Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB. Windows umounted

rb7_brady · 2014-05-20 16:56:57

I set up a dual boot on SDA and my windows partitions take sda1-4. Theyre recorver, efi, basic data and reserved. They are all unmounted one and even further i accidentally changed EFI to a swap file. running mkswap /dev/sda2 and swapon /dev/sda2. I have since converted it by using mkfs.fat -F32 /dev/sda2 though. Is there anyway i can remount these partitions so i can access my windows data again? I use grub as my bootloader.

Edit:

This is what i posted below to add some clarity. I just wanted to put it at the top too

Sorry, i'm not the most adept at the terminology etc. I've never really dealt with systems so deep down before. Let me explain in a little more detail:
I want to boot windows from grub. ALL of my partitions on my hard drive are as such:
sda1: Windows Recovery Environment
sda2: EFI System
sda3: Microsoft reserved
sda4: Microsoft basic data
sda5: /root for arch
sda6: /home for arch
When i originally installed windows about a year ago it created its own EFI System partition. I use a UEFI MoBo obviously. After i unmounted and changed EFI System to swap, i reformatted back to fat32. Then i set that to as my boot for my arch system. I read somewhere that if you dualboot Windows and Arch you only need one EFI System partition on that harddrive. That is why sda2 is the boot partition for linux.
Now this is where i'm a bit hazy so please excuse my ignorance: I would like to boot windows through grub. Basically as you would do if you set up a dualboot system with windows and arch and you didnt accidentally unmount like i did. I have posted myfstab file, but i will also post my grub.cfg as i have absolutely no idea what needs to be changed in either file to fix this. Like i said i'm not particularly adept at this as i was not expected to be thrown of the rails so much (which was my own fault for unmounting my partitions). Here is my grub:
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 8 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)"{
search --set=root --file /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
chainloader /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
I automatically created the grub file during installation so i wont post the arch linux grub info as its super long. What i posted is what i manually added to my grub file. It doesnt work because there is no EFI/Microsoft directory in my boot folder.
I hope this is a little more detailed.

Last edited by rb7_brady (2014-05-20 18:23:48)

Spider.007 · 2014-05-20 16:58:36

Are you sure you mean you want to mount them? Because if you simply read `man mount` this should be easy. If you still need help; post your fstab and specific problem you're having

Last edited by Spider.007 (2014-05-20 16:58:58)

rb7_brady · 2014-05-20 17:04:59

[ryan@archryan etc]$ cat fstab
#
# /etc/fstab: static file system information
#
# <file system> <dir> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
# /dev/sda5
UUID=915bf7ac-51d9-4275-8e91-5ed383e9213c / ext4 rw,relatime,data=ordered 0 1

# /dev/sda6
UUID=4e0792f6-f7c2-4302-a41c-0ffc159c8cdc /home ext4 rw,relatime,data=ordered 0 2

# /dev/sda2
UUID=99DE-3131 /boot vfat rw,relatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,errors=remount-ro 0 2

Thats my fstab, can somebody tell me what i have to add to make the windows partitions on there? My problem is that windows doesnt show up on grub

Last edited by rb7_brady (2014-05-20 17:05:34)

Trilby · 2014-05-20 17:10:40

rb7_brady wrote:

tell me what i have to add to make the windows partitions on there? My problem is that windows doesnt show up on grub

Erm ... these aren't related. At all.

First, can you clarify what the partitions are. In your first post you said sda2 was the EFI partition, then you said you (accidentally) turned it into swap and wanted to recover it. Now, you post an fstab indicating that sda2 is the boot partition for your linux installation.

Also, do you want to mount your windows partitions in arch? If so, have you followed the wiki on adding them to your fstab? But first, do you really want this? Or do you just want to be able to boot windows from Grub? If this is the case, this has nothing to do with mounting those partitions in linux.

Please clarify - and take your time to do so carefully. You may know exactly what you want, but we are clueless.

Last edited by Trilby (2014-05-20 17:11:40)

Spider.007 · 2014-05-20 17:18:55

Trilby wrote:

rb7_brady wrote:
tell me what i have to add to make the windows partitions on there? My problem is that windows doesnt show up on grub
[...]
Please clarify - and take your time to do so carefully. You may know exactly what you want, but we are clueless.

