Cannot boot into Ubuntu- No ubuntu/Windows Menu selection

[fergie716]

Hey sorry it took me a bit to get back, finished up my last semester at school

Yes, I can access Windows with no issues but I have to do the same workaround (have BIOS set to boot from USB, select to load from HD, select Ubuntu then select Windows UEFI loader)

[fergie716]

Here is my theory: When I first installed Ubuntu (1st time ever) I set up a swap partition and a "/" root partition (ended up being sda7)

I think Windows boot is set at sda2 (look @ my pics in OP) but grub was initially set to load from sda7.

Somehow that got messed up and set to load from sda2, that's why whenever I run boot repair it always says:

Please do not forget to make your BIOS boot on sda2/EFI/ubuntu/grubx64.efi file!

But in conclusion I can load Ubuntu and Windows but I need BIOS boot order set to load USB first, then use the workaround I explained earlier

Anyone possibly know how to fix this? Doing some Googling now

Thanks!

[oldfred]

With UEFI boot all installed systems install boot files into the efi partition, not any other partition.
UEFI is supposed to show all bootable systems. But many UEFI are not implemented correctly it seems.

Best to backup efi partition before anymore changes.

How Boot-Repair works with UEFI systems - post 687 Dec 15, 2012
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...769482&page=69
How Boot-Repair fixes a Ubuntu with grub-pc with efi Windows
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...&postcount=516
Boot-Repair - Updated Jan 1, 2013 to not rename first time, but rename if first time Windows does not boot. Post 706
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...769482&page=71
Boot-Repair copied /EFI/ubuntu/grubx64.efi to /EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi (in case the BIOS is hard-coded to boot into /EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi or secure boot
signed GRUB file shimx64.efi.

sony vaio laptop error: symbol not found: `grub_efi_secure_boot'.
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2102083

So this time I installed 12.10, then I booted again from liveCD, made backup of (efi part)/EFI/microsoft/boot and copied all files from /EFI/ubuntu into it. Then renamed /EFI/microsoft/boot/shimx64.efi to bootmgfw.efi. And it works

Lenovo ThinkCentre M92p only boots Windows or Redhat.
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...tem&px=MTIyOTg
http://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/20187.html?thread=774619

UEFI boot live-usb bricks SAMSUNG 530U3C,np700z5c laptop - fix released
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu-cdimage/+bug/1040557

[fergie716]

Hmmm I tried a few boot-repair options as described in those threads but I did not try this

So this time I installed 12.10, then I booted again from liveCD, made backup of (efi part)/EFI/microsoft/boot and copied all files from /EFI/ubuntu into it. Then renamed /EFI/microsoft/boot/shimx64.efi to bootmgfw.efi. And it works

What do you think is the worse thing that could happen if I did this lol.. Because I recently did a search for some of those efi files and I seem to have duplicates of a lot of them

But this is the only fix I haven't tried, just worried if I do it I will ruin something lol..

[oldfred]

That is why you do a backup first of efi partition.

Boot-Repair has its own process of copying files and renaming with additional endings to keep track of which is which. See links above on explanation of Boot-Repair.

Boot files normally mounted at /efi/Boot:
# for grub/ubuntu
/efi/ubuntu/grubx64.efi
# New secure boot grub version:
/efi/ubuntu/ shimx64.efi.
# for Windows, but for UEFI systems that only boot this file, grub or shim may get renamed to this and this backed up.
/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
# Both Windows & Ubuntu may provide this shell file, not sure of differeneces.
/efi/Boot/bootx64.efi

There also may be other files in each directory to support booting.

[fergie716]

That is why you do a backup first of efi partition.

Boot-Repair has its own process of copying files and renaming with additional endings to keep track of which is which. See links above on explanation of Boot-Repair.

Boot files normally mounted at /efi/Boot:
# for grub/ubuntu
/efi/ubuntu/grubx64.efi
# New secure boot grub version:
/efi/ubuntu/ shimx64.efi.
# for Windows, but for UEFI systems that only boot this file, grub or shim may get renamed to this and this backed up.
/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
# Both Windows & Ubuntu may provide this shell file, not sure of differeneces.
/efi/Boot/bootx64.efi

There also may be other files in each directory to support booting.

Yea I think there's a few files that support the boot

So I am really nervous to do the renaming thing, IDK where I would backup those files to (cloud storage OK?). Anyway I took a few screen shots of /boot

Here are the pics: http://imgur.com/a/WuKvD

According to the error I am getting in boot-repair, it says to make sure BIOS is set to boot off of sda2/EFI/ubuntu/grubx64.efi

If you would be so kind as to look at those pics real quick and see which ones I need to rename and where they go? I know my problem is similar to the person who had the Sony but I just wanna make sure I get this right

Thank you so much

[oldfred]

You did not post Microsoft nor Toshiba.

I think all the Microsoft files were in Boot, but it may have files in both or one is to boot Windows recovery/repair only? I assume the Toshiba will have files to boot the Toshiba recovery.

The only file to rename is
/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi

You may have to copy the grub or shim efi file into the Windows or Boot partition, rename the Windows boot file to bootmgrw.efi.backup and rename either the shim or grub to bootmgrw.efi. I think the shim is required if you want to turn secure boot back on, otherwise grub may work. Not sure.

Entire efi partition should be tiny. You can copy to CD or flash drive.

[fergie716]

You did not post Microsoft nor Toshiba.

I think all the Microsoft files were in Boot, but it may have files in both or one is to boot Windows recovery/repair only? I assume the Toshiba will have files to boot the Toshiba recovery.

The only file to rename is
/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi

You may have to copy the grub or shim efi file into the Windows or Boot partition, rename the Windows boot file to bootmgrw.efi.backup and rename either the shim or grub to bootmgrw.efi. I think the shim is required if you want to turn secure boot back on, otherwise grub may work. Not sure.

Entire efi partition should be tiny. You can copy to CD or flash drive.

Toshiba and Microsoft were in those pics.. Here are direct links in case something went wrong

Microsoft: http://i.imgur.com/wFf9Nh.png

Toshiba: http://i.imgur.com/LbNrvh.png


OK I'll do some testing and see which combo works

I also checked the properties of each ".efi" file in /boot to see which one loads which.. Remember how I have to have my BIOS set to load a USB or DVD first at boot? Then press"c", then "exit" at the GRUB GNU (black screen) then enter that other boot menu to select my hard drive then load from ubuntu.

Well, after looking at which ".efi" loads when here is what I saw:

-/boot/efi/EFI/ubuntu/grubx64.efi >> loads first

-/boot/efi/EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi and /boot/efi/EFI/Microsoft/boot/bootmgfw.efi (and bootmgr.efi) both load next at the same time

-/boot/efi/EFI/grub/grubx64.efi loads next

-/boot/efi/EFI/toshiba/Boot/boot.mgfw.efi (and bootmgr.efi) load last and this is (I'm assuming) the menu at which I select ubuntu (I posted a pic of this menu a few posts back)

Just thought I'd post these if they are important at all

Thanks for sticking it out with me lol really appreciate it. Almost there!

[oldfred]

Since they were both in /boot under the main, I missed the difference.

I expect the bootmgfw in Toshiba has a related BCD that then just loads the recovery mode partition to restore the system.

If you can set ubuntu to be first or grubx64.efi (or shim file?) as first in the UEFI menu, it should boot ubuntu first everytime.

[fergie716]

Ran Boot-Repair via Live CD with the "backup and rename efi files" option ticked

Same results as before (error: file not found) followed by grub rescue>

Here is my latest boot info from the repair

http://paste.ubuntu.com/1539690/

Thanks