error: no such device: GRUB problem

Issa · 2014-12-27 14:59:44

MasterM1ind

I'd really recommend to start from scratch as it might get harder and harder to find the cause for problems you might be confronted with in the future.

I also recommend to write down each step you take, to be able to remember later what you did. I installed arch four times on my new machine before I managed to figure out how to use rsync to create a backup of my system in order to create backups between major changes (to be able to easily reset the system to an earlier stage) - It's really worth the time plus you will get some understanding on how to create backups later (which you definitely want to do).

From your other thread I understand that you probably want to use a Desktop environment for every day use - Please take some time to read about your options here: Wiki - Desktop environments Please don't expect too much from your system though.

MasterM1nd · 2014-12-27 15:28:02

LONE_WOLF, GOT IT

TRILBY, Got it! Reading Beginners installation and now I will not use any command outside from Beginners guide.

ISSA, Yea. Now i'm writing like you too

One question:

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

In mounting the partitions (Link above).

it says we have to mount by order.
First by root
like

# mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

In the above case sda1 is my root partition
Then I have to

# mkdir /mnt/home
# mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/home

In the above case sda2 is my home partition.

Now it's written on the wiki that we have to do the same thing if we have other partitions (/var and /boot etc).

Now same thing for /var and /boot like below:

# mkdir /mnt/var
# mount /dev/sda3 /mnt/var

# mkdir /mnt/boot
# mount /dev/sda4 /mnt/boot

In the above cases sda3 is /var and sda4 is /boot

We have to do the same thing for SWAP file too?

# mkdir /mnt/swap
# mount /dev/sda5 /mnt/swap

1 more thing, In ARCH linux IRC channel. People are recommending me to not to have separate /home and /var (the /var used in the wiki is just for example).

So Should I only proceed with a root partition (/) and a swap ?

Head_on_a_Stick · 2014-12-27 15:47:16

Against my better judgement, but anyway:

The wiki page you still have not read properly wrote:

If you have made a partition dedicated to swap (code 82), do not forget to format and activate it with:
# mkswap /dev/sdaX
# swapon /dev/sdaX

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

MasterM1nd · 2014-12-27 15:50:44

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

Against my better judgement, but anyway:
The wiki page you still have not read properly wrote:
If you have made a partition dedicated to swap (code 82), do not forget to format and activate it with:
# mkswap /dev/sdaX
# swapon /dev/sdaX
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Be … ilesystems

I've read that step and also have noted (I have noted all the commands which I will be using from BEGINNERS GUIDE).
But that step only shows formating the swap partition and activating it. I'm asking about that do we have to mount it like we mount the home in Mounting the partitions steps, or not?

Instead of all this, Can I proceed with just a / (root partition) and /swap partition? Or should I proceed with / (root), /home, /boot, /var, /swap

Last edited by MasterM1nd (2014-12-27 15:55:02)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2014-12-27 15:55:19

Keep it simple -- just use one main partition + swap.

No, you don't have to mount it -- if you did, there would be a step in the guide telling you to do that.

MasterM1nd · 2014-12-27 16:00:54

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

Keep it simple -- just use one main partition + swap.
No, you don't have to mount it -- if you did, there would be a step in the guide telling you to do that.

Thank You )

I will be only having / , /home and /swap !

22GB for root
23GB for home
and 4GB for swap..

The reason I'll be having /home is because in the wiki, HOME and ROOT are taken. So It will be easy to follow

MasterM1nd · 2014-12-27 21:19:23

I am installing it. I am at the step where I have downloaded the grub, and when I run the command :

grub-install --target=i386-pc --recheck /Dev/sda/

I get the following error:

Grub-install: warning: this GPT partition label contains no BIOS Boot partition; embedding won't be possible
Grub-install: warning: embedding is not possible. GRUB can only be installed in this setup by using blocklists. However, block lists are unreliable and their use is discouraged
Grub-install: error: will not proceed with block lists

Now please help. While searching for this, I've founded this topic: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=159865

Head_on_a_Stick · 2014-12-27 21:30:34

OK, when you posted your GRUB command line output the disk was listed as MS-DOS type -- ie, an MBR disk. See post #13

Now it's a GPT disk.

What did you do to change it?

Now that it is a GPT disk you need to create a BIOS Boot Partition (type "EF02" in gdisk) -- this may not work anyway, there are problems with GPT disks and non-EFI booting.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GPT#BIOS_systems

Please read these links, especially the second one:
http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
http://www.skidmore.edu/~pdwyer/e/eoc/help_vampire.htm

MasterM1nd · 2014-12-27 21:35:24

So I should exit from chroot and try making a bios boot partition and then again come in chroot to use that grub install command?

