Missing Operating System [SOLVED]

dgsm98 · 2015-02-01 19:17:36

Hello,

I just recently installed arch linux on my machine, I had windows 7 previously. I followed the beginners guide on how to install it. I used the guide before and was successful, but this time, when my machine boots up, after it is "loading the operating system", it says "Missing Operating system", I don't know if this has to do with MBR or something. I used cfdisk to partition my disks if that may have to do with anything. Anyone have any ideas why it can't find the OS?

Last edited by dgsm98 (2015-02-01 20:13:32)

clfarron4 · 2015-02-01 19:22:27

Did you install the bootloader and can it find /boot?

I've had this a few times where I've wiped Windows, installed a Linux distribution, only to commit the stupid of installing GRUB to a partition and not the disk itself.

dgsm98 · 2015-02-01 19:28:01

I installed GRUB, and grub doesn't even load after POST, I used the command: dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=446 count=1 to wipe the MBR, and now I'm going to try and reinstall Arch, hopefully this may fix it.

EDIT: To answer your question, I think i may have installed grub to /dev/sda1, should i just do /dev/sda?

Last edited by dgsm98 (2015-02-01 19:28:59)

clfarron4 · 2015-02-01 19:40:23

dgsm98 wrote:

EDIT: To answer your question, I think i may have installed grub to /dev/sda1, should i just do /dev/sda?

Yes, load up the LiveCD, mount your partitions again, chroot in and try installing GRUB to /dev/sda

dgsm98 · 2015-02-01 20:13:59

Solved! It was because grub was installed to a partition and not to the actual disk. Thank you clfarron4.

smirky · 2015-02-01 21:08:17

As far as I know, it doesn't matter where grub is installed as long as it's accessible. From there, grub is given a label with a partition and so on... But then again, you solved your problem.

clfarron4 · 2015-02-02 01:33:30

smirky wrote:

As far as I know, it doesn't matter where grub is installed as long as it's accessible. From there, grub is given a label with a partition and so on... But then again, you solved your problem.

With MBR setups (which is what I assumed OP has), you need to tell the bootloader to "install" to the MBR of the disk so it knows where to look for the bootloader on the disk. Where the rest of the GRUB configuration is up to the user (apart from with encrypted installations. AFAIK, bootloaders on encrypted partitions won't work, hence it's recommended you have a separate /boot in this case).

Arch Linux

#1 2015-02-01 19:17:36

Missing Operating System [SOLVED]

#2 2015-02-01 19:22:27

Re: Missing Operating System [SOLVED]

#3 2015-02-01 19:28:01

Re: Missing Operating System [SOLVED]

#4 2015-02-01 19:40:23

Re: Missing Operating System [SOLVED]

#5 2015-02-01 20:13:59

Re: Missing Operating System [SOLVED]

#6 2015-02-01 21:08:17

Re: Missing Operating System [SOLVED]

#7 2015-02-02 01:33:30

Re: Missing Operating System [SOLVED]

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