[SOLVED] Archboot 2011.08 and efi-gpt-grub2 install?

dhave · 2011-08-09 23:35:13

Hey, archboot gurus. Do you guys think that with Archboot release 2011.08 in its unadulterated form I'll be able to install Arch on on a gpt-formatted SSD booting via efi and using grub2 as bootloader?

I tried this a couple of months ago but could never get all three (gpt, efi, grub2) to cooperate. FWIW, I'm using a cute little Thinkpad T420.

*2011.08 is planned for end-Aug., early-Sept., I believe, and will probably include kernel 3.x.

Last edited by dhave (2011-08-29 16:39:27)

dhave · 2011-08-12 18:07:57

Good news! The archboot folks have come out with an interim release that supports kernel 3.0:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ar … el_changes

dhave · 2011-08-20 17:24:55

dhave wrote:

Good news! The archboot folks have come out with an interim release that supports kernel 3.0:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ar … el_changes

And I can confirm that the 2011.08-02 release of Archboot will permit you to install Arch on a gpt-formatted ssd booting efi via grub2.

It's fairly straightforward, but I'll try to document the steps in a few days. I want to do another run-through first.

btouellette · 2011-08-20 18:20:46

dhave wrote:

dhave wrote:
Good news! The archboot folks have come out with an interim release that supports kernel 3.0:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ar … el_changes
And I can confirm that the 2011.08-02 release of Archboot will permit you to install Arch on a gpt-formatted ssd booting efi via grub2.
It's fairly straightforward, but I'll try to document the steps in a few days. I want to do another run-through first.

I'm currently trying to do this myself and would love to see how you accomplished this!

dhave · 2011-08-20 19:44:41

btouellette wrote:

dhave wrote:
dhave wrote:
Good news! The archboot folks have come out with an interim release that supports kernel 3.0:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ar … el_changes
And I can confirm that the 2011.08-02 release of Archboot will permit you to install Arch on a gpt-formatted ssd booting efi via grub2.
It's fairly straightforward, but I'll try to document the steps in a few days. I want to do another run-through first.
I'm currently trying to do this myself and would love to see how you accomplished this!

I'll do my best to write up a how-to in a few days. Sorry I can't do that now, because I know how impatient I've been since getting an SSD a few months back.

One thing I can tell you is that you should go into your bios settings and select EFI booting only. The archboot cd will boot via EFI and, once it's loaded, you can do the install. (I assume you're wanting efi-only and that your machine lets you choose efi, legacy bios or both.)

Also, during the Archboot installation routine, say no to the option of installing a 1Mb MBR partition. You don't want that if you're doing an EFI-only installation.

After one unsuccessful attempt using autoprepare, I decided to set up my partitions manually. I used these Gentoo instructions as a guide, starting at the section headed "Partition the Drive". I rebooted the Archboot cd and, when the menu came up, I exited the installation. Then I partitioned my ssd manually.

I modified the Gentoo instructions as follows:

Partition the drive

# parted

(parted) mklabel gpt

(parted) mkpart primary fat32 1 201
NOTE!
We don't start with sector 0 because of alignment. I am not sure if the result is optimal, but at least parted doesn't complain

(parted) set 1 boot on

(parted) mkpart primary linux-swap 202 4047

(parted) mkpart primary ext2 4048 60GB

That fat32 partition will be the EFI partition. For your root partition, you'll have a chance to change to ext4 or another filesystem as you follow the arch installation routine.

This ssd is only 60Gb (they're just 80 bucks now!).

(On a subsequent installation, I'll either reduce or eliminate swap, and I'll include separate partitions for /home and /. But for this attempt, I wanted to follow something that I knew would work, or at least that had worked for someone else.)

Now you can go back into the installation routine by typing, at the prompt, /arch/setup. Or you can reboot the install CD.

Although I used parted to create the partitions, I used the Arch installation routine to set mount points and create filesystems. I used these mount points, adapted from the Gentoo guy's fstab:

/dev/sdb1		/boot/efi	vfat		noauto		1 2
/dev/sdb3		/		ext4		noatime,discard	0 1
/dev/sdb2		none		swap		swap		0 0

And there are still some glitches -- at least there were for me. For example, the installer routine will probably try to take you through the bootload installation twice, which you don't want to do. It took me into parted at least twice. I'll look at this over the next few days and report.

