[arch-general] Difficulty installing UEFI
Folks: I have a 2017 Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 that I'm using to try to install Arch on a hard drive. I've formatted the drive (under Arch, using fdisk, with gpt partition, etc.), gone through the installation up to the point where I run grub-install with this command: grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --bootloader-id=grub_uefi --recheck The error(s): EFI variables are not supported on this system. grub-install: errors efibootmgr failed to register the boot entry: No such file or directory. This particular machine originally had an MBR disk in it, and I'm not sure if the BIOS supports UEFI. Should I give up on using this machine to install a UEFI Arch disk, or is there some workaround? Paul
Hi,
I have a 2017 Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 that I'm using to try to install Arch on a hard drive. I've formatted the drive (under Arch, using fdisk, with gpt partition, etc.), gone through the installation up to the point where I run grub-install with this command:
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --bootloader-id=grub_uefi --recheck
what device did you use for installing? Did you select "Boot UEFI"? Is "BIOS Legacy"-mode enabled in BIOS? Regards Bjoern
On 11/15/21 4:52 PM, Bjoern Franke via arch-general wrote:
Hi,
I have a 2017 Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 that I'm using to try to install Arch on a hard drive. I've formatted the drive (under Arch, using fdisk, with gpt partition, etc.), gone through the installation up to the point where I run grub-install with this command:
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --bootloader-id=grub_uefi --recheck
what device did you use for installing? Did you select "Boot UEFI"? Is "BIOS Legacy"-mode enabled in BIOS?
Regards Bjoern
Not sure I understand what you mean. I used a thumb drive with the Arch ISO on it, and tweaked the BIOS to boot that drive first. Paul
On 11/16/21 00:06, Paul M. Foster via arch-general wrote:
On 11/15/21 4:52 PM, Bjoern Franke via arch-general wrote:
Hi,
I have a 2017 Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 that I'm using to try to install Arch on a hard drive. I've formatted the drive (under Arch, using fdisk, with gpt partition, etc.), gone through the installation up to the point where I run grub-install with this command:
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --bootloader-id=grub_uefi --recheck
what device did you use for installing? Did you select "Boot UEFI"? Is "BIOS Legacy"-mode enabled in BIOS?
Regards Bjoern
Not sure I understand what you mean. I used a thumb drive with the Arch ISO on it, and tweaked the BIOS to boot that drive first.
Paul
There are two places where this is important. First, when creating a USB stick with an Arch ISO, you need to create it as a UEFI bootable USB stick. Then you also need to boot that USB stick in UEFI mode when trying to install to a machine. If you do not create a UEFI compatible USB in the first place, you won't be able to boot it in UEFI mode later. However, even if you have a UEFI USB, you can still boot it in legacy support mode (BIOS) and that will not install/enable UEFI support on your new installation. -- Regards, Konstantin
On 11/15/21 5:11 PM, Konstantin Gizdov via arch-general wrote:
On 11/16/21 00:06, Paul M. Foster via arch-general wrote:
On 11/15/21 4:52 PM, Bjoern Franke via arch-general wrote:
Hi,
I have a 2017 Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 that I'm using to try to install Arch on a hard drive. I've formatted the drive (under Arch, using fdisk, with gpt partition, etc.), gone through the installation up to the point where I run grub-install with this command:
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --bootloader-id=grub_uefi --recheck
what device did you use for installing? Did you select "Boot UEFI"? Is "BIOS Legacy"-mode enabled in BIOS?
Regards Bjoern Not sure I understand what you mean. I used a thumb drive with the Arch ISO on it, and tweaked the BIOS to boot that drive first.
Paul
There are two places where this is important. First, when creating a USB stick with an Arch ISO, you need to create it as a UEFI bootable USB stick. Then you also need to boot that USB stick in UEFI mode when trying to install to a machine.
If you do not create a UEFI compatible USB in the first place, you won't be able to boot it in UEFI mode later. However, even if you have a UEFI USB, you can still boot it in legacy support mode (BIOS) and that will not install/enable UEFI support on your new installation.
Well, I created this USB stick with dd. I used the basic ISO available on the Arch download mirrors. I'm assuming from what you say that a stick built from dd wouldn't satisfy what you're saying. If that's the case, how do you prepare a USB stick as a UEFI device, and then how would you then copy the ISO to it properly? Paul
Well, I created this USB stick with dd. I used the basic ISO available on the Arch download mirrors. I'm assuming from what you say that a stick built from dd wouldn't satisfy what you're saying. If that's the case, how do you prepare a USB stick as a UEFI device, and then how would you then copy the ISO to it properly?
dd of the official .iso should be fine make sure to disable legacy booting in BIOS (also CSM disabled). -- damjan
On 11/15/21 9:18 PM, Damjan Georgievski wrote:
Well, I created this USB stick with dd. I used the basic ISO available on the Arch download mirrors. I'm assuming from what you say that a stick built from dd wouldn't satisfy what you're saying. If that's the case, how do you prepare a USB stick as a UEFI device, and then how would you then copy the ISO to it properly? dd of the official .iso should be fine
make sure to disable legacy booting in BIOS (also CSM disabled).
