Arch Linux

abasel

Member

Registered: 2015-04-29

Posts: 45

"Make Bootable" doesn't appear anywhere

I have watch some videos and looked online. But using both fdisk and cfdisk, I can't find the option to make the partition boootable. In cfdisk, the [bootable] button is not there in when I try "a" in fdisk I am told that this is an unknown command.

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,349

Re: "Make Bootable" doesn't appear anywhere

ewaller@morhpheous ~ [130]336 %sudo fdisk /dev/sda

Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.26.1).
Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them.
Be careful before using the write command.


Command (m for help): a
Partition number (1-4, default 4): ^C%                                                  
ewaller@morhpheous ~ [130]337 %

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Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,778

Website

Re: "Make Bootable" doesn't appear anywhere

@ewaller:

empty@Arch ~ % sudo fdisk /dev/sda

Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.26.1).
Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them.
Be careful before using the write command.


Command (m for help): a
a: unknown command

However:

empty@Arch ~ % sudo fdisk /dev/sda

Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.26.1).
Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them.
Be careful before using the write command.


Command (m for help): x

Expert command (m for help): A
Partition number (1-6, default 6):

From the help section:

   A   toggle the legacy BIOS bootable flag

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dice

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2014-02-10

Posts: 413

Re: "Make Bootable" doesn't appear anywhere

The help states 'a' is the correct command

Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.26.1).
Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them.
Be careful before using the write command.


Command (m for help): m

Help:

  DOS (MBR)
   a   toggle a bootable flag
[...]

EDIT: fdisk recognizes if the disk is not MBR(i.e. GPT) formatted and disables MBR options. Even the help message changes accordingly.
So if the 'a' option is not available this  might not be a MBR partition table

Last edited by dice (2015-04-29 20:32:15)

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Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,778

Website

Re: "Make Bootable" doesn't appear anywhere

So if the 'a' option is not available this  might not be a MBR partition table

Yes indeed -- my disk has a GUID partition table.

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Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,349

Re: "Make Bootable" doesn't appear anywhere

Okay, makes sense.  I have only once installed a GUID system and I used parted.

As the OP mentioned the bootable flag, I assumed we were talking MBR.

abasel:  I am going to suggest you ignore everything you find on line that is not official Arch documentation.   Follow the beginner guide.

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Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine. -- Alan Turing
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tomk

Forum Fellow

From: Ireland

Registered: 2004-07-21

Posts: 9,839

Re: "Make Bootable" doesn't appear anywhere

A minor correction, if I may: the Beginners' Guide is not actually official Arch documentation.

If you want official. you want the Installation Guide - accept no substitutes.

abasel

Member

Registered: 2015-04-29

Posts: 45

Re: "Make Bootable" doesn't appear anywhere

Sorry if these seem simple questions but I am missing something somewhere.

Using fdfisk
http://prntscr.com/6zq0lq

"a" doesn't appear to work

Using cfdisk
http://prntscr.com/6zq0kn

No bootable option

Last edited by abasel (2015-04-29 22:59:59)

jasonwryan

Anarchist

From: .nz

Registered: 2009-05-09

Posts: 30,426

Website

Re: "Make Bootable" doesn't appear anywhere

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GU … _Utilities

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abasel

Member

Registered: 2015-04-29

Posts: 45

Re: "Make Bootable" doesn't appear anywhere

Alas that did not appear to help me.. I will keep looking

circleface

Member

Registered: 2012-05-26

Posts: 639

Re: "Make Bootable" doesn't appear anywhere

Do you have an MBR or GUID partition table?  If you have GUID, you need to use one of the programs jasonwryan pointed to, such as gdisk instead of fdisk.

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,778

Website

Re: "Make Bootable" doesn't appear anywhere

Sorry if these seem simple questions but I am missing something somewhere.

Using fdfisk
http://prntscr.com/6zq0lq

"a" doesn't appear to work

Try a capital "A"

At any rate, you appear to have a GPT disk and bootable flags are meaningless with a GUID partition table.

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Jin, Jîyan, Azadî