[SOLVED] Ghost of replaced install still in efi boot

Nishtya · 01-17-2024, 07:14 AM

Not a linux newbie. Definitely an EFI booting newbie and at wit's end.

Old Dell laptop but UEFI capable. Had been using legacy BIOS compatible mode for years but when I got a new ssd decided to go all UEFI and modern-like. On new ssd I had put in 4 installs on 4 partitions you can still see below.

Code:

Device         Start       End   Sectors  Size Type
/dev/sda1       2048   1128447   1126400  550M EFI System
/dev/sda2    1128448 144488447 143360000 68.4G Microsoft basic data
/dev/sda3  144488448 322303999 177815552 84.8G Linux filesystem
/dev/sda4  322304000 411922431  89618432 42.7G Linux filesystem
/dev/sda5  411922432 500117503  88195072 42.1G Linux filesystem

they are in order windows 10, kubuntu, linuxmint (formerly PCLOS) and mageia

I replaced PCLOS on sda4 with linuxmint by just pointing installer at sda4 and it went fine. Rebooted got the mint grub and mint was default (kubuntu my daily drive) figured that was an easy fix later and went to play with mint. Rebooted with f2 to get into BIOS setup to move the ubuntu on top of EFI boot but to my surprise it was already at the top and PCLOS is still in there down in the list, linuxmint not in there. I could take a shot with my phone if anybody thinks seeing it will help plz advise. I was able to uncheck PCLOS in BIOS but mint did not exist to check to add. I fired up the live ubuntu usb to fix grub in efi. I had previously done this after trying to install mint on an external drive got really hairy. I did:

Quote:

sudo mount /dev/sda3 /mnt
sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot/efi
for i in /dev /dev/pts /proc /sys /run; do sudo mount -B $i /mnt$i; done
sudo chroot /mnt
grub-install /dev/sda
update-grub

No errors. Rebooted, checked in BIOS setup on the way, PCLOS still exists in BIO and mint doesn't. Ubuntu is the default, it's grub does have mint (and mageia) along with windows choice. How does one "reset" what the BIOS is seeing? This is the output for efibootmgr

BootCurrent: 0003
Timeout: 2 seconds
BootOrder: 0001,0003,0002,0000
Boot0000* Windows Boot Manager
Boot0001 pclinuxos
Boot0002* mageia
Boot0003* ubuntu

Please help me sort this. I like to play with distros on the side and even USB 2.0 can be slow for running them on a stick and persistence is almost as tricky to get going as this efi. But I could fix up old grub grub 2 on legacy BIOs no matter how many different ones I tried out. With EFI are you stuck with the ghost of every distro past or something? I am ready to chuck it all, wipe the disk and back to just windows and ubuntu and never look at new shiny pretty distros again. Someday they will lock the hardware down so bad it is only going to be one or none. this isn't funny anymore

hazel · 01-17-2024, 08:00 AM

Another one! Business_kid and I have already experienced this. https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ll-4175732660/. I wonder how many of these rogue UEFIs there are out there and whether they are all from the same manufacturer.

It seems that some UEFIs don't respond to the instructions that efibootmgr writes into their nvram. Specifically, they don't recognise list priority or activation/deactivation of entries. You need to use efibootmgr's delete function to remove the UEFI's preferred option completely if you don't want it to be used.

colorpurple21859 · 01-17-2024, 08:03 AM

Ubuntu based distros tend to use the ubuntu name tag on the efi partition and will overwrite the previously installed Ubuntu based distro boot loader on the efi partition versus using a unique name such as linuxmint. Check the contents of /boot/efi/EFI

Nishtya · 01-17-2024, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hazel

Another one! Business_kid and I have already experienced this. https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ll-4175732660/. I wonder how many of these rogue UEFIs there are out there and whether they are all from the same manufacturer.

It seems that some UEFIs don't respond to the instructions that efibootmgr writes into their nvram. Specifically, they don't recognise list priority or activation/deactivation of entries. You need to use efibootmgr's delete function to remove the UEFI's preferred option completely if you don't want it to be used.

