After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

brgr · 2013-04-02 18:56:16

I have been trying (several times now) to install Arch Linux. After the install, it just showed the message "No bootable device found".

I have already asked for a solution here, but until now no one could really help me.

I will paste my text from the other site here, to explain exactly my situation:

I've been trying to install Arch Linux. After the installation, it shows the BIOS screen and after that there just comes a message that says "No bootable device found".
I have retried the whole scenario now some times, still it just shows the same message...
At installing, I have followed the Unofficial Beginner's Guide from the ArchLinux wiki.
Here is what I did:
First of all, I wiped the hard drive (on which before the wipe was Windows Vista installed) and put GPT on it by using gdisk. Then I set up some partitions, which now look as the following (output of parted):
Model: ATA ST9160310AS (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 160GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags:
Number Start End Size File system Name Flags
1 1049kB 2097kB 1049kB BIOS boot partition bios_grub
2 2097kB 107MB 105MB ext2 Linux filesystem
3 107MB 21.6GB 21.5GB ext4 Linux filesystem
4 21.6GB 30.2GB 8590MB linux-swap(v1) Linux swap
5 30.2GB 160GB 130GB ext4 Linux filesystem
Then I mounted the root partition (sda2) to /mnt, after that also the boot and the home partition (sda3 and sda5) to /mnt/boot and /mnt/home and at the end formatted and activated the swap partition (sda4).
Now I began installing the base system. After selecting the mirrors, I installed base and base-devel.
At the end of the install I generated an fstab.
Then I finally chrooted into /mnt, set up some Locales, set a root password and then installed and configured Grub2, exactly as it is explained here.
At the end I exited from the chroot environment, unmounted the partitions and rebooted. You know the rest... It just showed the message that it coudn't find any bootable devices.
By the way, I tried to install it on this computer.
Hopefully someone finds out what I did wrong, thanks in advance!

Last edited by brgr (2013-04-03 17:58:20)

Scimmia · 2013-04-02 18:59:38

Will your BIOS boot GPT? Some won't.

WonderWoofy · 2013-04-02 19:04:28

What was the output of grub when trying to install it? Did you actually try to install it, or did you just make a configuration? What is the boot device set to? How many Easter bunnies visited your house on Sunday? What is your name? What is your favorite color? What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

As you can see, your post was a good start, but there is much more information you should provide in order to get help. Also, giving a link to show what kind of computer you have is kind of annoying. If you really wanted to tell about what your computer has in it, you should have provided the output of lspci, though that should not matter in this case.

Seeing that this will be the only OS on the computer, I highly recommend syslinux, as it is much much less crazy complicated than grub is, and gives you actual control over what is in your configuration file. (Even if you have multiple OSes on your machine, I still recommend syslinux because chainloading to extlinux I still find much less f*cked up than using grub.)

WonderWoofy · 2013-04-02 19:06:16

Scimmia wrote:

Will your BIOS boot GPT? Some won't.

I think that the partition scheme typically doesn't matter as the bios will only read the MBR, then the partition table is read from the bootloader/kernel/etc. Of course, this is totally not the case in a UEFI system where it has to be able to locate the ESP in order to find the necessary efi applications. Srs5694 will know...

opt1mus · 2013-04-02 19:06:47

Pasting into this thread your /etc/fstab and /boot/grub/grub.cfg would be a help - placing it in code tags too.

Scimmia · 2013-04-02 19:09:16

WonderWoofy wrote:

Scimmia wrote:
Will your BIOS boot GPT? Some won't.
I think that the partition scheme typically doesn't matter as the bios will only read the MBR, then the partition table is read from the bootloader/kernel/etc.

But GPT doesn't have an MBR.

brgr · 2013-04-02 19:12:41

@Scimma: How can I check that?

@WonderWoofy: I actually installed it, and everything was alright. What do you mean by what the boot device is set to?
The thing with the information is, I really don't know what else I could say about this, sorry...

