[PARTIALLY SOLVED] systemd-boot into external drive

nikinbaidarr · 2024-01-07 10:14:14

I boot into my main linux system with systemd-boot and I also want to boot into windows from an external drive, if the drive is connected.

I want to use systemd-boot to (1) detect if the external drive (/dev/sdb) is connected and if so boot into Windows otherwise when the drive is not connected boot into arch.

# blkid -o list
device                                         fs_type         label            mount point                                        UUID
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/dev/nvme0n1p1                                 vfat                             /efi                                               C8A0-8368
/dev/nvme0n1p2                                 ext4                             /                                                  ee8fa627-41d1-4cc8-80a8-8dd3110891b2
/dev/sdb2                                                                       (not mounted)
/dev/sdb3                                      ntfs            Going Merry      (not mounted)                                      9ABE1D42BE1D1879
/dev/sdb1                                      vfat                             (not mounted)                                      1407-2E24
/dev/sda3                                      ext4                             /home                                              ef298253-56eb-4697-883e-67d752a58f6a

I installed edk2-shell and ran

cp /usr/share/edk2-shell/x64/Shell.efi /efi/EFI/BOOT/shellx64.efi
echo "9ABE1D42BE1D1879:EFI\Microsoft\Boot\Bootmgfw.efi" >> /efi/windows.nsh

Output of bootctl list:

#bootctl list
         type: Boot Loader Specification Type #1 (.conf)
        title: Windows
           id: windows.conf
       source: /efi//loader/entries/windows.conf
          efi: /efi//EFI/BOOT/shellx64.efi
      options: -nointerrupt -noconsolein -noconsoleout windows.nsh

         type: Boot Loader Specification Type #1 (.conf)
        title: Arch Linux (arch.conf) (default) (selected)
           id: arch.conf
       source: /efi//loader/entries/arch.conf
        linux: /efi//EFI/arch/vmlinuz-linux
       initrd: /efi//EFI/arch/initramfs-linux.img
      options: root=UUID=ee8fa627-41d1-4cc8-80a8-8dd3110891b2   rw >

         type: Boot Loader Specification Type #1 (.conf)
        title: Arch Linux (arch-fallback.conf)
           id: arch-fallback.conf
       source: /efi//loader/entries/arch-fallback.conf
        linux: /efi//EFI/arch/vmlinuz-linux
       initrd: /efi//EFI/arch/initramfs-linux-fallback.img
      options: root=UUID=ee8fa627-41d1-4cc8-80a8-8dd3110891b2   rw >

         type: Automatic
        title: Windows Boot Manager
           id: auto-windows
       source: /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/LoaderEntries-4a67b082-0a4c-41cf-b6c7-440b29bb8c4f

         type: Automatic
        title: Reboot Into Firmware Interface
           id: auto-reboot-to-firmware-setup
       source: /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/LoaderEntries-4a67b082-0a4c-41cf-b6c7-440b29bb8c4f

When I select Windows (top most) on the systemd-boot's boot-menu, the menu sort of refreshes and does not boot into the connected drive. I am essentially stuck in the systemd-boot menu unless I choose arch. Also notice I have "Windows Boot Mangaer" as "type: automatic" listed above; it appears as "Windows 11" on the systemd-boot menu and if I select that, a Windows 11 error message appears that says "BCD files missing or corrupted" and I cannot boot from the drive. However, if I select the "Windows boot Manager" from the BIOS I can boot into Windows all right.

Contents of /efi//loader/entries/windows.conf

title  Windows
efi     EFI/BOOT/shellx64.efi
options -nointerrupt -noconsolein -noconsoleout windows.nsh

Furthermore, I have these files inside /efi

# ls /efi/
Boot  bootmgr  BOOTNXT  EFI  loader  windows.nsh
# ls /efi/EFI/
arch  BOOT  Linux  Microsoft  systemd

How can I boot from the external drive?

Last edited by nikinbaidarr (2024-01-07 14:28:07)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2024-01-07 11:58:08

You've used the UUID as an identifier in windows.nsh, it should be the PARTUUID.

EDIT: just out of curiosity, does this work if placed in a file called startup.nsh on the ESP root (replace $partuuid with the actual PARTUUID):

if exist $partuuid:\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
   goto FOUNDIMAGE
endif

If so I can add it to the wiki as an alternative method.

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2024-01-07 13:35:10)

nikinbaidarr · 2024-01-07 14:27:37

nikinbaidarr wrote:

Output of bootctl list:
#bootctl list
         ...

         type: Automatic
        title: Windows Boot Manager
           id: auto-windows
       source: /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/LoaderEntries-4a67b082-0a4c-41cf-b6c7-440b29bb8c4f
...
Also notice I have "Windows Boot Mangaer" as "type: automatic" listed above; it appears as "Windows 11" on the systemd-boot menu and if I select that, a Windows 11 error message appears that says "BCD files missing or corrupted" and I cannot boot from the drive.

I managed to fix this BCD error from a windows installation drive and now from the systemd-boot menu I can select this to boot into windows when I have the drive connected.

About the windows.nsh, I tried

$ sudo blkid -s PARTUUID -o value /dev/sdb3
[sudo] password for nikin:
e2e72074-a04d-49ec-9842-492a6b52fca1
$ sudo blkid -o list
device                                         fs_type         label            mount point                                        UUID
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/dev/sdb3                                      ntfs            Going Merry      (not mounted)                                      9ABE1D42BE1D1879
/dev/nvme0n1p1                                 vfat                             /efi                                               C8A0-8368
/dev/nvme0n1p2                                 ext4                             /                                                  ee8fa627-41d1-4cc8-80a8-8dd3110891b2
/dev/sdb2                                                                       (not mounted)
/dev/sdb1                                      vfat                             (not mounted)                                      1407-2E24

And my /efi/windows.sh looks like this:

e2e72074-a04d-49ec-9842-492a6b52fca1:EFI\Microsoft\Boot\Bootmgfw.efi

But if select the windows entry from the systemd boot manger it still does not work. The screen sort of refreshes and I am stuck in what appears a loop.

I dont' mind the former config with "Windows Boot Manager" so I will mark this thread as "partially SOLVED".

Arch Linux

#1 2024-01-07 10:14:14

[PARTIALLY SOLVED] systemd-boot into external drive

#2 2024-01-07 11:58:08

Re: [PARTIALLY SOLVED] systemd-boot into external drive

#3 2024-01-07 14:27:37

Re: [PARTIALLY SOLVED] systemd-boot into external drive

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