fresh install with syslinux is not booting

pezzacolori · 2012-04-03 21:29:59

I just installed archlinux on a Thinkpad w520 with a net install iso, on a SSD.
I partitioned a separate /boot partition (ext2), and set the legacy_bios attribute only for that partition.

When trying to boot I only get the Intel Boot Agent ....

The strange thing is, that when I insert the installation Live CD, and at the bootloader prompt I select "Boot existing OS", then I get my syslinux screen and everything goes well.

Any help is greatly appreciated ...

PS I forgot to mention that I use a GPT table, instead of MBR.

Last edited by pezzacolori (2012-04-03 21:33:02)

hadrons123 · 2012-04-10 18:11:13

I tried installing syslinux in MBR couple of times and strangely it didnt work for me.

See this info for GPT
https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/26771

count0 · 2012-04-10 18:36:20

FWIW, the latest syslinux update came with a syslinux.cfg file that pointed to a root partition on /dev/sda3. So you might want to change that if you need to.

pezzacolori · 2012-04-11 19:30:24

@hadrons123: thank you for the link, but probably it is not my case, sinc ethe installation seems to run ok
@count0: the syslinux.cfg looks good

Actually I understand not much about booting. What puzzles me, is that when I boot a LiveCD, and at the CD bootloader I then select "Boot ecisting OS", then my local syslinux starts as expected. ????
Could this not help someone to identify the problem?

Gusar · 2012-04-11 19:37:36

I'm thinking the installer installed the wrong mbr. Yeah syslinux still uses the mbr, even with GPT partitions. So do

cat /usr/lib/syslinux/gptmbr.bin > /dev/sda

Last edited by Gusar (2012-04-11 19:47:55)

pezzacolori · 2012-04-11 22:32:41

@gusar: I try it but it did not help. (previousely I also tried #dd bs=440 conv=notrunc count=1 if=/usr/lib/syslinux/gptmbr.bin of=/dev/sda )

Gusar · 2012-04-11 22:41:48

Check that you've actually activated the legacy boot flag. To do that, run "gdisk /dev/sda", type 'x' to enter extra functionality, then type 'a' to see the flags. You should see this:

Attribute value is 0000000000000004. Set fields are:
2 (legacy BIOS bootable)

If that's set, no idea what the issue could be. Except, you're not using EFI by any chance, are you?

pezzacolori · 2012-04-12 13:02:57

Yes, the attribute is correctly set. UEFI boot is disabled.

Should I remove the /boot/grub folder ?

the.ridikulus.rat · 2012-04-15 07:34:46

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=749325
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=735733
http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=26304
http://www.rodsbooks.com/gdisk/bios.html

EDIT: To sum it up, Lenovo UEFI/BIOS does not seem to allow BIOS-GPT config. If you want GPT, you need to do UEFI boot. If GRUB2 UEFI does not work, try EFISTUB+rEFInd combination.

Last edited by the.ridikulus.rat (2012-04-15 07:41:56)

the.ridikulus.rat · 2012-04-16 07:49:37

Or maybe you can try setting the boot/active flag in Protective MBR's 0xEE partition using fdisk (this won't damage the GPT table AFAIK). Some BIOS check for a bootable flagged partition before executing the MBR boot code.

pezzacolori · 2012-04-17 09:08:31

so I tried the variant of grub2 and UEFI ... but it doiesn't work either ... (apparently installs well, without errors)

I start to give up ... (

A last question: for the UEFI partition size, I found on web different partition sizes: some says 100M other says that 1M is sufficient. Since I did not wanted to repartition all the drive (which already contains the migration of my old system), I defined a 1M one. Do you know if this could be a problem?

the.ridikulus.rat · 2012-04-17 11:33:25

pezzacolori wrote:

A last question: for the UEFI partition size, I found on web different partition sizes: some says 100M other says that 1M is sufficient. Since I did not wanted to repartition all the drive (which already contains the migration of my old system), I defined a 1M one. Do you know if this could be a problem?

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Un … n_in_Linux

pezzacolori · 2012-04-18 14:50:32

So I created a UEFI partition of 512M, but still did not work. I also tried to format it laso in VFAT 16, instead of 32 (suggested in some posts) but that did not help ....

I think I'll try to go back to MBR instead of GPT ....

edit: apparently it is really a bug, so that it will not boot in legacy or uefi with gpt tables ....
http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Linux-Discu … d-p/555317

Last edited by pezzacolori (2012-04-18 15:48:16)

pezzacolori · 2012-04-18 20:22:23

So ... the end of the history:

- I changed from GPT to MBR directly (no repartitioning) using gdisk (following http://www.rodsbooks.com/gdisk/mbr2gpt.html)
- chrooted and installed again syslinux

And now it simply works. No gpt. No uefi.

Thanks to all which tried to help me.
So fo rthe moment it seems that Lenovo W520 is not working with GPT tables.

Arch Linux

#1 2012-04-03 21:29:59

fresh install with syslinux is not booting

#2 2012-04-10 18:11:13

Re: fresh install with syslinux is not booting

#3 2012-04-10 18:36:20

Re: fresh install with syslinux is not booting

#4 2012-04-11 19:30:24

Re: fresh install with syslinux is not booting

#5 2012-04-11 19:37:36

Re: fresh install with syslinux is not booting

#6 2012-04-11 22:32:41

Re: fresh install with syslinux is not booting

#7 2012-04-11 22:41:48

Re: fresh install with syslinux is not booting

#8 2012-04-12 13:02:57

Re: fresh install with syslinux is not booting

#9 2012-04-15 07:34:46

Re: fresh install with syslinux is not booting

#10 2012-04-16 07:49:37

Re: fresh install with syslinux is not booting

#11 2012-04-17 09:08:31

Re: fresh install with syslinux is not booting

#12 2012-04-17 11:33:25

Re: fresh install with syslinux is not booting

#13 2012-04-18 14:50:32

Re: fresh install with syslinux is not booting

#14 2012-04-18 20:22:23

Re: fresh install with syslinux is not booting

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