Non-bootable system after upgrade

Jogchum Reitsma

7 Mar 2021 7 Mar '21

17:19

Hi, Today I tried to upgrade a system which apparently hadn't been upgraded for ages: it still ran 42.3. I did it he way I am used to: choose for a fresh install, and import the filesystem layout and mountpoints from the existing system. (It still puzzles me why the default proposition from the installer always is to re-arrange the existing filesystems on disk, in a way that is destroying all data on it.. Why not at least keep the /home partition intact?). In this process I get the warming The system might not be able to boot: * A partition of type BIOS Boot Partition is needed to install the bootloader * Such a setup is not supported and may cause problems with the bootloader now and in the future And I'm given the choice to continue or not. The message as such is somewhat ambiguous to me: is a partition of type BIOS Boot Partition needed for the new installation, and is it non-existing? Or, the other way around, does it exist and should it be deleted for a successful install? Moreover, the message doesn't give a clue as to what to do. This warning slightly resembles another one, for which I asked for and got help for the 10th of October 2018 (https://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/533410-Warning-about-missing-bios...); there I decided to continue, and installation went without problems. Therefore, AND not knowing what the installer wanted, I decided to continue. But this time the installation itself went smoothly, but left me with an unbootable system: there is no valid partition found to boot from. The partitions on the disk are: /dev/sda1 4.00 GiB Swap on Swap /dev/sda2 50.00 GiB BtrFS on / /dev/sda3 0.86TiB XFS on /home /dev/sda4 1.00 GiB FAT on /boot/efi Why did the system boot on 42.3, and refuses it to boot from 15.2? More important, what can I do to make the system boot? Preferably without touching /home... Your help is greatly appreciated! regards, Jogchum

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Andrei Borzenkov

7 Mar 7 Mar

17:52

On 07.03.2021 20:19, Jogchum Reitsma wrote:

...

Hi,

Today I tried to upgrade a system which apparently hadn't been upgraded for ages: it still ran 42.3.

I did it he way I am used to: choose for a fresh install, and import the filesystem layout and mountpoints from the existing system. (It still puzzles me why the default proposition from the installer always is to re-arrange the existing filesystems on disk, in a way that is destroying all data on it.. Why not at least keep the /home partition intact?).

In this process I get the warming

The system might not be able to boot:

* A partition of type BIOS Boot Partition is needed to install the bootloader * Such a setup is not supported and may cause problems with the bootloader now and in the future

And I'm given the choice to continue or not.

The message as such is somewhat ambiguous to me: is a partition of type BIOS Boot Partition needed for the new installation, and is it non-existing?

Yes. You are trying to install grub2 to the first block ("MBR") of GPT formatted disk and this requires extra partition to store boot code.

...

Or, the other way around, does it exist and should it be deleted for a successful install?

Moreover, the message doesn't give a clue as to what to do.

Well, you were in expert setup, it is assumed you know what you are doing ...

...

This warning slightly resembles another one, for which I asked for and got help for the 10th of October 2018 (https://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/533410-Warning-about-missing-bios...); there I decided to continue, and installation went without problems.

Therefore, AND not knowing what the installer wanted, I decided to continue.

But this time the installation itself went smoothly, but left me with an unbootable system: there is no valid partition found to boot from.

You complained that error message was not clear, but you yourself does not provide any better. It is impossible to understand what happens during boot, is it actual error message (and if yes, when it comes) or is it your interpretation of what happens. Describe what happens after you power on, what messages you see and when.

...

The partitions on the disk are:

/dev/sda1 4.00 GiB Swap on Swap /dev/sda2 50.00 GiB BtrFS on / /dev/sda3 0.86TiB XFS on /home /dev/sda4 1.00 GiB FAT on /boot/efi

Why did the system boot on 42.3, and refuses it to boot from 15.2?

How should we know? You did not describe how your system was setup before. But as you have /boot/efi most likely old system was installed in UEFI mode and you performed update in legacy BIOS mode.

...

More important, what can I do to make the system boot? Preferably without touching /home...

Boot live medium in UEFI mode, chroot into your installed system and reinstall bootloader.

Carlos E. R.

18:47

On 07/03/2021 18.52, Andrei Borzenkov wrote:

...

On 07.03.2021 20:19, Jogchum Reitsma wrote:

...
Hi,

Today I tried to upgrade a system which apparently hadn't been upgraded for ages: it still ran 42.3.

I did it he way I am used to: choose for a fresh install, and import the filesystem layout and mountpoints from the existing system. (It still puzzles me why the default proposition from the installer always is to re-arrange the existing filesystems on disk, in a way that is destroying all data on it.. Why not at least keep the /home partition intact?).

...

...
Or, the other way around, does it exist and should it be deleted for a successful install?

Moreover, the message doesn't give a clue as to what to do.

Well, you were in expert setup, it is assumed you know what you are doing ... Arguably, he is forced into expert mode because the installation start

... menu lacks one option: 1) fresh install 2) upgrade existing installation 3) install on top of existing partition 3 is missing. -- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 15.2 x86_64 at Telcontar)

Jogchum Reitsma

19:43

<snip>

...

