[SOLVED] Linux installation ruins other OS installations on my system --HELP PLEASE

sji260 · 08-24-2021, 12:18 PM

My system:
MSI MEG Z490 Godlike motherboard
Intel Core i9 10900K CPU
XFX Radeon RX6900XT Merc 319 Ultra GPU
64GB G.SKILL RAM
5x Sabrent 1TB SSDs
3x WD 4TB HDDs
Corsair HX1200i PSU
Dual LG 4K HDR monitors

Installations:
SSD 1 - macOS 11.5.2 using the Opencore 0.7.2 bootloader
SSD 2 - Windows 10 Pro using the Opencore 0.7.2 bootloader

Issue:
When I try to install ANY Linux distribution, GRUB overwrites the contents of BOOT/EFI/BOOTx64.efi. This results in loss of my macOS SSD, meaning I can't boot to it anymore. In fact it requires deletion of the Linux distro and a complete rebuild of my macOS SSD. This even happens when I boot from a "live" Linux USB when just trying a distro.

I do video editing and graphic arts work and some programs offered on Windows, macOS and Linux are just the best at what they do, hence the reason I'd like all three OSs on my machine. Windows and macOS play nicely, Linux does not.

My ideal solution would be to have each OS on it's own 1TB SSD and have the ability to choose between them at startup via the Opencore bootloader. I tried rEFInd but it didn't recognize either my Windows or macOS boot disks.

GRUB is invasive, despite telling Calamares (or other installer) where to install the Linux distro it seems to go wherever it wants and overwrites files vital to my other OSs. It even unmounts some of my HDDs and I have to do a CMOS reset to get them back.

I've spent a lot of time and research on this and I am ready to give up on Linux, but before I do I thought I'd reach out to the community to see if I'm missing something.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

mrmazda · 08-24-2021, 07:04 PM

I installed openSUSE on my 2007 iMac by first partitioning, then running the openSUSE installer, then installing MacOS into the empty partitions I left specifically for MacOS. I boot from openSUSE's Grub each time to whichever OS I wish. I never tried opencore, or putting Windows on a Mac. I did use rEFInd for a short time, but when it quit, I found Grub simply works whether I want to boot MacOs or Linux:

Code:

# grep RETT /etc/os-release
PRETTY_NAME="openSUSE Leap 15.2"
# tree -f /boot/efi/
/boot/efi
├── /boot/efi/EFI
│** ├── /boot/efi/EFI/APPLE
│** │** └── /boot/efi/EFI/APPLE/EXTENSIONS
│** │**     └── /boot/efi/EFI/APPLE/EXTENSIONS/Firmware.scap
│** ├── /boot/efi/EFI/opensuse151
│** │** └── /boot/efi/EFI/opensuse151/grubx64.efi
│** └── /boot/efi/EFI/opensuse152
│**     └── /boot/efi/EFI/opensuse152/grubx64.efi
└── /boot/efi/tools
    └── /boot/efi/tools/gptsync_x64.efi

6 directories, 4 files
# efibootmgr -v
BootCurrent: 0000
Timeout: 3 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,0001
Boot0000* opensuse152   HD(1,GPT,5c9d2fbf-e424-4df5-8158-153e622024f5,0x800,0xb8000)/File(\EFI\opensuse152\grubx64.efi)
Boot0001* opensuse151   HD(1,GPT,5c9d2fbf-e424-4df5-8158-153e622024f5,0x800,0xb8000)/File(\EFI\opensuse151\grubx64.efi)
BootFFFF*       PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1d,0x0)/USB(0,0)/HD(1,MBR,0x6b8b4567,0xa30,0x1e84)/File(\EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.efi)

Brains · 08-24-2021, 11:24 PM

Looking at the hardware specs, and I run an older MSI, seeing as you don't have issues getting an OS to run on it. I would think it's a boot loader issue, not working well with the UEFI firmware. Have you tried AIO?

EDIT: It's primary purpose is for bootable USB, but it has a ton of different boot loaders, a drive is a drive, and instructions.

GentleThotSeaMonkey · 08-25-2021, 12:23 AM

Welcome to LQ! Excuse my sticking my 'other world' idea in here
Linux is perfectly happy to run under/with another OS
(I don't shut down MX to boot mll, even on this old netbook)

Wouldn't you want to run all the OSes at the same time?
(reminds me of pre2015 iPad can run only one app at a time)

Especially with 64G ram and two 3840×2160 monitors:
That's like 8 (big or 16 plain) computers to Linux

, IMHO.

leclerc78 · 08-25-2021, 06:55 AM

Do you want to try Puppy ?
You can install it anywhere even your C: drive and it won't affect a thing. Just don't touch Grub.
I use a Windows program named Yumi to put several Os'es on a USB to try (just for fun).
Of course that is slow, with the exception of Puppy, because it can be booted from the USB, but run on the hard drive.
If the USB sticks out like an eye sore, you can buy a tiny version.

yancek · 08-25-2021, 08:16 AM

Quote:

When I try to install ANY Linux distribution, GRUB overwrites the contents of BOOT/EFI/BOOTx64.efi.

Haven't had that happen with any Linux I've installed UEFI. I haven't used a Mac however. When I install any Linux UEFI, it creates a separate directory under EFI for its boot files.

Simplest solution if you want to have 3 different operating systems on 3 different drives is to disconnect the 2nd and 3rd drives when you install on the first drive, repeat with each install. Simple to do on a Desktop. You might be able to disable drives 2 and 3 also.

Now that you have discovered that this file is overwritten on your machine, how about copying it somewhere else (a flash drive perhaps) and then copying it back after the install?

Quote:

In fact it requires deletion of the Linux distro and a complete rebuild of my macOS SSD

That makes no sense at all.

Quote:

This even happens when I boot from a "live" Linux USB when just trying a distro.

You're saying your EFI files gets overwritten when you are simply trying out the 'live' DVD/USB. That's plain silly, what exactly are you 'trying' out?

Quote:

GRUB is invasive, despite telling Calamares (or other installer) where to install the Linux distro it seems to go wherever it wants and overwrites files vital to my other OSs. It even unmounts some of my HDDs and I have to do a CMOS reset to get them back.

The 'installer' on some Linux distros will write the EFI files to the first EFI partition it finds on the disk, even though you may want it on the second disk, if there is an EFI partition on the first disk, it will be written to the first disk. This is the installer not Grub. Linux installs to the partition and drive the user selects or to the unallocated space on the first drive it finds that is large enough for the install unless told otherwise by the user. Are you familiar with Linux drive/partition naming conventions?

Quote:

I've spent a lot of time and research on this

Not nearly enough it would seem. Having only one drive connected when doing an install is the simplest method.

Perhaps posting which Linux OS you would like to use would help someone to help you or someone could point to some sites with details on installing.