Here is a pic of the setup screen if attaching a small pic works. There are options to delete and to add. What information is needed to add to this? There is a string prefilled and then another to add a file path.

Quote:

Originally Posted by colorpurple21859

Ubuntu based distros tend to use the ubuntu name tag on the efi partition and will overwrite the previously installed Ubuntu based distro boot loader on the efi partition versus using a unique name such as linuxmint. Check the contents of /boot/efi/EFI

Location of /boot/efi/EFI and command? I didn't have much luck finding it

Update: I tried using the BIOs setup to delete PCLINUXOS ghost and get the mint in there. Whoops. Had to reset BIOs to defaults, I now have just Windows. Data will all be there and be fine there was not formatting it must be there, will boot a live USB and transfer off my stuff, reinstall kubuntu alongside windows now with more room! Kubuntu will not have to share except with windows which totally ignores it anyway. I will not try and multiboot beyond a windows and one linux ever again. This is just too temperamental- the documentation and such are all over with what to do and I don't want to end up with a brick. Sadly, the attempt at keeping play distros for joyriding on an external drive proved no easier. When the external was not attached (which it usually isn't) all hell broke loose. UEFI was supposed to be the modern streamlined way, right? Oh and secure (haven't enabled secure boot yet and have no intention of ever doing so)

colorpurple21859 · 01-17-2024, 09:34 AM

Open a terminal and post the output of the following:

Code:

 sudo ls -R /boot/efi/EFI

To give mint its own bootloader

Code:

sudo grub-install —bootloader-id=linuxmint

To change boot order

Code:

sudo efibootmgr -o xxxx xxxx xxxx

whereas xxxx is the id number of each entry

Nishtya · 01-17-2024, 09:42 AM

I do the above from a live USB, don't mount anything or such? I am windows right now as it is my only boot choice.

I am in unknown territory here but in a pinch I can always throw the old SSD in that I have been using for an external if I screw the pooch will still have windows and my old ubuntu installs... as long as I don't brick it from BIOS

business_kid · 01-17-2024, 09:57 AM

I would "sort" it using these weapons - all reliable commands in efibootmgr. a user running it needs sudo

Code:

efibootmgr -b <boot-number> -B # deletes a phantom OS, e.g.
efibootmgr -b 2 -B # deletes boot 0002, mageia in your list

To change the boot order, you need to run the two commands below without rebooting in between!

Code:

efibootmgr -O
efibootmgr -o 3,2,1,0 # or whatever your new boot order is. No spaces, but commas.

This is all online if you're prepared to wade through the unnecessary bilge that populates any useful web page. If the boot order isn't right, try attacking the BIOS in Setup and setting it there.

Nishtya · 01-17-2024, 10:42 AM

Unfortunately I don't have anything (that EFI recognizes anymore) to populate it with. Output from bootmgr

Code:

 kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo efibootmgr
BootCurrent: 0001
Timeout: 2 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,0001
Boot0000* Windows Boot Manager
Boot0001* UEFI: ADATA USB Flash Drive 0.00, Partition 2

Short of reinstalling kubuntu I don't know what to do. Does it keep last old copy as a backup or anything

hazel · 01-17-2024, 11:09 AM

You need to look at the contents of your EFI system partition. This is usually mounted on /boot/efi in Linux. I don't know where Windows mounts it but it should be easily accessible since it uses the old Windows-95 filesystem (vfat). There will be a directory on it called BOOT containing the Windows bootloader BOOTX86.efi and other directories containing various versions of GRUB. If I were you, I would just keep the Ubuntu GRUB and delete the others. You can always add extra distros to a GRUB menu. Then use Windows bcedit or efibootmgr in your live Kubuntu disc to add that GRUB to the UEFI menu.

