Grub doesn't work

[sheine]

I bought a refurbished Dell Ubuntu computer, Dell Latitude E5510. As I have done with previous Windows computers I partitioned it in order to have several versions of linux. I then installed my favorite, Mint, on a partition and attempted to start it. Grub instead of giving me the usual choice went to the grub rescue terminal, which I didn't know existed. I then hoped that by erasing all the partition and reinstalling Ubuntu on the whole disk, I would have a workable computer. I still got the grub rescue terminal.

Searching the Internet, I found a number of sites with instructions on how to make the computer usable. They all ended at the same place, so here is a simple one. Install the live Ubuntu and go to the terminal. Here is what I then did:
sudo apt-get install grub-efi (This command was accepted.)
sudo mount /dev/sda1 mnt. (This command was accepted.)
sudo grub-install --root-directory=/mnt/dev/sda
Installing for i386-pc platform
grub-install :error : install device is not specified

My other attempts were more complicated versions of this and ended with the same last line.

How do I get my computer to install something that I can use?

[oldfred]

Moved to MINT sub-forum.

Is that Dell UEFI or BIOS?
And did you install in UEFI or BIOS?
If is drive gpt partitioned or MBR partitioned?

You have to be consistent. Always UEFI with gpt.
If possibility of Windows in BIOS boot mode, you must use MBR.
But Ubuntu can also boot in BIOS mode from gpt partitioned drives.
IF drive is gpt.
If UEFI, you must have the ESP, FAT32 with boot flag and if BIOS you must have bios_grub partition, 1 or 2MB unformatted with bios_grub flag.

May be best to see details, you can run from your Ubuntu live installer or any working install, use ppa version not older Boot-Repair ISO:
Post the link to the Create BootInfo summary report. Is part of Boot-Repair:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Info and:
https://sourceforge.net/p/boot-repair/home/Home/

[sheine]

I partitioned with current version of Gparted.

I found this on the Internet:
"What OS? How was it installed in UEFI or Legacy?

"This system is the earliest systems with a UEFI BIOS and so may be booting to UEFI instead of legacy etc.

How would I find out for myself?"


Since it is a Ubuntu computer there should be no Windows elements.

[yancek]

Boot the Mint installation media and go online to the first link posted above by oldfred and download the boot repair software. When running it, make sure you select the option to Create BootInfo Summary and post a link to the output here. Do not try to make any repairs before doing this. Someone should then be able to advise you.

[sheine]

http://paste.ubuntu.com/26362503/

[oldfred]

Install looks pretty normal.But you only have one ext4 partition, so only one install.
You have BIOS with MBR partitions.

But I do not think you can update an Ubuntu install using MINT, repositories will not be totally the same.
Best to always use same version live installer to run repairs.

[sheine]

What should I do now, wait for more instructions or use boot-repair?

[sheine]

I ran boot-repair and my computer is now working. If I now install Mint and again lose access, can I get grub to work again by running boot-repair again?

[yancek]

As pointed out by oldfred above, you have a BIOS/MBR system so you need to avoid anything UEFI related and if you want to install another Linux system, you will need unallocated space on which to do it and make sure you do not install the bootloader for the second system to the MBR and continue to use the Mint bootloader,. Generally, you would be able to do this with a Linux install by selecting the partition when you see an option for 'Device for bootloader installation.

[sheine]

It seems that everything becomes more difficult. I installed Mint and grub still worked taking me to Ubuntu. I then ran update-grub, restarted the computer and selected Mint from grub. But, when I attempted to start Mint, I got this:
error: invalid extent
error: You need to load the kernel first.

I looked at grub.cfg in Ubuntu and it has the correct entry for Mint.