Arch Linux

thenextdon13

Member

Registered: 2013-01-18

Posts: 58

[Solved]Surface Pro 3 Grub EFI fail - drops to cli, 'invalid EFI

Hello-

Struggling to get Grub booting this Surface Pro 3.

Following instructions from
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GRUB#UEFI_systems
and
EFI/GPT section of
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Be … oot_loader

have partition created >512M, marked bootable and 'ESP'  (although i can't find reference to what the 'esp' flag does in the man page, etc)
parted output had something like this (no net access to computer at this point)

Number ... Size ... File system ... Flags
1 ... 650MB ... fat32 ... boot, esp
2 ... 122GB ... ext4 ... 

Have installed grub on that partition like so

grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=archtag_grub --recheck

which results in

Installing for x86_64-efi platform
Installation finished.  No error reported 

Created config as instructed

grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Generating grub configuration file ...
Found Intel Microcode image <---(same result with and without microcode installed)
  /run/lvm/lvmetad.socket: connect failed: No such file or directory
  WARNING: Failed to connect to lvmetad. Falling back to internal scanning.
grub-probe: error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sdb1. Check your device map <---(i think shouldn't matter since boot device is sda)
done

Verified that config file is 'fresh' at specified path:
('ls -l' time matches 'date')

I found this section
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GRUB#EFI_path
And have tried copying the file to the right place, however the paths don't exist-  the wiki calls for

mkdir /boot/efi/EFI/boot
cp /boot/efi/EFI/grub/grubx64.efi /boot/efi/EFI/boot/bootx64.efi'

However, my computer does not have a '/boot/efi/EFI/grub/grubx64.efi' -- it has '/boot/EFI/grub/grubx64.efi'
i did try copying that file to /boot/EFI/boot/bootx64.efi , however that did  not make any changes

upon reboot, arrives at the grub> prompt

when at the grub> prompt, attempted to boot using this, results in this:

set root=(hd0,gpt1)
chainloader +1

error:invalid EFI file path.

All of the references in the grub examples
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GRUB/EFI_examples
show the /boot/efi/EFI path, however i'm not sure how that exists, since the beginners install manual and EFISTUB wikis specifically say

# grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=arch_grub --recheck
/boot is also recommended for mounting the EFI System Partition on a UEFI/GPT system. See EFISTUB and related articles for alternatives.
The simplest option is to mount it at /boot, since this allows pacman to directly update the kernel that the EFI firmware will read. If you elect for this option, continue to #Booting EFISTUB.

The only bit of output of grub-mkconfig that includes 'efi' in the correct context is

grub-mkconfig | grep -i efi
insmod efi_gop
insmod efi_uga
search --no-flopppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt2 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt2 $UUID

efibootmgr -v does show

HD(1,GPT,$UUID)/File(\EFI\grub\grubx64.efi)

(which exists at /boot/EFI/grub/grubx64.efi)

Any further troubleshooting tips would be much appreciated!

Last edited by thenextdon13 (2015-08-28 03:10:48)

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,778

Website

Re: [Solved]Surface Pro 3 Grub EFI fail - drops to cli, 'invalid EFI

Have you tried using systemd-boot (gummiboot) or a direct NVRAM entry (using EFI_STUB booting)?

To troubleshoot this, we really need to see verbatim command output -- you can pipe command output to a text file and export that to a USB stick to post it here.

# parted -l
# efibootmgr -v
lsblk -f

The last command should be run *after* mounting all your partitions and using `arch-chroot`

The content of /boot/grub/grub.cfg would also be very useful.

---

Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

thenextdon13

Member

Registered: 2013-01-18

Posts: 58

Re: [Solved]Surface Pro 3 Grub EFI fail - drops to cli, 'invalid EFI

Hello, Head_on_a_Stick.  Sorry about that.

I forgot that I have outgoing networking on the device, just not incoming (NAT/Firewalling where i am).  Unfortunately have to use only USB port for keyboard, but got the output you were asking for via scp.

~$ cat parted.txt 
Model: ATA HFS128G3AMNB-220 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 128GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags: 

Number  Start   End    Size   File system  Name  Flags
 1      1049kB  651MB  650MB  fat32              boot, esp
 2      651MB   123GB  122GB  ext4


Model: Generic- USB3.0 CRW -SD (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 31.9GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags: 

Number  Start  End     Size    Type     File system  Flags
 2      129kB  32.6MB  32.5MB  primary  fat16        esp

