Arch Linux

TheSaint

Member

From: my computer

Registered: 2007-08-19

Posts: 1,536

[Solved] Booting an old installation

Hello forum,
I just needed to upgrade my computer and I kept my old SSD. I'm not able to get the external drive started.

The BIOS is ACER  R02-A1 built on 09/11/2019
model is ACER XC-886.
I just learned to set the priority to the outside drive on the BIOS setting and it boots the kernel, but when is needed to switch to the new_root it will state that couldn't find the partition LABEL=Linux64. Then with the recovery shell, where it stops to boot, I can't see any partition.
Even listing the UEFI options is not that much clearer, and it takes a while digging in the BIOS setting to discover how to prioritize a boot rather then the loved W10 (by Acer manufacturer, of course).
When I boot archiso with the external drive attached I can list all the partition with their names. So I find a strange behavior when trying to boot alone. Even if I start the UEFI shell the needed bootx64.efi it will end up in a similar case.

Perhaps when it switches to the new partition it will forget that is connected to the USB 3.0 port. But even to use other ports I didn't get anything better. Most of my important data are into that old installation and I won't appreciate to set up many things on the W10 environment.

Last edited by TheSaint (2020-07-13 15:10:57)

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do it good first, it will be faster than do it twice the saint

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 13,727

Re: [Solved] Booting an old installation

Did you use the fallback initramfs?

TheSaint

Member

From: my computer

Registered: 2007-08-19

Posts: 1,536

Re: [Solved] Booting an old installation

Did you use the fallback initramfs?

No, perhaps I didn't compiled since long time. Particularly because it was working without a need of it.
So for certain cases I'm attempting to get the old home and the rest without the need to open the computer casing. But in an extreme case I'll move out the current installation, it's just the matter to be able to make a complete backup.
For that even clonezilla didn't had a good chance on booting.

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do it good first, it will be faster than do it twice the saint

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 13,727

Re: [Solved] Booting an old installation

The normal initramfs only has the drivers it needs for the system it was built on. It's not expected to work on different hardware.

TheSaint

Member

From: my computer

Registered: 2007-08-19

Posts: 1,536

Re: [Solved] Booting an old installation

Thank you so much.
You gave me the idea. I will try to chroot on the system and provide an update. I think I won't face much harder because the archiso allows me to get started.

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do it good first, it will be faster than do it twice the saint

WorMzy

Administrator

From: Scotland

Registered: 2010-06-16

Posts: 13,554

Website

Re: [Solved] Booting an old installation

Mod note: not an installation issue, moving to kernel & hardware

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TheSaint

Member

From: my computer

Registered: 2007-08-19

Posts: 1,536

Re: [Solved] Booting an old installation

OK, the issue is done. As Scimmia mentioned the kernel wasn't updated with the newer hardware. Now it boot fine upto trying to enter the graphical interface, but that must to change to reflect the current hardware.

Great team, thank you.

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do it good first, it will be faster than do it twice the saint