I can't find a setting for this in the BIOS. There is no mention of UEFI, and I suspect that the BIOS assumed all boots were MBR. Which is what drove my original question: should I give up on trying to work with this old motherboard? Or is there some workaround? Paul
Hi. You're sure that EFI support is available on that board? Some of the first "EFI-enabled" boards where only able to "efiboot" via CD/DVD, not over USB. Am Mo, 15. Nov 2021 um 23:05:40 -0500 schrieb Paul M. Foster via arch-general <arch-general@lists.archlinux.org>:
I can't find a setting for this in the BIOS. There is no mention of UEFI, and I suspect that the BIOS assumed all boots were MBR. Which is what drove my original question: should I give up on trying to work with this old motherboard? Or is there some workaround?
Paul
You can also try this iso: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Archboot It supports all UEFI modes. greetings tpowa Am Di., 16. Nov. 2021 um 09:29 Uhr schrieb Fabian Bornschein via arch-general <arch-general@lists.archlinux.org>:
Hi. You're sure that EFI support is available on that board? Some of the first "EFI-enabled" boards where only able to "efiboot" via CD/DVD, not over USB.
Am Mo, 15. Nov 2021 um 23:05:40 -0500 schrieb Paul M. Foster via arch-general <arch-general@lists.archlinux.org>:
I can't find a setting for this in the BIOS. There is no mention of UEFI, and I suspect that the BIOS assumed all boots were MBR. Which is what drove my original question: should I give up on trying to work with this old motherboard? Or is there some workaround?
Paul
-- Tobias Powalowski Archlinux Developer & Package Maintainer (tpowa) https://www.archlinux.org <http://www.archlinux.org> tpowa@archlinux.org St. Martin-Apotheke Herzog-Georg-Str. 25 89415 Lauingen https://www.st-martin-apo.de info@st-martin-apo.de
On Tue, 16 Nov 2021 at 05:05, Paul M. Foster <paulf@quillandmouse.com> wrote:
On 11/15/21 9:18 PM, Damjan Georgievski wrote:
Well, I created this USB stick with dd. I used the basic ISO available on the Arch download mirrors. I'm assuming from what you say that a stick built from dd wouldn't satisfy what you're saying. If that's the case, how do you prepare a USB stick as a UEFI device, and then how would you then copy the ISO to it properly? dd of the official .iso should be fine
make sure to disable legacy booting in BIOS (also CSM disabled).
I can't find a setting for this in the BIOS. There is no mention of UEFI, and I suspect that the BIOS assumed all boots were MBR. Which is what drove my original question: should I give up on trying to work with this old motherboard? Or is there some workaround?
According to this screenshot, there is UEFI support https://lv.wayzata-homestead-harvest.com/130167-spectre-meltdown-lenovo-m800... -- damjan
On 11/16/21 6:12 AM, Damjan Georgievski wrote:
On Tue, 16 Nov 2021 at 05:05, Paul M. Foster <paulf@quillandmouse.com> wrote:
On 11/15/21 9:18 PM, Damjan Georgievski wrote:
Well, I created this USB stick with dd. I used the basic ISO available on the Arch download mirrors. I'm assuming from what you say that a stick built from dd wouldn't satisfy what you're saying. If that's the case, how do you prepare a USB stick as a UEFI device, and then how would you then copy the ISO to it properly? dd of the official .iso should be fine
make sure to disable legacy booting in BIOS (also CSM disabled).
I can't find a setting for this in the BIOS. There is no mention of UEFI, and I suspect that the BIOS assumed all boots were MBR. Which is what drove my original question: should I give up on trying to work with this old motherboard? Or is there some workaround? According to this screenshot, there is UEFI support https://lv.wayzata-homestead-harvest.com/130167-spectre-meltdown-lenovo-m800...
You are absolutely correct. I missed that when browsing the BIOS. Thanks. Paul
Hi, What's the output of "ls /sys/firmware/efi/efivars"? Thanks, Yash Yash Karandikar d5c4 1cbc 071b 41b3 f235 da13 f01e 92cd 2390 f369
On 11/15/21 6:34 PM, Yash Karandikar wrote:
Hi,
What's the output of "ls /sys/firmware/efi/efivars"?
Thanks, Yash
Yash Karandikar d5c4 1cbc 071b 41b3 f235 da13 f01e 92cd 2390 f369
There's nothing there. No files exist there. Paul
On 16/11/2021 04:42, Paul M. Foster via arch-general wrote:
On 11/15/21 6:34 PM, Yash Karandikar wrote:
Hi,
What's the output of "ls /sys/firmware/efi/efivars"?
Thanks, Yash
Yash Karandikar d5c4 1cbc 071b 41b3 f235 da13 f01e 92cd 2390 f369
There's nothing there. No files exist there.
Paul
A lot of Lenovo machines seem to be set to boot in legacy mode first. I would check the firmware (startup section) and set UEFI first in the boot order. If necessary, disable legacy mode to make sure it only boots in UEFI. Then use F12 when booting and make sure to select the UEFI entry for the USB you are attempting to install from. I have a Lenovo T420 which is a 2013 machine running UEFI, can't imagine that a 2017 Lenovo machine would not support UEFI. Paul.
participants (8)
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Bjoern Franke
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Damjan Georgievski
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Fabian Bornschein
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Konstantin Gizdov
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Paul M. Foster
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Paul Marwick
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Tobias Powalowski
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Yash Karandikar