...
Well, you were in expert setup, it is assumed you know what you are doing ... Arguably, he is forced into expert mode because the installation start menu lacks one option:

1) fresh install 2) upgrade existing installation 3) install on top of existing partition

3 is missing.

Indeed...

Carlos E. R.

18:55

On 07/03/2021 18.19, Jogchum Reitsma wrote:

...

Hi,

Today I tried to upgrade a system which apparently hadn't been upgraded for ages: it still ran 42.3.

I did it he way I am used to: choose for a fresh install, and import the filesystem layout and mountpoints from the existing system. (It still puzzles me why the default proposition from the installer always is to re-arrange the existing filesystems on disk, in a way that is destroying all data on it.. Why not at least keep the /home partition intact?).

In this process I get the warming

The system might not be able to boot:

* A partition of type BIOS Boot Partition is needed to install the bootloader * Such a setup is not supported and may cause problems with the bootloader now and in the future

And I'm given the choice to continue or not.

Are you installing in BIOS or in UEFI mode? I'm confused because this message happens when using BIOS mode, but I see later that you have the /boot/efi partiton. If you are installing in BIOS mode, then you need that BIOS boot partition, or if not, make sure that: MBR contains generic boot code System boots from root partition Root partition is flagged bootable. ...

...

Therefore, AND not knowing what the installer wanted, I decided to continue.

But this time the installation itself went smoothly, but left me with an unbootable system: there is no valid partition found to boot from.

The partitions on the disk are:

/dev/sda1 4.00 GiB Swap on Swap /dev/sda2 50.00 GiB BtrFS on / /dev/sda3 0.86TiB XFS on /home /dev/sda4 1.00 GiB FAT on /boot/efi

sda4 is too big, 500M is enough. Why you have it is a mystery, anyway.

...

Why did the system boot on 42.3, and refuses it to boot from 15.2?

We don't know how your 42.3 was installed.

...

More important, what can I do to make the system boot? Preferably without touching /home...

First find out: BIOS or UEFI? -- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 15.2 x86_64 at Telcontar)

Jogchum Reitsma

19:55

Op 07-03-2021 om 19:55 schreef Carlos E. R.:

...

On 07/03/2021 18.19, Jogchum Reitsma wrote: <snip>

...

Are you installing in BIOS or in UEFI mode? I don't know, to be honest. And I'm some 25 km's away from the system in question, so it's not easy to tell right now.

I'm confused because this message happens when using BIOS mode, but I see later that you have the /boot/efi partiton.

If you are installing in BIOS mode, then you need that BIOS boot partition, or if not, make sure that:

MBR contains generic boot code System boots from root partition Root partition is flagged bootable.

...

...
Therefore, AND not knowing what the installer wanted, I decided to continue.

But this time the installation itself went smoothly, but left me with an unbootable system: there is no valid partition found to boot from.

The partitions on the disk are:

/dev/sda1 4.00 GiB Swap on Swap /dev/sda2 50.00 GiB BtrFS on / /dev/sda3 0.86TiB XFS on /home /dev/sda4 1.00 GiB FAT on /boot/efi

sda4 is too big, 500M is enough. Why you have it is a mystery, anyway. I wouldn't know either, I got the system presented as is. Should I delete it?

...
Why did the system boot on 42.3, and refuses it to boot from 15.2?

We don't know how your 42.3 was installed. Here again, I don't really know. Must be way back.

...
More important, what can I do to make the system boot? Preferably without touching /home...

First find out: BIOS or UEFI?

To find that out, I have to boot with a live "CD" I suppose? KDE or Rescue? Thanks, Jogchum

Carlos E. R.

20:28

On 07/03/2021 20.55, Jogchum Reitsma wrote:

...

Op 07-03-2021 om 19:55 schreef Carlos E. R.:

...
On 07/03/2021 18.19, Jogchum Reitsma wrote: <snip>

...
Are you installing in BIOS or in UEFI mode? I don't know, to be honest. And I'm some 25 km's away from the system in question, so it's not easy to tell right now.

There are commands that could tell you this, but I'm not sure which. You could try "efibootmgr". What I do not know is what it prints in BIOS mode.

...

...
I'm confused because this message happens when using BIOS mode, but I see later that you have the /boot/efi partiton.

If you are installing in BIOS mode, then you need that BIOS boot partition, or if not, make sure that:

MBR contains generic boot code System boots from root partition Root partition is flagged bootable.

...

...
Therefore, AND not knowing what the installer wanted, I decided to continue.

But this time the installation itself went smoothly, but left me with an unbootable system: there is no valid partition found to boot from.

The partitions on the disk are:

/dev/sda1 4.00 GiB Swap on Swap /dev/sda2 50.00 GiB BtrFS on / /dev/sda3 0.86TiB XFS on /home /dev/sda4 1.00 GiB FAT on /boot/efi

sda4 is too big, 500M is enough. Why you have it is a mystery, anyway. I wouldn't know either, I got the system presented as is. Should I delete it?

