Arch Linux

dmgus

Member

Registered: 2012-09-27

Posts: 18

[SOLVED] Cannot boot after installation

I cannot boot up the system after the new method of installation on ThinkPad T420. There is the following error message displayed: pxe-e61 media test failure check cable
Afterwards the dialog with hard drive is shown but if I select it nothing happens.

I tried Grub with UEFI, but it seems that it's not called at all. Now to simplify I use Syslinux with Bios mode, though still cannot boot normally. I also tried to change boot devices and order in BIOS settings for no avail.

Here is my config:
/dev/sda2 -> ext4 /boot
/dev/sda3 -> ext4 /
/dev/sda4 -> swap
/dev/sda5 -> ext4 /home

Observation: I can boot up using the following advice https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 7#p1159427
It works on my end with drive name = hd(1, 0)

Thank you

Last edited by dmgus (2012-09-28 23:51:48)

cfr

Member

From: Cymru

Registered: 2011-11-27

Posts: 7,132

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot boot after installation

What's your partition layout and what type of partition map are you using? Is there no /dev/sda1? (That shouldn't matter - just noticed it is all.)

Which UEFI BIOS do you have? (You can get this from the BIOS set up screen.)

Have you checked through the BIOS for options e.g. to enable both legacy and EFI booting?

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CLI Paste | How To Ask Questions

Arch Linux | x86_64 | GPT | EFI boot | refind | stub loader | systemd | LVM2 on LUKS
Lenovo x270 | Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-7200U CPU @ 2.50GHz | Intel Wireless 8265/8275 | US keyboard w/ Euro | 512G NVMe INTEL SSDPEKKF512G7L

dmgus

Member

Registered: 2012-09-27

Posts: 18

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot boot after installation

Some more details: I use GPT. Yes there was no /dev/sda1 but now I've created it with ext2 100mb starting from sector 2048 - the same result.
UEFI bios is 8CET50WW (1.30)
Yes I checked the BIOS for options, set both EFI - always the same

I think it could be because of boot flag, I set boot and legacy_boot for /dev/sda1 though in SysLinux HDT tool I see that the boot flag is not set.

DSpider

Member

From: Romania

Registered: 2009-08-23

Posts: 2,273

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot boot after installation

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Be … _UEFI_mode
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Be … therboards

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"How to Succeed with Linux"

I have made a personal commitment not to reply in topics that start with a lowercase letter. Proper grammar and punctuation is a sign of respect, and if you do not show any, you will NOT receive any help (at least not from me).

dmgus

Member

Registered: 2012-09-27

Posts: 18

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot boot after installation

DSpider, thanks, but is it possible in my situation to use BIOS mode somehow? (don't like to reinstall).

DSpider

Member

From: Romania

Registered: 2009-08-23

Posts: 2,273

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot boot after installation

You don't need to reinstall. BIOS compatibility mode may be poorly implemented for your motherboard. If it supports UEFI, then go with UEFI. I posted those links for you to test if the Arch Linux install ISO boots into UEFI mode. Then chroot into your system (mount the partitions to /mnt and run "arch-chroot /mnt"), and follow the bootloader instructions for UEFI motherboards.

Edit: The drive can be converted to GPT without repartitioning. See the GPT wiki page: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GP … MBR_to_GPT

But if you dual boot with Windows (and it's not a 64 bit install), you will probably need to reinstall Windows.

Last edited by DSpider (2012-09-28 09:33:31)

---

"How to Succeed with Linux"

I have made a personal commitment not to reply in topics that start with a lowercase letter. Proper grammar and punctuation is a sign of respect, and if you do not show any, you will NOT receive any help (at least not from me).

hunterthomson

Member

Registered: 2008-06-22

Posts: 794

Website

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot boot after installation

As you can see in my sig, I have a Thinkpad X230. Supposedly, UEFI works fine, however I don't trust it. I boot with my BIOS boot option setting left to default setting to support both Legacy and UEFI. Then I installed grub2-bios

No, you don't need to reinstall. You just may need to reinstall the bootloader. Sure, a dule-boot with Win would be something you need to consider.

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OpenBSD-current Thinkpad X230, i7-3520M, 16GB CL9 Kingston, Samsung 830 256GB
Contributor: linux-grsec

cfr

Member

From: Cymru

Registered: 2011-11-27

Posts: 7,132

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot boot after installation

@hunterthomson,
But are you using GPT? And is your BIOS the same?

Some ThinkPad BIOSs seem to be able to handle MBR + legacy boot fine but not GPT + legacy boot.

---

CLI Paste | How To Ask Questions

Arch Linux | x86_64 | GPT | EFI boot | refind | stub loader | systemd | LVM2 on LUKS
Lenovo x270 | Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-7200U CPU @ 2.50GHz | Intel Wireless 8265/8275 | US keyboard w/ Euro | 512G NVMe INTEL SSDPEKKF512G7L

WonderWoofy

Member

From: Los Gatos, CA

Registered: 2012-05-19

Posts: 8,414

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot boot after installation

I just have my system set up to boot UEFI, but I also have syslinux set up as well.  So if I experience catasrophic failure w/ UEFI, I have something to fall back on.  Like you hunterthompson, I do not fully trust UEFI (though I really like using the stub loader).

@OP, have you tried setting up a UEFI shell (or maybe your system already has a UEFI shell) and booting from there?  It would be a good indicator as to whether or not UEFI works well for your system.

dmgus

Member

Registered: 2012-09-27

Posts: 18

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot boot after installation

Thanks everyone, think the solution is here: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 2#p1088252

The point is: Lenovo T420s cannot boot from GPT

I switched to MBR and Syslinux and don't use GPT/UEFI and can boot now.

WonderWoofy

Member

From: Los Gatos, CA

Registered: 2012-05-19

Posts: 8,414

Re: [SOLVED] Cannot boot after installation

Wow, that rather sucks.  I guess that really makes me glad I have my legacy bios set as a backup.