sda3 shouldnt root=(hd0,gpt3)?

Thanks once again,
Jeff

Diaz · 2012-02-01 03:32:59

I don't know if it helps you in your grub problem, but here i go:

my partition layout is something like:
/dev/sda - gpt disk
---- /dev/sda1 - fat32 - mount point /boot/efi as the EFISYS partition
---- /dev/sda4 - my root partition.
i don't have a separate /boot,

my grub2.cfg that i created manually and is located on /boot/efi/efi/grub/grub.cfg:

##simple to boot arch
##

#the default boot entry that is chosen after timeout for user action 
set default=0

#time to wait in seconds for a user selection before default is booted 
set timeout=1

#like the 'more' command
set pager=1

#debug
set debug=1

#to easily load modules
set prefix=(hd0,gpt1)/efi/grub

#load the proper video mode
insmod efi_gop
insmod font

if loadfont ${prefix}/unicode.pf2
then
    insmod gfxterm
    set gfxmode=auto
    set gfxpayload=keep
    terminal_output gfxterm
    
    #colors
    set color_normal=white/black
    set color_highlight=yellow/blue
fi

menuentry "Arch Linux (x64)" {
	#UUID of root partition
	set uuid_os_root=07dbe71d-e532-45b9-9e37-ea311341b0a6
	
	#UUID of swap partition
	set uuid_swap=2d71cb2c-018e-4b01-8e29-bf6014d85968
	
	#partition where kernel image is located
	search --fs-uuid --no-floppy --set=root $uuid_os_root
	
	#remainig kernel parameters
	set other_params="ro quiet"
    #loglevel=7 acpi_osi=Linux pcie_aspm=force 

	#load arch kernel
	linux /boot/vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/$uuid_os_root resume=/dev/disk/by-uuid/$uuid_swap $other_params
	
	#load arch initramfs
	initrd /boot/initramfs-linux.img
}

my pc is using everything x64 and i have 4GB of memory and my EFI partion is FAT32

cphase · 2012-02-01 14:51:31

@Diaz thanks for the reply! I dont think my grub.cfg is wrong, actually I am not sure what the issue is at this point. If any one has ANY iseas I am open for suggestions. This is going on three weeks that I have been @ this, although I am closer it still seems far away!

 Booting ‘Arch Linux, with Linux linux’
Loading Linux linux…
Loading initial ramdisk…

is echoing from grub.cfg so is it looking for initramfs.img? It is on /boot partition. I just trying to understand what it is looking for or missing @ this point.

Thanks,
Jeff

the.ridikulus.rat · 2012-02-01 14:55:02

@cphase: Add

set debug=all

to grub.cfg and the output (text or screenshot).

cphase · 2012-02-01 23:25:21

Here is the output of grub.cfg (With 4 Gib or 8 Gib of memory) with

set debug=all:

Lib/relocator.c:1223: min_addr = 0x0, max_addr = 0xffffffffffffffff, target = 0x88800
Lib/relocator.c:433: trying to allocate in 0x0-0xffffffffffffffff aligned 0x1 size 0x7800
Lib/relocator.c:529: Blocking at 0x897e8000-0xb7a04000

Prior to this there is a lot of code going by,prior to the above this is a lot of it:

mmap/efi/mmap.c:65 EFI memory region xxxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxxxxx: xx (memory addresses)

The blocking I assume is due to the grub2 & 8 Gib memory bug, but should I still see it with 4 Gib?

Thanks,
Jeff

Arch Linux

#1 2012-01-26 00:19:13

UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#2 2012-01-26 15:25:37

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#3 2012-01-26 15:34:38

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#4 2012-01-26 15:48:57

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#5 2012-01-26 15:53:28

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#6 2012-01-26 18:10:19

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#7 2012-01-27 03:47:53

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#8 2012-01-27 04:31:16

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#9 2012-01-27 06:15:08

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#10 2012-01-30 19:36:06

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#11 2012-01-30 22:25:55

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#12 2012-01-30 22:40:59

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#13 2012-01-31 03:09:29

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#14 2012-01-31 04:10:13

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#15 2012-01-31 06:09:18

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#16 2012-01-31 15:32:04

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#17 2012-01-31 15:53:12

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#18 2012-01-31 20:50:38

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#19 2012-01-31 21:04:00

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#20 2012-02-01 00:32:43

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#21 2012-02-01 01:10:03

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#22 2012-02-01 03:32:59

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#23 2012-02-01 14:51:31

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#24 2012-02-01 14:55:02

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

#25 2012-02-01 23:25:21

Re: UEFI & Asus Aptio laptop

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