Arch Linux - Edit Boot Loader on USB-Drive

Teso · 04-11-2019, 02:39 PM

H!@all
I have a AMD-IOMMU Firmware Bug on my Laptop and if i want to boot a OS from a USB-Drive i need to edit the boot loader first whit this workaround:

Code:

ivrs_ioapic[4]=00:14.0 ivrs_ioapic[5]=00:00.2

Ubuntu is using the GRUB and i know how to edit GRUB. But Arch-Linux is using some other boot loader and i don't know how to add the workaround to this boot loader.

On the USB-Drive (ArchLinux.iso) is this file: /dev/USB-Drive/loader/entries/

Code:

title   Arch Linux archiso x86_64 UEFI USB
linux   /arch/boot/x86_64/vmlinuz
initrd  /arch/boot/intel_ucode.img
initrd  /arch/boot/amd_ucode.img
initrd  /arch/boot/x86_64/archiso.img
options archisobasedir=arch archisolabel=ARCH_201904

Where to add the workaround?

yancek · 04-11-2019, 03:12 PM

I don't use Arch but your boot entry looks like a combination of Grub Legacy/Grub2. Legacy uses title for the line showing on screen, Grub2 uses menuentry.
Legacy uses kernel for the vmlinuz file with parameters, Grub2 uses linux. Both have an initrd line. With Grub, the parameters are on the kernel/linux line. With isoliux/syslinux, they are generally on the initrd line. I'd try the linux line first, just a guess.

Teso · 04-11-2019, 03:35 PM

THX for the answer.
I tried this:

Code:

title   Arch Linux archiso x86_64 UEFI USB
linux   /arch/boot/x86_64/vmlinuz
initrd  /arch/boot/intel_ucode.img
initrd  /arch/boot/amd_ucode.img
initrd  /arch/boot/x86_64/archiso.img
options archisobasedir=arch archisolabel=ARCH_201904 ivrs_ioapic[4]=00:14.0 ivrs_ioapic[5]=00:00.2

It's the right line, but the workaround douse not work on ArchLinux.
Without and whit the workaround, i get different error messages.
I rebooted without the workaround a few times, it give'd me 3 times error and the 4th time ArchLinux booted from USB-Drive.
Nice...

Now i need to know how to add the ArchLinux to the already installed GRUB boot loader. I don't want have more as one boot loader on my PC.

ondoho · 04-12-2019, 01:42 AM

why is this marked SOLVED?
it isn't afaics.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Grub

yancek · 04-12-2019, 07:41 AM

Quote:

it give'd me 3 times error and the 4th time ArchLinux booted from USB-Drive.

So does adding the options you show boot your Arch Linux or not? It would be interesting to know what bootloader is being used. I'm not really sure what you are doing here, booting an iso of Arch or an install? An iso is read-only so modifications aren't saved. As far as adding to the Ubuntu grub.cfg file, you will likely have to do that manually since Ubuntu Grub is not likely to add the options you want/need so either add the entry to grub.cfg or /etc/grub.d/40_custom file.

Teso · 04-12-2019, 01:48 PM

Today I installed Arch Linux on my Laptop with the AMD-IOMMU Firmware Bug.
It want not boot sometimes. To boot the USB-Drive I had to restart the Computer 4 to 6 times till it boots. As oftener i boot the system as better it works.
Now i have to install a lot of software and then i will customize the Kernel to remove the BUG.
I already installed KDE Plasma Desktop Environment on Arch, it works awesome...

I installed the Arch Linux without a boot loader (GRUB) and EFI partition. I used the Windows EFI Partition for KDE neon and Arch Linux. KDE neon already installed the GRUB boot loader, so I just rebooted after the installation of Arch Linux in to KDE neon and executed grub-mkconfig and update-grub, and this added Arch Linux to GRUB.
Now i have a tripple boot system Windows 10, KDE neon and Arch Linux.

Its just a driver/firmware issue, Linux loads the wrong driver, the Laptop is O.K.