^ This, plus; if you are not sure what you mean; just explain it instead of throwing terminology around which is incorrect and makes things worse (since you don't seem to know what mount actually means )

rb7_brady · 2014-05-20 17:21:08

Sorry, i'm not the most adept at the terminology etc. I've never really dealt with systems so deep down before. Let me explain in a little more detail:

I want to boot windows from grub. ALL of my partitions on my hard drive are as such:
sda1: Windows Recovery Environment
sda2: EFI System
sda3: Microsoft reserved
sda4: Microsoft basic data
sda5: /root for arch
sda6: /home for arch

When i originally installed windows about a year ago it created its own EFI System partition. I use a UEFI MoBo obviously. After i unmounted and changed EFI System to swap, i reformatted back to fat32. Then i set that to as my boot for my arch system. I read somewhere that if you dualboot Windows and Arch you only need one EFI System partition on that harddrive. That is why sda2 is the boot partition for linux.

Now this is where i'm a bit hazy so please excuse my ignorance: I would like to boot windows through grub. Basically as you would do if you set up a dualboot system with windows and arch and you didnt accidentally unmount like i did. I have posted myfstab file, but i will also post my grub.cfg as i have absolutely no idea what needs to be changed in either file to fix this. Like i said i'm not particularly adept at this as i was not expected to be thrown of the rails so much (which was my own fault for unmounting my partitions). Here is my grub:

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 8 (loader) (on /dev/sda1)"{
search --set=root --file /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
chainloader /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

I automatically created the grub file during installation so i wont post the arch linux grub info as its super long. What i posted is what i manually added to my grub file. It doesnt work because there is no EFI/Microsoft directory in my boot folder.

I hope this is a little more detailed.

Last edited by rb7_brady (2014-05-20 17:22:59)

rb7_brady · 2014-05-20 17:21:52

Spider.007 wrote:

Trilby wrote:
rb7_brady wrote:
tell me what i have to add to make the windows partitions on there? My problem is that windows doesnt show up on grub
[...]
Please clarify - and take your time to do so carefully. You may know exactly what you want, but we are clueless.
^ This, plus; if you are not sure what you mean; just explain it instead of throwing terminology around which is incorrect and makes things worse (since you don't seem to know what mount actually means )

ha sorry, i didnt know i was using terminology wrong, but i posted a response which i hope is a little more clear.

Trilby · 2014-05-20 17:30:32

Yes, this is much more clear, thank you.

It looks like you are on the right track now. I personally have only breifly dabbled with uefi, and never with grub - so I can't help there. But before you wiped sda2, windows would have maintained code on the efi partition - I believe that is what needs to be restored.

This may be what you need, but I'm not sure how you can restore the window's *.efi file(s).

Perhaps a thread title like "Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB" would attract the attention of those who could be of most help.

Last edited by Trilby (2014-05-20 17:31:19)

rb7_brady · 2014-05-20 17:55:28

Trilby wrote:

Yes, this is much more clear, thank you.
It looks like you are on the right track now. I personally have only breifly dabbled with uefi, and never with grub - so I can't help there. But before you wiped sda2, windows would have maintained code on the efi partition - I believe that is what needs to be restored.
This may be what you need, but I'm not sure how you can restore the window's *.efi file(s).
Perhaps a thread title like "Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB" would attract the attention of those who could be of most help.

Okay thanks for the help. I will play around with what is posted on that link.

I made an account because of this issue so i've never really posted here before. Do you think this is the correct forum category to post my issue in? And if i want to make a new post with the title you suggested is there a way to delete this one?

Trilby · 2014-05-20 18:19:59

I think this is a reasonable subforum for this to be in. There is no need to start a new thread to change the title - you can click on "Edit" in the lower right corner of your first post. This will allow you to revise the title of this thread.

Also, please check out the forum guidelines[1]. This will include information about using [ code ] tags in posts and other "cultural norms" that will help us help you.

[1] A few "stickied" threads here and this wiki page

Last edited by Trilby (2014-05-20 18:23:24)

Spider.007 · 2014-05-21 07:35:35

Okay; so since you formatted the EFI partition; the ' /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi' that is referenced in the grub configuration is now gone.

Google has a few hints on this; I think the way to go is to use the Windows Recovery CD to restore the installation. It should be able to regenerate the Windows EFI file that you removed

Arch Linux

#1 2014-05-20 16:56:57

Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB. Windows umounted

#2 2014-05-20 16:58:36

Re: Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB. Windows umounted

#3 2014-05-20 17:04:59

Re: Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB. Windows umounted

#4 2014-05-20 17:10:40

Re: Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB. Windows umounted

#5 2014-05-20 17:18:55

Re: Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB. Windows umounted

#6 2014-05-20 17:21:08

Re: Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB. Windows umounted

#7 2014-05-20 17:21:52

Re: Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB. Windows umounted

#8 2014-05-20 17:30:32

Re: Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB. Windows umounted

#9 2014-05-20 17:55:28

Re: Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB. Windows umounted

#10 2014-05-20 18:19:59

Re: Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB. Windows umounted

#11 2014-05-21 07:35:35

Re: Restore windows efi entry to dual boot with GRUB. Windows umounted

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