Head_on_a_Stick · 2014-12-27 21:41:03

Why don't you try making a new partition from your mounted system and find out for yourself.

I give up with this -- you are being a help vampire.

If you can't work this out you should be using another distribution.

I'm almost sure you're just winding me up.

MasterM1nd · 2014-12-27 21:57:03

Just to tell that I Do that and it was done nicely.
After installing grub and os-prober I exit and reboot.

After rebooting a black screen with GRUB written on it with a blinking cursor next to it. Tried to boot into windows through plop boot manager but it is only showing 1 HD partition and on booting in it. No valid boot sector error comes. I think (not sure) that after doing everything correct this time I've also messed up my windows

Last edited by MasterM1nd (2014-12-27 21:58:01)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2014-12-27 22:01:00

Because you changed the partition table type and overwrote the MBR containing the bootloader...

Sorry for your loss.

Perhaps another vampire feeder user will be able to help you install in EFI mode now that you have a GPT disk.

TheSaint · 2014-12-28 01:15:46

You should leave this thread, please email me

Last edited by TheSaint (2014-12-28 01:19:39)

MasterM1nd · 2014-12-28 10:11:51

well I don't have your email

Lone_Wolf · 2014-12-28 11:13:42

MasterM1nd,

You have made progress since you started this thread, but the last problem you encountered makes me wonder if archlinux is suited for you.

IF you want to continue with archlinux, i suggest you first sit back, read this thread multiple times and think hard about what went wrong and how you can avoid that in future.

You could also look into arch based distros .

TheSaint · 2014-12-28 12:10:15

I thought you got closed to finish.
If you like, you may page me at cra7yh0rse@yopmail.com is a zero in horse, a bit of obfuscation

Issa · 2014-12-28 16:39:58

MasterM1nd

I have the feeling, that you used a second boot medium to explore your system after your first install? I remember you mentioned a tool that allowed you to boot into windows?
While this probably gave you confidance not to have killed your windows machine, it might have changed something on the HDD itself.

Another possibility could be, that you tried to install onto the wrong device. We have no info about how your HDD is formatted, what devices are/were connected to your device.

Please:

1. Boot your pc connected to all the devices you plan to keep connected to your device (such as usb thump drives, external hdd/dvd drives etc.)
2. run the command fdisk -l as root/with sudo
3. write down all the information it gives to you in the columns: Device, Size, Id, Type

Keep in mind, that connecting/disconnecting devices to your pc will alter this information (in fact, the exact order and naming can change everytime you boot your machine)

MasterM1nd · 2014-12-28 20:05:57

Lone_wolf , thank you.. I've read that... This time I followed every step which is mentioned on Beginners guide. Also I use the same stuff fr partitioning. Like in beginners guide you will find the examples with /root and /home , so I have also used only /root and /home (/swap too)... I've details of every command which I've used. First I wrote those commands in a notebook and after analyzing them that what it does , I used those...

The_Saint, check it

Issa, OK . I turned the PC on and booted into Arch Linux through the USB on which arch is burned. And then I used

fdisk -l

and it gives me the following output (I'm writing the whole output instead of just that section)..

Disk /dev/SDA: 149.1 GiB, 160041885696 bytes, 312581808 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: EA2363C7-55A4-4DFE-AF7C-518142DEFBD4 

Device                  Start             End                   Sectors              Size            Type
/dev/sda1             63              209792834               209792772                100G          Microsoft basic data
/dev/sda2             209792835       255930178               46137344                 22G           Linux filesystem 
/dev/sda3             255930179       304164674              48234496                  23G           Linux home
/dev/sda4             304164675       312553282               8388608                    4G             Linux swap
/dev/sda5             312553472        312581774                28303                   13.8M          BIOS boot

Disk /dev/sdb: 2 GiB, 2098200576 bytes, 4098048 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x7b4846bc

Device                Boot        Start           End          Sectors         Size        Id         Type
/dev/sdb1         *                    0        1183743        1183744        578M       0         Empty
/dev/sdb2                            252         63739      63488              31M      ef         EFI (FAT-12/16/32)

Disk /dev/loop0: 245 MiB, 256950272 bytes,  501856 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk /dev/loop1: 32 GiB, 34359738368 bytes, 67108864 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes/512 bytes
Disk /dev/loop2: 256 MiB, 268435456 bytes, 524288 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk /dev/mapper/arch_airootfs: 32 GiB, 34359738368 bytes, 67108864 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Lone_Wolf · 2014-12-29 11:57:52

Disklabel type: gpt

Also re-read post #33 by Head_on_a_Stick .