Nishtya · 01-17-2024, 12:08 PM

Hazel, I will boot up live usb, will I be able to look for the files referenced in GUI? If not can you guide me CLI. I don't think my usb has vi or gedit maybe has nano

jayjwa · 01-17-2024, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nishtya

kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo efibootmgr
BootCurrent: 0001
Timeout: 2 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,0001
Boot0000* Windows Boot Manager
Boot0001* UEFI: ADATA USB Flash Drive 0.00, Partition 2

Why don't your entries actually point to partitions, files, and UEFI loaders?

Code:

efibootmgr
BootCurrent: 0000
Timeout: 2 seconds
BootOrder: 0007,0008,0000,0001,0006,000A,0004,0005
Boot0000* slackware-15.0+	HD(1,GPT,1d39afc6-46db-4550-b122-74c8381926f3,0x800,0x82000)/File(\EFI\SLACKWARE-15.0+\GRUBX64.EFI)
Boot0001* Slackware	HD(1,GPT,1d39afc6-46db-4550-b122-74c8381926f3,0x800,0x82000)/File(\EFI\SLACKWARE\ELILO.EFI)
Boot0004* Generic Usb Device	VenHw(99e275e7-75a0-4b37-a2e6-c5385e6c00cb)
Boot0005* CD/DVD Device	VenHw(99e275e7-75a0-4b37-a2e6-c5385e6c00cb)
Boot0006* UEFI OS	HD(1,GPT,1d39afc6-46db-4550-b122-74c8381926f3,0x800,0x82000)/File(\EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.EFI)..BO
Boot0007* HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GUE0N	BBS(CDROM,,0x0)..BO
Boot0008* WDC WD10EZEX-08WN4A0	BBS(HD,,0x0)..BO
Boot000A* Realtek PXE B01 D00	BBS(Network,,0x0)..BO

jmgibson1981 · 01-17-2024, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nishtya

Unfortunately I don't have anything (that EFI recognizes anymore) to populate it with. Output from bootmgr

Code:

 kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo efibootmgr
BootCurrent: 0001
Timeout: 2 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,0001
Boot0000* Windows Boot Manager
Boot0001* UEFI: ADATA USB Flash Drive 0.00, Partition 2

Short of reinstalling kubuntu I don't know what to do. Does it keep last old copy as a backup or anything

From either a live boot or Kubuntu you can mount the partitions and chroot in to reinstall grub. Make sure to mount all of them + the efi partition in the proper places. It will also require you to mount /proc /sys and /dev with bind mounts.

example

Code:

mount /dev/$KUBUNTU /mnt
mount /dev/$EFI /mnt/boot/efi
for i in sys proc dev ; do
  mount --bind "$i" /mnt/"$i"
done

If you have the system set up with extra partitions that are for that installation then it would be good to mount them as well for the chroot grub install.

business_kid · 01-17-2024, 01:34 PM

Get some linux running somehow.Mount the efi partition, and check that kubuntu has a section in the EFI directory. Here's my EFI partition

Code:

dec@Ebony:/boot/efi$ls EFI
Boot/  Microsoft/  Slackware/  debian/

If kubuntu has a directory there, post the contents. If not, and presuming you don't have a backup, reinstall. If you do have a backup, restore it.

Nishtya · 01-17-2024, 02:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayjwa

Why don't your entries actually point to partitions, files, and UEFI loaders?

Code:

Good question. when I pulled it earlier in the disaster the GUIDs were there. That was before something went belly up and I did a default reset on the bios and everything but windows disappeared. Let me poke around with the other suggestions.

Nishtya · 01-17-2024, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by business_kid

Get some linux running somehow.Mount the efi partition, and check that kubuntu has a section in the EFI directory. Here's my EFI partition

Code:

dec@Ebony:/boot/efi$ls EFI
Boot/  Microsoft/  Slackware/  debian/

If kubuntu has a directory there, post the contents. If not, and presuming you don't have a backup, reinstall. If you do have a backup, restore it.

what does this mean besides the obvious?

Code:

root@kubuntu:/# /boot/efi$ls EFI
bash: /boot/efi: Is a directory