EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

Vepth · 2019-08-01 16:27:04

Hello,
I am new to Arch Linux and to this forum.

Recently, I have installed Arch Linux on my Oracle VirtualBox and my host OS is Windows 7 Ultimate.
I used 2019.07.01 ISO file.

I have installed it fully with Plsasma desktop enviorment, and I want to use netboot. I followed guide from here: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Netboot and I used UEFI section.

Problem is that when I try to do

# efibootmgr --create --disk /dev/sda --part 1 --loader /EFI/arch_netboot/arch_netboot.efi --label "Arch Linux Netboot" --verbose

it says:

"EFI variables are not supported on this system."

I tried to do:

modprobe efivarfs

but it doesn't work.

Maybe I needed to do BIOS section, but it seems like it's not possible on Virtual Machines.

Hope somebody helps.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2019-08-01 18:46:35

Copy arch_netboot.efi to EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi (on the EFI system partition), that should be loaded automatically.

If that works then perhaps add a note to the ArchWIki page.

Vepth · 2019-08-01 18:49:45

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

Copy arch_netboot.efi to EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi (on the EFI system partition), that should be loaded automatically.
If that works then perhaps add a note to the ArchWIki page.

Do I need to make another folder in HOME called "EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi" or to add in esp/EFI/

Head_on_a_Stick · 2019-08-01 19:00:12

Assuming your EFI system partition is on /dev/sdXY you would use

# mount /dev/sdXY /mnt
# mkdir -p /mnt/EFI/Boot
# cp ipxe.*.efi /mnt/EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi

progandy · 2019-08-01 19:47:10

Did you enable the EFI boot in your virtual machine? I think VirtualBox still uses BIOS by default.
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch03.html#efi

Edit: This might be useful as well: https://gerardnico.com/virtualbox/pxe

Last edited by progandy (2019-08-01 19:49:25)

Vepth · 2019-08-02 13:12:13

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

Assuming your EFI system partition is on /dev/sdXY you would use
# mount /dev/sdXY /mnt
# mkdir -p /mnt/EFI/Boot
# cp ipxe.*.efi /mnt/EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi

My partitions are:

/dev/sda1 - Linux
/dev/sda2 - Linux swap / Ssolaris
/dev/sda3 - EFI (FAT-12/16/32)

When I try to do

mount /dev/sda3 /mnt

it says:

wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda3, missing codepage or helper program, or other error

Maybe I need to make that /dev/sda3 not EFI, but regular Linux?

Vepth · 2019-08-02 13:15:53

progandy wrote:

Did you enable the EFI boot in your virtual machine? I think VirtualBox still uses BIOS by default.
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch03.html#efi
Edit: This might be useful as well: https://gerardnico.com/virtualbox/pxe

I did enable it, but it then removes everything I did, and it opens UEFI Interactive Shell v2.1.

Do I need to be in UEFI Interactive Shell and disable EFI after i stop using netboot, or to stay in regular mode and try something else?

I have partition - /dev/sda3 that is type: EFI (FAT-16/32/64)

Last edited by Vepth (2019-08-02 13:17:21)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2019-08-02 13:29:04

Vepth wrote:

My partitions are:
/dev/sda1 - Linux
/dev/sda2 - Linux swap / Ssolaris
/dev/sda3 - EFI (FAT-12/16/32)

What does gdisk say about /dev/sda3? Is it marked as type EF00?

Vepth wrote:

When I try to do
mount /dev/sda3 /mnt
it says:
wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda3, missing codepage or helper program, or other error

Is the dosfstools package installed?

Vepth wrote:

Maybe I need to make that /dev/sda3 not EFI, but regular Linux?

No, the ESP needs to be of type EF00 (as reported by gdisk) or it will not be recognised by the UEFI firmware.

And progandy raises a good point — does /sys/firmware/efi exist? If not then you are not booting in UEFI mode.

Vepth · 2019-08-02 13:51:29

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

Vepth wrote:
My partitions are:
/dev/sda1 - Linux
/dev/sda2 - Linux swap / Ssolaris
/dev/sda3 - EFI (FAT-12/16/32)
What does gdisk say about /dev/sda3? Is it marked as type EF00?
Vepth wrote:
When I try to do
mount /dev/sda3 /mnt
it says:
wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda3, missing codepage or helper program, or other error
Is the dosfstools package installed?
Vepth wrote:
Maybe I need to make that /dev/sda3 not EFI, but regular Linux?
No, the ESP needs to be of type EF00 (as reported by gdisk) or it will not be recognised by the UEFI firmware.
And progandy raises a good point — does /sys/firmware/efi exist? If not then you are not booting in UEFI mode.

I just inserted ISO file again, and in Hardware Information (HDT), there is option for BIOS, where it says "Vendor: innotek GmbH"

It seems like it is BIOS.

However, it seems like that these options aren't working:

for ipxe.lkrn, in guide, it says: "You can make flash drive that boots ipxe.lkrn with the following steps:", but I think there is no way to make flash drive?
for ipxe.pxe, I don't know how to set up PXE enviorment in virtual machine. It seems like it needs real bootable flash to be inserted

Head_on_a_Stick · 2019-08-02 14:00:25

It is apparently possible to access raw devices from VirtualBox, at least according to my search engine.

And please don't full quote unnecessarily, it reduces the readability of the thread.

Vepth · 2019-08-02 14:02:36

Is it somehow possible to change from BIOS to UEFI mode? Or to use other machine

Head_on_a_Stick · 2019-08-02 14:04:55

I don't use VirtualBox but prograndy's first link appears to show how to start it in UEFI mode.

Vepth · 2019-08-02 14:09:18

I'll try to install machine again with EFI mode on. I'll report if it works

Arch Linux

#1 2019-08-01 16:27:04

EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

#2 2019-08-01 18:46:35

Re: EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

#3 2019-08-01 18:49:45

Re: EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

#4 2019-08-01 19:00:12

Re: EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

#5 2019-08-01 19:47:10

Re: EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

#6 2019-08-02 13:12:13

Re: EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

#7 2019-08-02 13:15:53

Re: EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

#8 2019-08-02 13:29:04

Re: EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

#9 2019-08-02 13:51:29

Re: EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

#10 2019-08-02 14:00:25

Re: EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

#11 2019-08-02 14:02:36

Re: EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

#12 2019-08-02 14:04:55

Re: EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

#13 2019-08-02 14:09:18

Re: EFI variables not supported on this machine - Oracle Virtual Box

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