Arch, best Linux ever...
Attachment 30331

yancek · 04-13-2019, 07:27 AM

Most Linux systems will install EFI software to the first EFI partition it finds which is usually on the primary disk. This appears to be what happened in your install of KDE Neon and Arch. No need to create an EFI partition on the USB if you will be using the USB on the same computer.

KDE Neon is another Ubuntu derivative which uses update-grub which is all that was necessary to create a menuentry for Arch. You can look at the file to see why there was no need to also run grub-mkconfig as it is in the /usr/sbin directory.

Teso · 04-13-2019, 12:25 PM

Before is started the installation of Arch Linux, first I mounted the partition where to install Arch Linux /sdb7 then I created /boot/efi directory and mountet the "Windows EFI Partition" (sdb2) in to /boot/efi on the Arch partition (sdb7).

Code:

mount /sdb7 /mnt
mkdir /boot/efi
mount /dev/sdb2 /boot/efi

Quote:

# ls /boot/efi/EFI/
BOOT Microsoft neon ubuntu

The "BOOT" directory is the mount point of the "Arch EFI Partition".

Teso · 04-13-2019, 12:29 PM

Now I have a another problem, how to build the Linux-Kernel without boot loader?

Quote:

[root@archlinux linux-5.0.7-A315-41-R001]# make -i -j8 O=/home/linux/Build/Kernel/ install
make[1]: Entering directory '/home/linux/Build/Kernel'
sh /usr/src/linux-5.0.7-A315-41-R001/arch/x86/boot/install.sh 5.0.7-A315-41-R001 arch/x86/boot/bzImage \
System.map "/boot"
Cannot find LILO.
make[1]: Leaving directory '/home/linux/Build/Kernel'

pan64 · 04-13-2019, 01:57 PM

looks like you opened a new thread: https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...lo-4175652090/ using the same post.

Teso · 04-13-2019, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pan64

....new thread... same post.

Because it's of topic here.

pan64 · 04-13-2019, 02:32 PM

yes, that is fine. Just wanted to inform the users to use the other thread.

yancek · 04-13-2019, 03:02 PM

You indicate that you installed Arch to a usb drive (sdb7) and that you mounted the "windows EFI partition" which you say is sdb2. THat's the same external drive, what is an EFI partition for windows doing on an external drive?

Quote:

The "BOOT" directory is the mount point of the "Arch EFI Partition".

Does that mean the ARch EFI boot files are under the BOOT directory rather than in the EFI directory where the EFI files for Neon and Ubuntu exist?
I'm not sure what you are doing or trying to do and wonder how Lilo Fits into this picture?

Teso · 04-13-2019, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yancek

usb drive (sdb7)

You obviously misunderstood something.
The USB-Drive is sdc and sdb7 is the partition i cradet to install Arch Linux in to.
By using the command:

Code:

arch-chroot /mnt

---EDIT---
you get switched from USB-Drive (sdc) to the mounted partition (sdb7). chroot means: change root to directory/partition).

---EDIT---
Actually... on boot of the USB-Drive a Loop-Drive gets created in RAM and you get switched form Loop to Partition.

But this is not the point.

yancek · 04-14-2019, 07:51 AM

Quote:

You obviously misunderstood something.

No. actually I didn't. Your initial post indicates you want to install an OS to a usb drive. You indicate that OS is Arch. In post # 8, you specifically state you installed Arch to sdb7 and that was a drive connected by usb and that you apparently used another usb drive with the Arch iso. So you have 2 usb drives.

In your initial post, you posted a menuentry from some unknown bootloader which looks like a combination of Grub Legacy/Grub2. I suggested in my initial post that you try the parameter you said you needed on the kernel (linux) line and you posted back showing you had added it to the end of the entry. Did that ever work? Did you try putting it on the linux line? If so, what happened? Seems a bit odd there are 3 initrd options on the same menu entry but I'm not familiar with Arch? Does your Arch boot?