Swapping ThinkPad drive
I've bought a 1 TB SSD drive to replace the 750 GB drive in my ThinkPad. I was considering using the opportunity to change to UEFI. I'll be mounting the old drive in an external case so that I can copy over the partitions, one of them NTFS. Anything I should worry about in converting to UEFI? Any suggestions? tnx jk
On 24/11/2021 17.31, James Knott wrote:
I've bought a 1 TB SSD drive to replace the 750 GB drive in my ThinkPad. I was considering using the opportunity to change to UEFI. I'll be mounting the old drive in an external case so that I can copy over the partitions, one of them NTFS. Anything I should worry about in converting to UEFI? Any suggestions?
The disk itself can be formatted "traditionally" or "GPT". The firmware of the machine can be "BIOS" or "UEFI". And finally, traditionally formatted disks can only boot in traditional mode, and GPT formatted disks can be booted (and prepared) in both traditional or UEFI modes. Although those definitions can be fuzzified, for mere mortals like us, they suffice ;-) So, the first question to find out, is whether your machine is traditional or BIOS, because it is strange that if it is UEFI capable it doesn't boot already in that mode. If the internal disk is "traditional" but it UEFI, then before cloning I would install openSUSE fresh on that external disk in UEFI mode (with GPT partitions). Even if you intend to clone over your system, first initialize small system to verify it can handle UEFI and GPT. If your machine is BIOS only, the external disk can be partitioned GPT and booted "traditionally". I would also install a small system for testing in this case. Next steps, when you clarify the doubts :-) -- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 15.2 x86_64 at Telcontar)
On 2021-11-24 2:03 p.m., Carlos E. R. wrote:
On 24/11/2021 17.31, James Knott wrote:
I've bought a 1 TB SSD drive to replace the 750 GB drive in my ThinkPad. I was considering using the opportunity to change to UEFI. I'll be mounting the old drive in an external case so that I can copy over the partitions, one of them NTFS. Anything I should worry about in converting to UEFI? Any suggestions?
The disk itself can be formatted "traditionally" or "GPT". The firmware of the machine can be "BIOS" or "UEFI".
And finally, traditionally formatted disks can only boot in traditional mode, and GPT formatted disks can be booted (and prepared) in both traditional or UEFI modes.
Although those definitions can be fuzzified, for mere mortals like us, they suffice ;-)
So, the first question to find out, is whether your machine is traditional or BIOS, because it is strange that if it is UEFI capable it doesn't boot already in that mode. If the internal disk is "traditional" but it UEFI, then before cloning I would install openSUSE fresh on that external disk in UEFI mode (with GPT partitions). Even if you intend to clone over your system, first initialize small system to verify it can handle UEFI and GPT.
If your machine is BIOS only, the external disk can be partitioned GPT and booted "traditionally". I would also install a small system for testing in this case.
Next steps, when you clarify the doubts :-)
The computer can boot either. I wouldn't be considering changing to UEFI if it couldn't. It's just a matter of changing a BIOS setting. I have the new drive mounted in the computer and the old drive in an external case and ready to start formatting it. First thing is to create the EFI partition and go from there.
On 24/11/2021 20.39, James Knott wrote:
On 2021-11-24 2:03 p.m., Carlos E. R. wrote:
On 24/11/2021 17.31, James Knott wrote:
...
Next steps, when you clarify the doubts :-)
The computer can boot either. I wouldn't be considering changing to UEFI if it couldn't. It's just a matter of changing a BIOS setting.
I have the new drive mounted in the computer and the old drive in an external case and ready to start formatting it. First thing is to create the EFI partition and go from there.
