[SOLVED, workaround] Gummiboot dual boot doesn't boot Windows any more

developej · 2014-01-06 13:28:53

Hey,

I had a dual boot setup, gummiboot, Arch Linux as default entry and Windows as seconds OS. Both worked fine for a few months now, but today I wanted to boot into Windows and it gave an error:

The boot selection failed because a required device is inaccessible

Arch Linux still boots with no problems.

I didn't boot into windows for a few weeks now, and I don't know what caused the error...

So I guess I have two questions:
1. Why did this happen?
2. What is the most painless way to fix it?

Thanks,
developej

Last edited by developej (2014-01-08 12:59:06)

TheSaint · 2014-01-06 17:49:45

Have you touched partitions recently?
Do you can access Win partition from Arch?

developej · 2014-01-06 17:57:17

I don't remember doing anything with partitions. I however do remember installing some ext driver in Windows, for accessing my Arch partitions. But it worked through few reboots after installing those.

I have this in /etc/fstab

# /dev/sda4
UUID=679901523508E319   /mnt/gaming ntfs        defaults 0 0

 ~  mount

***

/dev/sda4 on /mnt/gaming type fuseblk (rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime,user_id=0,group_id=0,allow_other,blksize=4096)

but it doesn't seem to be working any more...

 /mnt/gaming  ls -alh
total 16K
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root  12K Dec 26 15:29 .
drwxr-xr-x 5 root root 4.0K Dec 26 15:52 ..

Last edited by developej (2014-01-06 17:57:50)

TheSaint · 2014-01-06 18:27:55

Maybe last time when exiting Windows it was abruptly shut down and the file system was left half way.
Try to launch Archiso (either CD or USB) MBR mode (maybe EFI would be possible too). Then try to modify one of the syslinux/gummiboot boot entry to point to the windows's boot loader.

Lastly you should find a Windows-repair-CD or a forensic CD to try to see what are the problems there.

developej · 2014-01-06 18:56:25

Thing is I didn't create anything in gummiboot for Windows...it detected it by itself, so I don't know what would I be editing?

 /boot/loader/entries  l
total 12K
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4.0K Dec  4 10:57 .
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4.0K Dec  4 10:56 ..
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  101 Dec  4 10:57 arch.conf

There is only arch.conf I created as instructed in the Beginner's Guide and I don't see anything in any of the folders for Windows partition?
Can you please be more specific or point me to a wiki page/website/anything, because everywhere I looked it says that gummiboot will automatically detect Windows...

Thanks

edit: a little update to the post, if it helps...

 ~  sudo gummiboot status
Boot Loader Binaries:
          ESP: /dev/disk/by-partuuid/1cbb0d42-8d0c-4206-bd85-6aa67487bb3a
         File: └─/EFI/gummiboot/gummibootx64.efi (gummiboot 41)
         File: └─/EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi (gummiboot 41)

Boot Loader Entries in EFI Variables:
        Title: Linux Boot Manager
           ID: 0x0001
       Status: active, boot-order
    Partition: /dev/disk/by-partuuid/1cbb0d42-8d0c-4206-bd85-6aa67487bb3a
         File: └─/EFI/gummiboot/gummibootx64.efi

        Title: Windows Boot Manager
           ID: 0x0000
       Status: active, boot-order
    Partition: /dev/disk/by-partuuid/1cbb0d42-8d0c-4206-bd85-6aa67487bb3a
         File: └─/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi

Last edited by developej (2014-01-06 22:18:52)

developej · 2014-01-07 11:05:58

Ok, I still haven't fixed this. I don't know what should I edit for the Windows gummiboot entry, because I didn't touch anything as I said - it was detected automatically and all I have is arch.conf...

I found this - http://superuser.com/questions/207696/w … sible?rq=1
The 'solution' here is reinstalling Windows, but why would I do that if it can happen again tomorrow...I don't want to reinstall Windows every week.

Last edited by developej (2014-01-07 11:06:20)

TheSaint · 2014-01-07 17:46:49

Ah! I got it.
You should add another entry, say, named Windows_8.conf. Then $esp/loader/entries/Windows_8.conf
Then edit the Windows_8.conf

Title: Windows Boot Manager
efi /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi

There's the wiki that will tell you how to edit one entry at boot time. So then you'll have the chance to try&fail until you'll get your success.

developej · 2014-01-07 18:58:18

/boot/loader/entries  l
total 16K
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4.0K Jan  7 19:53 .
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4.0K Dec  4 10:56 ..
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  101 Dec  4 10:57 arch.conf
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root   61 Jan  7 19:53 windows.conf

/boot/loader/entries  cat windows.conf
title    Windows 7
efi      /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi

Now when I boot I have:
1. Arch Linux
2. Windows 7 (that's the new one)
3. Windows boot loader (that's the old one)
...
...

Neither 2 or 3 work, still only Arch boots...

edit: I tried to boot Windows directly from BIOS, same error...I also still can't get it to show files when mounted on /mnt/gaming
I don't think this has anything to do with gummiboot any more. But I still don't know how to fix it

edit2: I also found this - http://www.sevenforums.com/installation … ice-i.html
I can't believe that everywhere I look they recommend a clean install as the solution...Let's say I do a clean install, and it happens again after two days, what then? Another clean install?

Last edited by developej (2014-01-07 21:21:20)

developej · 2014-01-08 09:15:46

Since I couldn't find anything smarter, I ended up reinstalling it. If it happens again, I am gonna cry

edit: I don't longer get the boot entries list to choose what to boot. First time I configured dual boot I partitioned the SSD, installed Windows on NTFS partition, then installed Arch Linux and then gummiboot (I have a 512MB EFI partition as first).

If go into BIOS I can do a 'boot override' and boot my Arch, but how do I get the list back? Do I need to boot with Arch ISO and reinstall gummiboot? I wouldn't like to screw something up...

edit2: Fixed it only by rearranging boot order in BIOS. When Linux is first, it provides list on boot.

Last edited by developej (2014-01-08 09:59:10)

TheSaint · 2014-01-13 15:53:16

Post

efibootmgr

You should have it if you got grub installed. This will show your NVRAM entries
But what will say

# find /boot -iname '*.efi'

That will tell where is the windows bootloader is.
Show also the gummiboot's entries and configuration.
What about shellx64.efi?

Last edited by TheSaint (2014-01-13 15:58:27)

Arch Linux

#1 2014-01-06 13:28:53

[SOLVED, workaround] Gummiboot dual boot doesn't boot Windows any more

#2 2014-01-06 17:49:45

Re: [SOLVED, workaround] Gummiboot dual boot doesn't boot Windows any more

#3 2014-01-06 17:57:17

Re: [SOLVED, workaround] Gummiboot dual boot doesn't boot Windows any more

#4 2014-01-06 18:27:55

Re: [SOLVED, workaround] Gummiboot dual boot doesn't boot Windows any more

#5 2014-01-06 18:56:25

Re: [SOLVED, workaround] Gummiboot dual boot doesn't boot Windows any more

#6 2014-01-07 11:05:58

Re: [SOLVED, workaround] Gummiboot dual boot doesn't boot Windows any more

#7 2014-01-07 17:46:49

Re: [SOLVED, workaround] Gummiboot dual boot doesn't boot Windows any more

#8 2014-01-07 18:58:18

Re: [SOLVED, workaround] Gummiboot dual boot doesn't boot Windows any more

#9 2014-01-08 09:15:46

Re: [SOLVED, workaround] Gummiboot dual boot doesn't boot Windows any more

#10 2014-01-13 15:53:16

Re: [SOLVED, workaround] Gummiboot dual boot doesn't boot Windows any more

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