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Thread: Can't boot into Ubuntu after Lenovo repair

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Can't boot into Ubuntu after Lenovo repair

    Hello,

    I have a ThinkPad laptop which is/was dual boot configured with Ubuntu and Windows, with a Grub screen allowing me to choose the OS at startup.
    I shipped it back to Lenovo to repair broken USB ports. Despite me telling them to not touch the installation, the laptop will only boot into Windows now. 🤬
    The Ubuntu installation still exists, but it is not reachable; no option to boot it even from the UEFI menu.
    I ran diagnostics with BootRepair and asked it to make repairs, but they seem to have failed, with errors that mean little to me. See the logs under the links.
    Thanks in advance for advice. This should be easy, but I don't have the required expertise.

    MK

  2. #2
    currentshaft Guest

    Re: Can't boot into Ubuntu after Lenovo repair

    Cy
    Last edited by currentshaft; September 2nd, 2024 at 01:25 AM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Re: Can't boot into Ubuntu after Lenovo repair

    Quote Originally Posted by currentshaft View Post
    Does the BIOS have an option to disable secure boot, or use Legacy/CSM boot mode?
    Secure boot is disabled but there is no option use legacy BIOS.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    4,362
    Distro
    Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat

    Re: Can't boot into Ubuntu after Lenovo repair

    Access your UEFI settings
    Disable any/all of the following (if present)

    Fast Boot
    Secure Boot
    TPM (Trusted Platform Module)
    PTT (Platform Trust Technology)
    FTPM (Firmware Trusted Platform Module)
    TPT (Trust Platform Technology)
    Device Guard (some Lenovo devices)
    OS Optimised Defaults (some Lenovo devices)
    Lock UEFI BIOS Settings
    Boot Order Lock

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Re: Can't boot into Ubuntu after Lenovo repair

    I went through UEFI settings and disabled all of those and others that looked similar, but it did not help.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat

    Re: Can't boot into Ubuntu after Lenovo repair

    Line 285 - 1:1049kB:274MB:273MB:fat32:EFI system partition:boot, hidden, esp, no_automount;

    Boot into a "Try Ubuntu" live session.
    Open gparted
    Select your ESP nvme0n1p1
    Remove the hidden flag and the no_automount flag

    May help, may not - just a guess at the moment

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Re: Can't boot into Ubuntu after Lenovo repair

    Didn't work but thank you for trying.

    How bad would it be to reinstall GRUB to the EFI partition, as explained for example in this article?

    Also, I am confused by a few things in these logs. What even is /dev/sda and why is it bootable? This computer has a single 4TB drive as far as I know. And why the mismatch of sector numbers for the 4th partition of /dev/nvme0n1? By looking at the disk info under Windows, this is likely a "Windows Recovery" partitition, which may or may not have existed before the update. Could Lenovo have added it during repairs and confused things?

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Ubuntu 24.04 Noble Numbat

    Re: Can't boot into Ubuntu after Lenovo repair

    The article is for Legacy Grub, you have Windows and Ubuntu in UEFI mode.
    /dev/sda in the boot-repair output is your live usb (Kingston DataTraveler)

    Here is a link for instructions to re-install Grub via a live session to a UEFI installation.
    You have to be careful and choose the correct disk nomenclature for your PC - please do not blindly follow the guide.
    i.e. you have an nvme internal disk
    https://techbit.ca/2018/09/repair-grub2-efi-boot/

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    Distro
    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: Can't boot into Ubuntu after Lenovo repair

    In Windows there is an app EasyUEFI (search for it) and you have some time in free trial to inspect from Windows side. Whether you retain it is up to you but you should gain some insights during trial term. Other than that I would install rEFInd and in BIOS (F2 or F10 or whatever when starting up) select that as your primary boot option. It does not replace Grub. They sit side by side as boot options in BIOS. I always use rEFInd.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Re: Can't boot into Ubuntu after Lenovo repair

    Thank you all for helping.

    I tried reinstalling Grub using the tutorial. In the process I got:

    Code:
    grub-install: warning: EFI variables cannot be set on this system.
    grub-install: warning: You will have to complete the GRUB setup manually.
    This message was also in the Boot-Repair logs. I completed the process but nothing changed. The computer boots into Windows and there are no additional boot options available.

    I'm not sure what to do with EasyUEFI, but it showed me that the contents of the EFI partition is
    Code:
    - $RECYCLE.BIN
      desktop.ini
    - BOOT
      BOOT.SDI
    - EFI
      - Boot
      - Microsoft
      - ubuntu
    - System Volume Information
      IndexerVolumeGuid
      WPSettings.dat
    which looks like Windowsy crap potentially interfering with a normal setup? The tutorial only had the EFI subdirectory here. Should I boot back with a live USB and delete everything except EFI?

    I migt try rEFind next but curious if any of this information helps with diagnosis.

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