Good :-) Then I would simply create a fresh install on that disk right away, it will create the appropriate files ;-) I would make it a small partition (say 15..20 gigs), and use it for rescue operations, and to clone the old disk, which is the final goal. Once the small partition is installed and running, make sure to edit in "/etc/default/grub" the line GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=... Never leave this on the default value if the disk may have more than one openSUSE install, because it defines the name of the directories under "/boot/efi/EFI/". After you do that, run the YaST boot module, and just change the timeout in one second up or down, and accept. This trick tells YaST to write everything. Confirm that /boot/efi/EFI/WHATEVER name you wrote exists. And confirm with "efibootmgr" that the list is correct. (you might at this point swap the disks) Next step would be to clone the Windows partitions. Do that with 'dd', sector by sector (create the needed partitions with the same sector quantitity). This will be the biggest problem. I don't know how to make this migration and ensure it will boot. Final step would be to clone Linux. Just create the partitions and copy over with rsync: OPTIONS="--archive --acls --xattrs --hard-links --sparse --stats --human-readable " rsync $OPTIONS from/ /to And then you have to mount it inside the rescue system, and chroot: mount --bind /proc /other/proc mount --bind /sys /other/sys mount --bind /dev /other/dev cd /other chroot /other Then you have to start yast en text mode (type "yast" in a terminal), and use the boot module changing the settings to UEFI, and try booting. It will probably fail, it failed for me, but looking at the error messages I found how to make it boot in the end. -- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 15.2 x86_64 at Telcontar)
On 24/11/2021 22.36, James Knott wrote:
On 2021-11-24 4:19 p.m., Carlos E. R. wrote:
I would make it a small partition (say 15..20 gigs), and use it for rescue operations, and to clone the old disk, which is the final goal.
I have a system rescue disk on a USB stick.
Not the same thing. In this case, I want a small rescue partition in the new disk to see how the automated system creates it, what settings, which will be different from the other settings. And I will need to use chroot. Plus, I always want a rescue partition in every computer, which also serves to test the new version of the OS when the time comes. -- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 15.2 x86_64 at Telcontar)
On 2021-11-24 2:03 p.m., Carlos E. R. wrote:
So, the first question to find out, is whether your machine is traditional or BIOS, because it is strange that if it is UEFI capable it doesn't boot already in that mode. If the internal disk is "traditional" but it UEFI, then before cloning I would install openSUSE fresh on that external disk in UEFI mode (with GPT partitions). Even if you intend to clone over your system, first initialize small system to verify it can handle UEFI and GPT.
It can handle both. I currently have configured it to boot UEFI first, then legacy. Also, isn't legacy still necessary for USB drives? Right at the moment, I'm getting the Windows partitions copied over with gparted. I'll ensure that boots and then continue with the Linux stuff. Also, I created a 512 MB FAT32 EFI partition.
On 24/11/2021 22.08, James Knott wrote:
On 2021-11-24 2:03 p.m., Carlos E. R. wrote:
So, the first question to find out, is whether your machine is traditional or BIOS, because it is strange that if it is UEFI capable it doesn't boot already in that mode. If the internal disk is "traditional" but it UEFI, then before cloning I would install openSUSE fresh on that external disk in UEFI mode (with GPT partitions). Even if you intend to clone over your system, first initialize small system to verify it can handle UEFI and GPT.
It can handle both. I currently have configured it to boot UEFI first, then legacy. Also, isn't legacy still necessary for USB drives?
No, USB drives properly made boot fine in UEFI mode.
Right at the moment, I'm getting the Windows partitions copied over with gparted. I'll ensure that boots and then continue with the Linux stuff. Also, I created a 512 MB FAT32 EFI partition.
-- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 15.2 x86_64 at Telcontar)
James Knott composed on 2021-11-24 11:31 (UTC-0500):
I've bought a 1 TB SSD drive to replace the 750 GB drive in my ThinkPad. I was considering using the opportunity to change to UEFI. I'll be mounting the old drive in an external case so that I can copy over the partitions, one of them NTFS. Anything I should worry about in converting to UEFI?
No, and good idea.
Any suggestions?
