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xktw

Member

Registered: 2016-02-03

Posts: 4

[SOLVED] Install GRUB on BIOS/GPT system

I tried to install GRUB on a BIOS system with a disk formated using a GPT table. When I try to boot the disk, the word “GRUB” appears at the bottom of the screen a few seconds after the system loads the boot loader. However, GRUB itself is not started/loaded. No further information is displayed.

I suspect that GRUB is not able to load itself from the BIOS boot partition.

I installed grub via

# grub-install --target=i386-pc --recheck /dev/sda
# grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Output of gdisk:

# gdisk -l /dev/sda
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.1

Partition table scan:
  MBR: protective
  BSD: not present
  APM: not presend
  GPT: present

Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT.
Disk /dev/sda: 11721043055 sectors, 5.5 TiB
Logical sector size: 512 bytes
Disk identifier (GUID): 3EB9B49B-A1C1-42B5-B23A-DO746317024D
Partition table holds up to 128 entries
First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 11721043021
Partitons will be aligned on 2048-sector boundaries
Total free space is 3710 sectors (1.8MiB)
Number  Start ( sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
   1             2048      7814060383   3.6 TiB     8300  Data
   2       7814062080      8082497535   128.0 GiB   8300  Arch
   3       8082497536      8082499583   1024.0 KiB  EF02  bios_grub
   4       8082499584      8090888191   4.0 GiB     8200  Swap
   5       8090888192     11721043021   1.7 TiB     8300  Storage

Do I need a separate /boot partition, or an equivalent of the ESP? (I don’t think so?)

Last edited by xktw (2017-07-02 13:21:03)

ratcheer

Member

Registered: 2011-10-09

Posts: 912

Re: [SOLVED] Install GRUB on BIOS/GPT system

I BIOS boot my gpt formatted system without a separate /boot, so you are correct, that is not the problem.

I think that your problem is that the BIOS boot partition is not within the first such and such distance from the beginning of the disk, because you have that 3.6 TB partition, first. I can look up the required distance to stay within, if you need me to, but more than 3.6 TB is not going to work. I always make it the first partition.

Tim

Last edited by ratcheer (2017-07-02 11:54:10)

xktw

Member

Registered: 2016-02-03

Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Install GRUB on BIOS/GPT system

That solved it, thank you. Apparently, it doesn’t have to be the first partition, but it shouldn’t be too far from the beginning of the disk.

ratcheer

Member

Registered: 2011-10-09

Posts: 912

Re: [SOLVED] Install GRUB on BIOS/GPT system

You're welcome. Yes, it just needs to be within the first 2 GB or 4 GB or something like that. I will look it up and report back. It has been years since I learned about it.

Tim

PS - Ok, the reference I prefer says within 2 TB of the beginning of the drive, but he goes on to say he hasn't experimented with it in depth. http://www.rodsbooks.com/gdisk/booting.html

Last edited by ratcheer (2017-07-02 20:00:42)