Arch/Windows10 dual boot, cannot boot to arch after MOBO replace

dozi · 2017-06-05 18:58:59

Hello,

So I had windows/arch dual booted on my computer, I recently rebuilt the computer with the same SSD that I had for the dual boot. The only part that is different is the motherboard. Am I going to have to scrap this install and restart, or is there a way that I can access it and repair things/boot.

Thanks for any and all help!

Edit: In bios, I can boot from the SSD or windows boot manager. Selecting Windows Boot Manager let's me boot into windows, selecting the hardrive tells me that it could not find an OS. When my dual boot was working I was using GRUB.

Last edited by dozi (2017-06-05 21:07:51)

fsckd · 2017-06-05 20:13:32

What happens when you try to boot Arch? What errors do you see? What bootloader do you use? Does Windows boot?

dozi · 2017-06-05 21:07:23

fsckd wrote:

What happens when you try to boot Arch? What errors do you see? What bootloader do you use? Does Windows boot?

Sorry for the lack of info, I was on mobile and rushed for time.

I had been using grub for the dual boot. In BIOS I have 2 options for booting:

1) Just my SSD, when booting to this I get an error that no OS was detected
2) WIndows Boot Manager, when selecting this I boot right into windows, and never see anything related to GRUB

Just not too sure the first steps to take to even try troubleshooting this.

Last edited by dozi (2017-06-05 22:37:51)

mrunion · 2017-06-05 23:36:56

You replaced the Mobo -- therefore your boot configuration(s) went away (they are stored in NVRAM on the MOBO I believe). You need to boot from a live Arch media, and fix your NVRAM entries I would think.

JohnBobSmith · 2017-06-06 00:35:22

From a live USB, chroot into your existing arch install and re-install GRUB. As mrunion noted your NVRAM/related files were probably nuked during the motherboard change. Following the steps on the wiki should be sufficient. Just be certain that your partition layout is correct, and that you are pointing grub to the ESP/boot partition for Arch.

Purgator · 2017-06-06 09:03:26

You changed motherboard then you have to install again your OS anyway.
It's the core component, everything works around it.

If you really really have to keep your OS as it, it may be possible if it's the same chipset, but I would not try it. Changing mobo is like to get a new computer.

tick1020 · 2017-06-06 12:23:03

Well maybe you shouldnt, i know im not the person to say whether you should or not. But i can tell you I have done exactly that, even moved from amd to intel with no issues that i couldnt fix from the live cd. i just used my drive on a brand new computer both times. The linux kernel is designed to load the modules you need for your new hardware automatically, if it needs a special hook you can run re-run mkinitcipio while in the chroot, just look up mkinitcpio in the wiki, you can do it from the live usb or cd.

As long as your not going from 32 bit to 64 bit or vise versa you have a good chance of getting it to work from chroot, try just runnig the grub install command to repare your bootloader first and if that doesnt work go back to the installation guide try runing in install scripts and mkinitcpio from the chroot just like in the guide, it should apply any settings you need to boot, after all you did just boot from the arch live cd or usb...

But hey, If worst comes to worst its super easy to reinstall the base system and keep all your files and settings if you have a seperate /home partition, just leave it alone when you do your formating and mount it like you would normally to keep all your files and settings, just format your / partition. If you have a single partition you can still copy your /home to a seperate drive or partion with dd (be careful if you use dd, check the wiki) before you format, split your / and /home like you should have (if they werent) and copy the old one on to the new partition and then format / and follow the installation guide to the letter. Also, if you have to go this route, while your in the chroot and all your partitions mounted like they should be before you format or do anything to the base system run pacman -Qet >> /home/yourusername/apps-list.txt. And then you can use that to reinstall all your original apps (make sure your in the chroot when your do this). Then once your done and booted in arch, link a "new user" with the same name to your old home directory,(users and group, in the wiki) install all the apps from your apps list you made with pacman, enable your dm if you were using one, if you werent you shouldnt need to do much else depending on what de you were using, but check for any configs in /etc possibly (look up your de in the wiki and check to be sure) and once you do that, reboot into your old pc. As simple as pie.
well kind of...
xD lol

ps if you were using built in graphics you might have to get a different driver for xorg to work on the new mb. but you can check in xorg page on the wiki. xD Good Luck man