Don't let any stumble thwart reaching your goal. UEFI is more robust. Start by setting the BIOS to prevent booting in legacy mode. It's not necessary, but it may avoid otherwise unnecessary redos. It can be restored if desired after the installation is done. Once the installation media is booted in UEFI mode, you may note the absence of an F key menu at the bottom of the initial installer boot screen. That well-known regression is just something we have to live with for now. If you find it necessary to add any boot options before proceeding, they'll have to be added in same manner as one adds them to a normal Grub screen, via the E key. Once past Grub, installation is just like legacy mode. -- Evolution as taught in public schools is, like religion, based on faith, not based on science. Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks! Felix Miata
On 2021-11-24 11:31 a.m., James Knott wrote:
I've bought a 1 TB SSD drive to replace the 750 GB drive in my ThinkPad. I was considering using the opportunity to change to UEFI. I'll be mounting the old drive in an external case so that I can copy over the partitions, one of them NTFS. Anything I should worry about in converting to UEFI? Any suggestions?
tnx jk
I've got it up and running on Leap 15.3, but now I have to figure out how to make the Windows partition bootable. I used Grub Customizer but there doesn't seem to be a repository for 15.3. I've tried a "community version, but it doesn't seem to install. Any suggestions? Also, when Windows 10 required a major update, I had to use fdisk to set the system to boot directly into Windows, instead of grub. Is that possible with parted? I see the EFI partition is set to boot, rather than the Linux or Windows partiton.
On 25/11/2021 23.05, James Knott wrote:
On 2021-11-24 11:31 a.m., James Knott wrote:
...
Also, when Windows 10 required a major update, I had to use fdisk to set the system to boot directly into Windows, instead of grub. Is that possible with parted? I see the EFI partition is set to boot, rather than the Linux or Windows partiton.
With UEFI and GPT, I did not have to make Windows the default, it has never complained so far. It indeed has to "boot" always the EFI partition, it is the new system, even for Windows. What Windows does not expect is that Grub will run first. Notice that you have *two* boot menus. Once is displayed by the firmware, and one of the entries will boot Windows "directly" and another will boot grub (the second boot menu). You configure the first menu using "efibootmgr" in Linux. -- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 15.2 x86_64 at Telcontar)
On 2021-11-25 5:19 p.m., Carlos E. R. wrote:
Notice that you have *two* boot menus. Once is displayed by the firmware, and one of the entries will boot Windows "directly" and another will boot grub (the second boot menu). You configure the first menu using "efibootmgr" in Linux.
The only menu I see is the one for opensuse, where Grub Customizer would add entries.
Op donderdag 25 november 2021 23:42:45 CET schreef James Knott:
On 2021-11-25 5:19 p.m., Carlos E. R. wrote:
Notice that you have *two* boot menus. Once is displayed by the firmware, and one of the entries will boot Windows "directly" and another will boot grub (the second boot menu). You configure the first menu using "efibootmgr" in Linux.
The only menu I see is the one for opensuse, where Grub Customizer would add entries. Go to YaST's Bootloader module, make sure the OS prober is checked, click OK
-- Gertjan Lettink a.k.a. Knurpht openSUSE Board openSUSE Forums Team
On 2021-11-25 5:46 p.m., Knurpht-openSUSE wrote:
Op donderdag 25 november 2021 23:42:45 CET schreef James Knott:
On 2021-11-25 5:19 p.m., Carlos E. R. wrote:
Notice that you have *two* boot menus. Once is displayed by the firmware, and one of the entries will boot Windows "directly" and another will boot grub (the second boot menu). You configure the first menu using "efibootmgr" in Linux. The only menu I see is the one for opensuse, where Grub Customizer would add entries. Go to YaST's Bootloader module, make sure the OS prober is checked, click OK
I did and nothing. Do I have to do anything to the Windows partition? I just used gparted to copy it from the original drive to the new one.
On 25/11/2021 23.42, James Knott wrote:
On 2021-11-25 5:19 p.m., Carlos E. R. wrote:
Notice that you have *two* boot menus. Once is displayed by the firmware, and one of the entries will boot Windows "directly" and another will boot grub (the second boot menu). You configure the first menu using "efibootmgr" in Linux.