No. You did not create it now?

...

...
...
Why did the system boot on 42.3, and refuses it to boot from 15.2?

We don't know how your 42.3 was installed. Here again, I don't really know. Must be way back.

"bootinfoscript" could have told you that. download from: https://github.com/arvidjaar/bootinfoscript/raw/master/bootinfoscript

...

...
...
More important, what can I do to make the system boot? Preferably without touching /home...

First find out: BIOS or UEFI?

To find that out, I have to boot with a live "CD" I suppose? KDE or Rescue?

No, you have to get to the BIOS config page. When you boot the installation DVD, the display is slightly different, too. It could be nice if it displayed "BIOS/UEFI mode" too. -- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 15.2 x86_64 at Telcontar)

Jogchum Reitsma

20:39

Op 07-03-2021 om 21:28 schreef Carlos E. R.:

...

On 07/03/2021 20.55, Jogchum Reitsma wrote:

...
Op 07-03-2021 om 19:55 schreef Carlos E. R.:

...
On 07/03/2021 18.19, Jogchum Reitsma wrote: <snip>

...
Are you installing in BIOS or in UEFI mode? I don't know, to be honest. And I'm some 25 km's away from the system in question, so it's not easy to tell right now.

There are commands that could tell you this, but I'm not sure which.

You could try "efibootmgr". What I do not know is what it prints in BIOS mode. OK. I'll try that tomorrow.

...
...

...
/dev/sda4 1.00 GiB FAT on /boot/efi

sda4 is too big, 500M is enough. Why you have it is a mystery, anyway. I wouldn't know either, I got the system presented as is. Should I delete it?

No. You did not create it now? No, I simply took the existing partitions.

...
...
...
Why did the system boot on 42.3, and refuses it to boot from 15.2?

We don't know how your 42.3 was installed. Here again, I don't really know. Must be way back.

"bootinfoscript" could have told you that. download from:

https://github.com/arvidjaar/bootinfoscript/raw/master/bootinfoscript OK. Still learning after 20+ years of using (open)suse...

...
...
...
More important, what can I do to make the system boot? Preferably without touching /home...

First find out: BIOS or UEFI?

To find that out, I have to boot with a live "CD" I suppose? KDE or Rescue?

No, you have to get to the BIOS config page. Aha, I see.

When you boot the installation DVD, the display is slightly different, too. It could be nice if it displayed "BIOS/UEFI mode" too.

Thanks a lot! Jogchum

Carlos E. R.

20:56

On 07/03/2021 21.39, Jogchum Reitsma wrote:

...

Op 07-03-2021 om 21:28 schreef Carlos E. R.:

...
On 07/03/2021 20.55, Jogchum Reitsma wrote:

...
Op 07-03-2021 om 19:55 schreef Carlos E. R.:

...
On 07/03/2021 18.19, Jogchum Reitsma wrote: <snip>

...
Are you installing in BIOS or in UEFI mode? I don't know, to be honest. And I'm some 25 km's away from the system in question, so it's not easy to tell right now.

There are commands that could tell you this, but I'm not sure which.

You could try "efibootmgr". What I do not know is what it prints in BIOS mode. OK. I'll try that tomorrow.

...
...

...
/dev/sda4 1.00 GiB FAT on /boot/efi

sda4 is too big, 500M is enough. Why you have it is a mystery, anyway. I wouldn't know either, I got the system presented as is. Should I delete it?

No. You did not create it now? No, I simply took the existing partitions.

Then my guess is that the old system was UEFI, but the new install was done in BIOS mode, so it asked for the extra BIOS partition. Assuming that the machine is UEFI, I would make sure it is configured to boot in UEFI mode and legacy mode is disabled. And of course, the partition table must be GPT (fdisk -l can tell).

...

...
...
...
...
Why did the system boot on 42.3, and refuses it to boot from 15.2?

We don't know how your 42.3 was installed. Here again, I don't really know. Must be way back.

"bootinfoscript" could have told you that. download from:

https://github.com/arvidjaar/bootinfoscript/raw/master/bootinfoscript OK. Still learning after 20+ years of using (open)suse...

We all do :-) -- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 15.2 x86_64 at Telcontar)

Jogchum Reitsma

8 Mar 8 Mar

15:09

Op 07-03-2021 om 21:28 schreef Carlos E. R.:

...

<snip snip>

...

No, you have to get to the BIOS config page.

When you boot the installation DVD, the display is slightly different, too. It could be nice if it displayed "BIOS/UEFI mode" too.

That did the trick. I disabled no-UEFI boot in the bios, started the installation anew, using the same procedure as before. Now I didn't get the warning about the system possibly being unbootable, and indeed, it booted perfect after installation. Thanks, it wouldn't have come up in my brain I'm afraid! regards, Jogchum,

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Andrei Borzenkov
Carlos E. R.
Jogchum Reitsma

Non-bootable system after upgrade

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