To answer the rest of your questions, my name is Berger (well, my last name), I didnt' count the easter bunnies because there were so many, my favourite color is blue and the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow is around 50-65 mph.

WonderWoofy · 2013-04-02 19:15:22

Scimmia wrote:

WonderWoofy wrote:
Scimmia wrote:
Will your BIOS boot GPT? Some won't.
I think that the partition scheme typically doesn't matter as the bios will only read the MBR, then the partition table is read from the bootloader/kernel/etc.
But GPT doesn't have an MBR.

Actually it does. It is a protective MBR, which ensures that MBR only applications don't think there is a sh*t load of free space that it can use freely. But in this case, what I mean by MBR is the first 446 bytes that the firmware reads and loads (which is typically the bootloader).

So you are using GPT, which is the partition table that is located after where the traditional MBR would be, and then extends to the just before the first partition. That leaves the first 512 bytes free, (the traditional MBR), of which the last 66 bytes hold the protective MBR (one giant partition that spans the whole disk, and is fdisk partition type ee). So those first 446 bytes are still the area in which the system boots off of.

Edit:

...and the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow is around 50-65 mph.

What do you mean, African or European?

Last edited by WonderWoofy (2013-04-02 19:16:35)

Scimmia · 2013-04-02 19:37:44

brgr wrote:

@Scimma: How can I check that?

Simplest way is to repartition to MBR and see if it works. Really, the main advantages of GPT are the ability to have a lot of primary partitions and the ability to have very large partitions, neither of which are an issue here.

I'm with WonderWoofy in preferring syslinux, but I don't think that's an issue here. You're not even getting into the bootloader, so unless grub2 isn't even installed, I don't think the bootloader is the problem.

WonderWoofy wrote:

Actually it does. It is a protective MBR, which ensures that MBR only applications don't think there is a sh*t load of free space that it can use freely. But in this case, what I mean by MBR is the first 446 bytes that the firmware reads and loads (which is typically the bootloader).
So you are using GPT, which is the partition table that is located after where the traditional MBR would be, and then extends to the just before the first partition. That leaves the first 512 bytes free, (the traditional MBR), of which the last 66 bytes hold the protective MBR (one giant partition that spans the whole disk, and is fdisk partition type ee). So those first 446 bytes are still the area in which the system boots off of.

OK, I should have said it doesn't have a functional MBR. Any BIOS that parses the MBR for any reason will fail with GPT.

brgr · 2013-04-02 19:46:17

So, here is the /boot/grub/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 [ 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$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod part_gpt
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,gpt3'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt3 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt3 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt3  f8d04422-e0a0-486e-ab$
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root f8d04422-e0a0-486e-abfd-43fa63f5e10e
fi
    font="/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
set timeout=5
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Arch GNU/Linux, with Linux core repo kernel' --class arch --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'g$
        load_video
        set gfxpayload=keep
        insmod gzio
        insmod part_gpt
        insmod ext2
        set root='hd0,gpt2'
        if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt2 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt2  4ada76a3-b73a$
        else
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4ada76a3-b73a-4ddd-94e2-e723e15cdc84
        fi
        echo    'Loading Linux core repo kernel ...'
        linux   /vmlinuz-linux root=UUID=f8d04422-e0a0-486e-abfd-43fa63f5e10e ro  quiet
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd  /initramfs-linux.img
}
menuentry 'Arch GNU/Linux, with Linux core repo kernel (Fallback initramfs)' --class arch --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $m$
        load_video
        set gfxpayload=keep
        insmod gzio
        insmod part_gpt
        insmod ext2
        set root='hd0,gpt2'
        if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt2 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt2  4ada76a3-b73a$
        else
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 4ada76a3-b73a-4ddd-94e2-e723e15cdc84
        fi
        echo    'Loading Linux core repo kernel ...'
        linux   /vmlinuz-linux root=UUID=f8d04422-e0a0-486e-abfd-43fa63f5e10e 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  ${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 ###

and here the /etc/fstab:

# /etc/fstab: static file system information
#
# <file system> <dir>   <type>  <options>       <dump>  <pass>
# /dev/sda3 LABEL=system
UUID=f8d04422-e0a0-486e-abfd-43fa63f5e10e       /mnt            ext4            rw,relatime,data=ordered        0 1

# /dev/sda2 LABEL=boot
UUID=4ada76a3-b73a-4ddd-94e2-e723e15cdc84       /boot           ext2            rw,relatime     0 2

# /dev/sda5 LABEL=userdata
UUID=964b46b9-8b33-4978-bcef-5c9e41ade8c6       /home           ext4            rw,relatime,data=ordered        0 2

# /dev/sda4 LABEL=swap
UUID=276da045-ffba-4b20-9230-2540898541b1       none            swap            defaults        0 0

# /dev/sda3 LABEL=system
UUID=f8d04422-e0a0-486e-abfd-43fa63f5e10e       /mnt            ext4            rw,relatime,data=ordered        0 1

# /dev/sda3 LABEL=system
UUID=f8d04422-e0a0-486e-abfd-43fa63f5e10e       /               ext4            rw,relatime,data=ordered        0 1

# UUID=f8d04422-e0a0-486e-abfd-43fa63f5e10e LABEL=system
/dev/sda3               /mnt            ext4            rw,relatime,data=ordered        0 1

# UUID=4ada76a3-b73a-4ddd-94e2-e723e15cdc84 LABEL=boot
/dev/sda2               /boot           ext2            rw,relatime     0 2

# UUID=964b46b9-8b33-4978-bcef-5c9e41ade8c6 LABEL=userdata
/dev/sda5               /home           ext4            rw,relatime,data=ordered        0 2

# UUID=276da045-ffba-4b20-9230-2540898541b1 LABEL=swap
/dev/sda4               none            swap            defaults        0 0

@Scimmia: I will try this out tomorrow, I don't have enough time to do it now.

WonderWoofy · 2013-04-02 20:05:08

You can use gdisk to covert from GPT to MBR partitioning.

DSpider · 2013-04-02 20:17:47

"No bootable device found" means that you need to go into the BIOS and change the hard disk boot priority.

+1 for ditching GPT in favour of MBR, because, well... Did you read the notes from the Beginners' Guide, where it says that some BIOS systems may have issues with GPT?

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Be … rage_drive

Also, your fstab is a complete mess. Wtf is /dev/sda3 supposed to be? The root partition? Multiple entries for /mnt and /... Ugh. You ran genfstab more than once, didn't you? Yeah, don't do that. Remove /etc/fstab (or move it somewhere else), mount the partitions in their correct order, and run genfstab again.

Last edited by DSpider (2013-04-02 20:18:36)

brgr · 2013-04-03 15:33:22

Hello guys!

I changed the GPT with the MBR and it works now!!

Thank you all for your help!

Inxsible · 2013-04-03 16:54:03

please mark your thread as solved. Search if you don't know how.

Arch Linux

#1 2013-04-02 18:56:16

After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

#2 2013-04-02 18:59:38

Re: After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

#3 2013-04-02 19:04:28

Re: After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

#4 2013-04-02 19:06:16

Re: After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

#5 2013-04-02 19:06:47

Re: After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

#6 2013-04-02 19:09:16

Re: After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

#7 2013-04-02 19:12:41

Re: After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

#8 2013-04-02 19:15:22

Re: After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

#9 2013-04-02 19:37:44

Re: After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

#10 2013-04-02 19:46:17

Re: After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

#11 2013-04-02 20:05:08

Re: After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

#12 2013-04-02 20:17:47

Re: After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

#13 2013-04-03 15:33:22

Re: After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

#14 2013-04-03 16:54:03

Re: After install it just says "No bootable device found" [SOLVED]

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