The only menu I see is the one for opensuse, where Grub Customizer would add entries.
Check the documentation of your laptop, there is always a button or key combination to reach the bios configuration and the boot menu. For example, in my tiny Lenovo laptop, I have to power off the machine, and then press a hidden button inside a hole, with a pin. Then it boots with a 4 entry menu. One option is bios configuration, another is boot menu, and the other two I forget. So, if your machine is UEFI, it absolutely has a method to produce the firmware boot menu. However, you cloned your old disk, maybe not everything is correct, and Windows can not be booted. There is a directory in the EFI directory that corresponds to Windows, it must be there in the new EFI as well. And it must be correct. I have no idea how to ensure it is correct. If it is not, it is possible that os-prober doesn't add a boot entry for it. -- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 15.2 x86_64 at Telcontar)
On 2021-11-25 9:03 p.m., Carlos E. R. wrote:
The only menu I see is the one for opensuse, where Grub Customizer would add entries.
Check the documentation of your laptop, there is always a button or key combination to reach the bios configuration and the boot menu.
For example, in my tiny Lenovo laptop, I have to power off the machine, and then press a hidden button inside a hole, with a pin. Then it boots with a 4 entry menu. One option is bios configuration, another is boot menu, and the other two I forget.
So, if your machine is UEFI, it absolutely has a method to produce the firmware boot menu.
However, you cloned your old disk, maybe not everything is correct, and Windows can not be booted.
There is a directory in the EFI directory that corresponds to Windows, it must be there in the new EFI as well. And it must be correct. I have no idea how to ensure it is correct. If it is not, it is possible that os-prober doesn't add a boot entry for it.
I can get into the BIOS config by pressing Enter when the computer first starts booting and then change the setting. I don't see anything about a menu there. I can also press F12 and it gives a menu of drives to boot from, but not partitions. Perhaps something is missing. This computer originally had Windows 7 on it and I had previously replaced the drive with a larger one. I bought it 10 years ago. /boot/efi/EFI shows boot & opensuse. I guess I may have to go back to the old way. :-( Oh well, at least it was a learning experience.
On 26/11/2021 03.22, James Knott wrote:
On 2021-11-25 9:03 p.m., Carlos E. R. wrote:
The only menu I see is the one for opensuse, where Grub Customizer would add entries.
Check the documentation of your laptop, there is always a button or key combination to reach the bios configuration and the boot menu.
For example, in my tiny Lenovo laptop, I have to power off the machine, and then press a hidden button inside a hole, with a pin. Then it boots with a 4 entry menu. One option is bios configuration, another is boot menu, and the other two I forget.
So, if your machine is UEFI, it absolutely has a method to produce the firmware boot menu.
However, you cloned your old disk, maybe not everything is correct, and Windows can not be booted.
There is a directory in the EFI directory that corresponds to Windows, it must be there in the new EFI as well. And it must be correct. I have no idea how to ensure it is correct. If it is not, it is possible that os-prober doesn't add a boot entry for it.
I can get into the BIOS config by pressing Enter when the computer first starts booting and then change the setting. I don't see anything about a menu there. I can also press F12 and it gives a menu of drives to boot from, but not partitions. Perhaps something is missing.
That's the one. On BIOS it lists disks, but on UEFI it lists "bootable oses", not partitions, that have entries in the EFI partition(s).
This computer originally had Windows 7 on it and I had previously replaced the drive with a larger one. I bought it 10 years ago.
I don't know when UEFI machines started, but 10 years ago it would be a primitive form, if any.
/boot/efi/EFI shows boot & opensuse.
Well, you have to add Windows there. Look at the entries in your old disk EFI partition.
I guess I may have to go back to the old way. :-(
Oh well, at least it was a learning experience.
-- Cheers / Saludos, Carlos E. R. (from 15.2 x86_64 at Telcontar)
participants (4)
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Carlos E. R. -
Felix Miata -
James Knott -
Knurpht-openSUSE