Last edited by tick1020 (2017-06-06 13:19:38)

olegabrielz · 2017-06-06 12:29:53

Purgator wrote:

You changed motherboard then you have to install again your OS anyway.
It's the core component, everything works around it.
If you really really have to keep your OS as it, it may be possible if it's the same chipset, but I would not try it. Changing mobo is like to get a new computer.

I don't agree. I know the MOBO is the central component in a computer. But he can boot into windows. Just uninstall the drivers associated with the old MOBO and install the drivers for the new one (chipset, lan, audo, ...). On Arch you have to do something about microcode only if you go from say Intel based MOBO to AMD (or the other way around). And If there are resources on the new MOBO that requaire drivers not provided by the kernel you have to address that aswell.

The question here is why he can't access the option to boot Arch. If I take my SSD and slip it into another computer I can boot it up by selecting it from the boot-menu. That should be no different from changing MOBO.

The OP has only one problem as far as I can see, which can be solved by following advice allready presented in this thread. But nothing is sure, I can be wrong.

Edit: Typo

Last edited by olegabrielz (2017-06-06 12:43:14)

tick1020 · 2017-06-06 13:44:11

olegabrielz wrote:

...On Arch you have to do something about microcode only if you go from say Intel based MOBO to AMD (or the other way around). And If there are resources on the new MOBO that requaire drivers not provided by the kernel you have to address that aswell.

You are right, i forgot about that. But it IS the other way around. And i'd have to say i agree with you otherwise.

I'd say just try going through the installation guide again and see if anything changes for your installation based on your new hardware such as kernel driver modules and like olegabrielz mentioned the intel microcode needing to be added (or removed if you switched to amd from intel) to your /boot directory if your on an intel cpu.

You can check what modules you would need from the live arch system with lspci -k, you can look up each driver that pertains to your new motherboard (ie. ethernet, bridges, usb controlers, pci controlers) to make sure that they are in the base arch system.

And as long as your /etc/mkinitcpio.conf has "autodetect" listed in your hooks section you really shouldnt have a problem. Its kindof designed to have all the drivers you just have to have in the base system.... otherwise the live disc or usb wouldnt work on half of the peoples computers that tried it... But what probably happend is your new motherboard reasigned your hard drives and thats why your bootloader couldnt boot. You have all you need to fix your problem sir. unless you can provide more information i believe we can be no more help.

Edit: mispoke

Last edited by tick1020 (2017-06-06 13:45:30)

Arch Linux

#1 2017-06-05 18:58:59

Arch/Windows10 dual boot, cannot boot to arch after MOBO replace

#2 2017-06-05 20:13:32

Re: Arch/Windows10 dual boot, cannot boot to arch after MOBO replace

#3 2017-06-05 21:07:23

Re: Arch/Windows10 dual boot, cannot boot to arch after MOBO replace

#4 2017-06-05 23:36:56

Re: Arch/Windows10 dual boot, cannot boot to arch after MOBO replace

#5 2017-06-06 00:35:22

Re: Arch/Windows10 dual boot, cannot boot to arch after MOBO replace

#6 2017-06-06 09:03:26

Re: Arch/Windows10 dual boot, cannot boot to arch after MOBO replace

#7 2017-06-06 12:23:03

Re: Arch/Windows10 dual boot, cannot boot to arch after MOBO replace

#8 2017-06-06 12:29:53

Re: Arch/Windows10 dual boot, cannot boot to arch after MOBO replace

#9 2017-06-06 13:44:11

Re: Arch/Windows10 dual boot, cannot boot to arch after MOBO replace

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