SOMEHOW you converted your harddrive from dos/mbr to GPT .

This poses several problems :

- afaict your pc uses BIOS, bios doesn't know how to deal with GPT drives
- windows versions before 7 can't handle gpt-drives at all
- windows 7+ can use them , but changing from mbr to gpt after installing gives windows major headaches & severe nervous breakdowns.

You can change the disk back to MBR, but afaict that will DESTROY ALL DATA.

BEFORE you do anything else, backup everything important on this drive

Last edited by Lone_Wolf (2014-12-29 11:58:40)

MasterM1nd · 2014-12-29 17:23:08

Hmmm don't know what I did ...
But how can I backup data when it is not allowing me to boot into either os (windows/Linux)
I've backup of very important files. I've kept them before trying Linux... But I don't think there's a way to backup some more files....

Issa · 2014-12-29 20:04:29

MasterM1nd you can do this by booting into (for example) a live session of ubuntu and open every partition as an external drive (then select the folders you want to backup and save them on a second external HDD.

For this to work you probably want to work in a terminal sice GUI programs are run without root thus not allowing certain operations. So this will take you some time to understand some basic concepts about:

mounting a partition
using the terminal (cd, ls, sudo, mount, umount, mkdir, rm, cp ...)
right management of linux (sudo, chown, chgrp)

if you don't find out first what exactley you want to do and how to do it (interesting question, for example, woul be about how to reinstall windowsXP on your computer after completing backup) you might get lost with the above (incomplete!) list on topics you need to dig into.

Good luck!

MasterM1nd · 2014-12-29 20:15:01

Hmmm looks like it's the time to say windows xp Good bye... I have the backup of some very important files. Other are not very important... I'll reinstall windows after installing arch..

So now from where I should start )?

mrunion · 2014-12-29 20:18:33

If you can't live without Windows, and want to install both Windows and Linux and dual boot, it's usually easier to install Windows first, then install Linux. As for where to start, the Beginners Guide in the Wiki is the best place to start when installing Arch.

paneless · 2014-12-29 20:27:47

MasterM1nd

I would recommend this :-

Firstly, install one of the ready rolled versions of Linux that you have already tried - Mint, Ubuntu, etc.
From this working environment you should practice installing Arch to a virtual machine.
When you can get a virtual Arch set up running, do it again and again until you understand the procedure. The advantage of this is that you can keep the Arch beginners guide open as you go through the installation. Then, and only then, try to install Arch Linux on your system.

Issa · 2014-12-30 14:54:36

MasterM1nd

when you install windows after installing linux it will overwrite the MBR of your HDD. This means that you would have to "repair" the MBR which is something that you should avoid. Thus install windows first and linux secondly.

So I recommend the following steps:

boot your system with ubuntu/mint and format your HDD accordingly
install windows on the according partition + check that it's running. Do NOT play back any backup or st
install arch on the according partition and install grub for multiboot
check that you can boot into both systems
backup MBR and stuff and install update for both windows and linux
make sure that you still can boot into both systems
play back all relevant files from backup

Arch Linux

#26 2014-12-27 14:59:44

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#27 2014-12-27 15:28:02

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#28 2014-12-27 15:47:16

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#29 2014-12-27 15:50:44

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#30 2014-12-27 15:55:19

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#31 2014-12-27 16:00:54

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#32 2014-12-27 21:19:23

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#33 2014-12-27 21:30:34

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#34 2014-12-27 21:35:24

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#35 2014-12-27 21:41:03

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#36 2014-12-27 21:57:03

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#37 2014-12-27 22:01:00

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#38 2014-12-28 01:15:46

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#39 2014-12-28 10:11:51

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#40 2014-12-28 11:13:42

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#41 2014-12-28 12:10:15

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#42 2014-12-28 16:39:58

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#43 2014-12-28 20:05:57

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#44 2014-12-29 11:57:52

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#45 2014-12-29 17:23:08

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#46 2014-12-29 20:04:29

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#47 2014-12-29 20:15:01

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#48 2014-12-29 20:18:33

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#49 2014-12-29 20:27:47

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

#50 2014-12-30 14:54:36

Re: error: no such device: GRUB problem

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