~$ cat efibootmgr.txt 
BootCurrent: 0002
Timeout: 2 seconds
BootOrder: 0002,0003,0000,0001
Boot0000* grub	HD(1,GPT,78ad7abf-fd09-4139-b9a5-755d91f895da,0x800,0x136000)/File(\EFI\grub\grubx64.efi)
Boot0001  Windows Boot Manager	VenHw(99e275e7-75a0-4b37-a2e6-c5385e6c00cb)WINDOWS.........x...B.C.D.O.B.J.E.C.T.=.{.9.d.e.a.8.6.2.c.-.5.c.d.d.-.4.e.7.0.-.a.c.c.1.-.f.3.2.b.3.4.4.d.4.7.9.5.}....................
Boot0002* USB Drive	PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x14,0x0)/USB(13,0)/HD(1,MBR,0x4294967268,0xfc,0xf800)..BO
Boot0003* archtag_grub	HD(1,GPT,78ad7abf-fd09-4139-b9a5-755d91f895da,0x800,0x136000)/File(\EFI\archtag_grub\grubx64.efi)

~$ cat lsblk.txt 
NAME            FSTYPE LABEL UUID MOUNTPOINT
sda                               
├─sda1                            /boot
└─sda2                            /
sdb                               
├─sdb1                            
└─sdb2                            
loop0                             
loop1                             
└─arch_airootfs                   /etc/resolv.conf
loop2                             
└─arch_airootfs                   /etc/resolv.conf

I see that in bootorder, grub is not first  - but i am certainly making it to grub, or was prior to this boot.

thenextdon13

Member

Registered: 2013-01-18

Posts: 58

Re: [Solved]Surface Pro 3 Grub EFI fail - drops to cli, 'invalid EFI

Whoops, missed the /boot/grub/grub.conf note at the  end, find that now attached
Thank you for the help.

:~$ cat grub.txt 
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
insmod part_gpt
insmod part_msdos
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  load_env
fi
if [ "${next_entry}" ] ; then
   set default="${next_entry}"
   set next_entry=
   save_env next_entry
   set boot_once=true
else
   set default="0"
fi

if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
  menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
  menuentry_id_option=""
fi

export menuentry_id_option

if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}

function load_video {
  if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
    insmod all_video
  else
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod ieee1275_fb
    insmod vbe
    insmod vga
    insmod video_bochs
    insmod video_cirrus
  fi
}

if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod part_gpt 
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,gpt2'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt2 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt2  0eaa73f3-a02c-4241-8417-64423d043376
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 0eaa73f3-a02c-4241-8417-64423d043376
fi
    font="/usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi

if loadfont $font ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
  set lang=en_US
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_input console
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ] ; then
  set timeout_style=menu
  set timeout=5
# Fallback normal timeout code in case the timeout_style feature is
# unavailable.
else
  set timeout=5
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
  source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/60_memtest86+ ###
### END /etc/grub.d/60_memtest86+ ###

thenextdon13

Member

Registered: 2013-01-18

Posts: 58

Re: [Solved]Surface Pro 3 Grub EFI fail - drops to cli, 'invalid EFI

I see that grub.cfg has root set as 'hd0,gpt2'
If i chainloader +1 from grub command line, same results

grub> set root=(hd0,gpt2)
grub> chainloader +1
error: invalid EFI file path.
grub>

thenextdon13

Member

Registered: 2013-01-18

Posts: 58

Re: [Solved]Surface Pro 3 Grub EFI fail - drops to cli, 'invalid EFI

And i feel like an idiot. Every time i reread your post, i see something i missed. Sorry for updating my own post this many times- but for sake of completeness-

No, I have not tried systemd-boot (gummiboot) or a direct NVRAM entry (using EFI_STUB booting)...

All of the other systems I maintain use Grub, and for sake of not trying to stuff another bit of stuff into my brain, which seems to be pouring things out faster than i can retain them, I was going to try to stick with Grub.

thenextdon13

Member

Registered: 2013-01-18

Posts: 58

Re: [Solved]Surface Pro 3 Grub EFI fail - drops to cli, 'invalid EFI

Found the problem, thanks to looking at other people helping with troubleshooting.

That helped me find out more about grub commands, and the ability to list the files on a drive/partition by using the syntax
> ls (hd0,gpt2)/

i found that i had /boot living on both gpt1 and gpt2, probably due to a screwup during mounting and pacstrapping  base and base-devel.
I was unsure of the situation with using /boot for EFI rather than an EFI partition directly, and must not have had /boot mounted when i did the pacstrap.

I found that initramfs* and vmlinuz-linux were on the wrong partition.

Copied them to the correct partition, all is well.

Will edit title and mark as solved.

EDIT:
Can't seem to see how to edit title. This is resolved/solved.

Last edited by thenextdon13 (2015-08-28 03:03:28)

jasonwryan

Anarchist

From: .nz

Registered: 2009-05-09

Posts: 30,426

Website

Re: [Solved]Surface Pro 3 Grub EFI fail - drops to cli, 'invalid EFI

You can mark your thread as [Solved] by editing your first post and prepending it to the title.

---

Arch + dwm   •   Mercurial repos  •   Surfraw

Registered Linux User #482438

thenextdon13

Member

Registered: 2013-01-18

Posts: 58

Re: [Solved]Surface Pro 3 Grub EFI fail - drops to cli, 'invalid EFI

Thank you.