[Boot-Repair] Graphical tool to repair the PC boot in one click

[iowabeakster]

Hi, I started another thread and was referred here. I've used boot-repair before and it has worked flawlessly.

Thanks for the awesome tool.

Here's what I asked on another thread.

I am going to be moving to a larger drive shortly. I have read plenty about how to do this (simple enough use dd).

I understand that after the cloning process is done, I will need to disconnect the old drive or grub is going to get confused with identical UUIDs.

But if right after the cloning process is done...

If I were to run the program "boot repair", would it recognize the issue and change the UUIDs in /etc/fstab and /boot/grub/grub.cfg so that both drives could be still be installed at the same time?

[oldfred]

Not sure if you can change the UUIDs while still booted or not. Boot-Repair will not change the UUID, but if you use liveCD to change UUIDs then you will need Boot-Repair to update grub.

I would run bootInfo report before & after, just to document system. I actually run the bootinfoscript as part of my rsync backup, just to document system.

You have to change UUID, then all references to the old UUID. Which drive will you change? So you need to edit fstab and reinstall grub. Grub also remembers which drive to reinstall to on updates and you need to change that setting. Not sure if anything else.

Change UUID see also man pages:
uuidgen
sudo tune2fs /dev/sdaX -U numbergeneratedbyuuidgen
or:
sudo tune2fs -U random /dev/sdaX
if you recreate a swap partition don't forget to update /etc/initramfs-tools/conf.d/resume with the new uuid

#To see what drive grub2 uses see this - grub-pc/install_devices:
sudo debconf-show grub-pc
sudo grub-probe -t device /boot/grub

#to get grub2 to remember where to reinstall on updates:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure grub-pc
#Enter thru first pages,spacebar to choose/unchoose drive, enter to accept, do not choose partitions

sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.backup
gksudo gedit /etc/fstab
# Anytime you edit fstab always do this before rebooting. If no errors it just remounts everything, but if errors you have to fix before rebooting or you may not be able to, Make sure you have partition unmounted if prevously mounted::
sudo mount -a

Because of all the changes and the number of users that have had issues with trying to copy system, I prefer a clean install. Create partitions of the size you want. Copy /home into new /home partition and use Something else to install to new drive, both to use new /home and install grub to new drive.

[YannBuntu]

Dear all,

Yesterday I added a "SecureBoot" option in Boot-Repair (in the "GRUB options" tab).
This option will install the GRUB version which is signed by the distribution (if it exists), and the signed shim bootloader (if it exists) and the signed linux kernel (if it exists).
It should work for Quantal and Raring because I used the same procedure as the Ubuntu installer, but SecureBoot is still quite obscure for me, so any feedback is welcome!

[greenewbie]

This link looks promising, so would somebody tell me please if
YannBuntu's boot repair CD is a likely quick-fix solution to my problem below?

My problem HDD has 2 partitions: one using UB 11.10 Oneiric; the other XP home. Many months ago it stopped booting up on either OS.

It gets through ok to the list of OSs (Oneiric; XP; + various memtest items) under the heading
"GNU GRUB version 1.99 - 12ubuntu5"

The items listed at the top are:
Ubuntu with Linux 3.0.0-23-generic
Ubuntu with Linux 3.0.0-23-recovery
Previous Linux version

Whether I select 3.0.0-23 (generic or recovery) or 3.0.0-22 going to the previous Linux version (that worked for several months!), I get the same message:

BusyBox v1.18.4 (Ubuntu 1:18.4-2ubuntu2) built in shell (ash). Enter "help" for a list of built-in commands (initramfs).

Rather bravely on my part, I did bring up the list of commands and tried a few likely-looking ones. But alas I just got initramfs again.

When I select Microsoft XP home at the bottom of the OS list, all I get is a blank screen and a flashing cursor. It stays that way even if I leave it for hours!

I'd like to boot up my Oneiric partition so that I can recover some data. But if you guys tell me it's horrendously difficult for a beginner to fix, then I'll just wipe it and start again....
On the other hand, I'm keen to find out what the problem is because I have the IDENTICAL problem on my main machine (currently using 12.04 Precise Pangolin) but in this case I can boot it up ok by selecting a previous Linux version in the list referred to above. For the time being at least.....

As an aside, could somebody please tell me if I could do a screenshot for this kind of problem BEFORE I've booted up? One of the reasons why I've left this problem for about 2 months is that it's so time-consuming to have to handwrite everything I see on the screen and then type it again on a functioning machine. If so, could you please point me to the right thread? (perhaps using terminal somehow before it's booted up I don't know)

I'd be very grateful if you'd show this tech-dummy MERCY with your technical terms, acronyms etc! Many thanks in advance!!

[SuperFreak]

Could someone please confirm that my computer is using UEFI Boot not Bios boot

Thanks
http://paste.ubuntu.com/1386194/

[YannBuntu]

@greenewbie: your may have a file system problem. Please run Boot-Repair --> Create BootInfo, and indicate the URL that will appear.

@SuperFreak: in your log, you can read

=================== UEFI/Legacy mode:
This installed-session is not in EFI-mode.
SecureBoot disabled.

This means your PC is setup to boot the hard disk in Legacy (not UEFI) mode.

[SuperFreak]

This means your PC is setup to boot the hard disk in Legacy (not UEFI) mode.

Sorry missed that in the log

[greenewbie]

[QUOTE=YannBuntu;12372665]@greenewbie: your may have a file system problem. Please run Boot-Repair --> Create BootInfo, and indicate the URL that will appear.

Many thanks for your reply. I'm rather confused I'm afraid..! Do you mean that I should use a copy of your repair CD and choose the option "Boot Repair"?

And the URL? I thought that was a web page address! I guess you mean all the technical BootInfo stuff that appears.

I'd just like to check you mean that I'm to use your CD.
Thanks in advance for your help.

[YannBuntu]

@greenewbie: the procedure is detailed here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Info

[SuperFreak]

YannBuntu
Will Boot Repair fix it back into EFI mode?
I did a Bios(UEFI) update and I believe that is what put it back in BIOS mode. When I select "Launch EFI Shell from File System Device" it says "not found"

Sorry I should first have looked at the links you kindly put at the end of your posts.UEFIpage cllearly explained what to do and now computer is booting in EFI mode
http://paste.ubuntu.com/1386857/
Thank you for your hard work