Last edited by dhave (2011-08-20 20:20:41)

btouellette · 2011-08-20 21:35:45

Thanks for the detailed reply. I'm trying to get up and running on a Mac so the EFI/firmware is a little wonky but this will definitely give me some new things to try. I'll report back if I meet with success.

ntony · 2011-08-29 02:07:27

dhave wrote:

btouellette wrote:
dhave wrote:
And I can confirm that the 2011.08-02 release of Archboot will permit you to install Arch on a gpt-formatted ssd booting efi via grub2.
It's fairly straightforward, but I'll try to document the steps in a few days. I want to do another run-through first.
I'm currently trying to do this myself and would love to see how you accomplished this!
I'll do my best to write up a how-to in a few days. Sorry I can't do that now, because I know how impatient I've been since getting an SSD a few months back.
One thing I can tell you is that you should go into your bios settings and select EFI booting only. The archboot cd will boot via EFI and, once it's loaded, you can do the install. (I assume you're wanting efi-only and that your machine lets you choose efi, legacy bios or both.)
Also, during the Archboot installation routine, say no to the option of installing a 1Mb MBR partition. You don't want that if you're doing an EFI-only installation.
After one unsuccessful attempt using autoprepare, I decided to set up my partitions manually. I used these Gentoo instructions as a guide, starting at the section headed "Partition the Drive". I rebooted the Archboot cd and, when the menu came up, I exited the installation. Then I partitioned my ssd manually.
I modified the Gentoo instructions as follows:
Partition the drive

# parted

(parted) mklabel gpt

(parted) mkpart primary fat32 1 201
NOTE!
We don't start with sector 0 because of alignment. I am not sure if the result is optimal, but at least parted doesn't complain

(parted) set 1 boot on

(parted) mkpart primary linux-swap 202 4047

(parted) mkpart primary ext2 4048 60GB
That fat32 partition will be the EFI partition. For your root partition, you'll have a chance to change to ext4 or another filesystem as you follow the arch installation routine.
This ssd is only 60Gb (they're just 80 bucks now!).
(On a subsequent installation, I'll either reduce or eliminate swap, and I'll include separate partitions for /home and /. But for this attempt, I wanted to follow something that I knew would work, or at least that had worked for someone else.)
Now you can go back into the installation routine by typing, at the prompt, /arch/setup. Or you can reboot the install CD.
Although I used parted to create the partitions, I used the Arch installation routine to set mount points and create filesystems. I used these mount points, adapted from the Gentoo guy's fstab:
/dev/sdb1		/boot/efi	vfat		noauto		1 2
/dev/sdb3		/		ext4		noatime,discard	0 1
/dev/sdb2		none		swap		swap		0 0
And there are still some glitches -- at least there were for me. For example, the installer routine will probably try to take you through the bootload installation twice, which you don't want to do. It took me into parted at least twice. I'll look at this over the next few days and report.

Hi dhave! I have read several thread from you. I have the exactly same case as yours. I bought a new X220 and want to put my Intel G2 120GB SSD to the new laptop. I used GPT + syslinux on the old Thinkpad. And now it can't boot. I've tried GRUB2 installation but I couldn't boot with UEFI to use efibootmgr.

Do you have any update booting archboot under UEFI?

I got a further question. Can I put the boot images for my Arch to the FAT32 UEFI system partition?

Thanks!

dhave · 2011-08-29 15:40:29

@ntony: The current version of Archboot (http://mirrors.n-ix.net/archlinux/iso/archboot/2011.08/) will boot via efi. Can you set your x220 to boot efi-only? I think that's the best way to insure an efi boot.

I don't know about putting an arch iso on the efi partition. I suppose it's possible, as long as you make it big enough. What would be the advantage?

Have you checked the Thinkwiki page that talks about installing Gentoo on an x220? Most of that info should apply to your case, I would think. That page is here:

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Installin … nkPad_X220

Have fun. I'm sure there are others (skodabenz, for one) who could advise you better. Though I've been pondering the GPT-EFI-Grub2-Archlinux challenge off and on for several months, and though I've finally succeeded in installing Arch on my efi-only system, my grasp of things is still incomplete.

Last edited by dhave (2011-08-29 16:43:29)

Arch Linux

#1 2011-08-09 23:35:13

[SOLVED] Archboot 2011.08 and efi-gpt-grub2 install?

#2 2011-08-12 18:07:57

Re: [SOLVED] Archboot 2011.08 and efi-gpt-grub2 install?

#3 2011-08-20 17:24:55

Re: [SOLVED] Archboot 2011.08 and efi-gpt-grub2 install?

#4 2011-08-20 18:20:46

Re: [SOLVED] Archboot 2011.08 and efi-gpt-grub2 install?

#5 2011-08-20 19:44:41

Re: [SOLVED] Archboot 2011.08 and efi-gpt-grub2 install?

#6 2011-08-20 21:35:45

Re: [SOLVED] Archboot 2011.08 and efi-gpt-grub2 install?

#7 2011-08-29 02:07:27

Re: [SOLVED] Archboot 2011.08 and efi-gpt-grub2 install?

#8 2011-08-29 15:40:29

Re: [SOLVED] Archboot 2011.08 and efi-gpt-grub2 install?

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