How to boot from an EUFI original or clone Linux partition

User discussion and information resource forum for BootIt Bare Metal and BootIt UEFI
Brian K
Posts: 2214
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: How to boot from an EUFI original or clone Linux partiti

Post by Brian K »

TeraByte Support wrote:
> which is why I mentioned the build may be missing linux support. But it's
>
> noted to look at.
>
> Would speed up looking if you knew if it also affected ntfs or fat
> partition
> or only linux file system.
>
>

In my computer I compared copying times in Partition Work and IFU...

To copy a Microsoft Windows partition, IFU was 8 times faster.

To copy a Linux Mint partition, IFU was 7 times faster.


Edit... I also compared IFU with IFL. For copying and restore, IFL was slightly faster. But for image backups (Windows and Linux), IFL was 8 times faster.
brucebne
Posts: 159
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 11:01 am

Re: How to boot from an EUFI original or clone Linux partiti

Post by brucebne »

TeraByte Support wrote:
> which is why I mentioned the build may be missing linux support. But it's
>
> noted to look at.
>
> Would speed up looking if you knew if it also affected ntfs or fat
> partition
> or only linux file system.
>


OK, regarding the Dell Latitude 5289
using BIU installed
in Partition Work:
resize operations

- NTFS data partition 95GB (55% full) to 93GB... time taken ~8 minutes. (that's acceptable I think)
- Fat32 System partition 100MB to 98MB.... 20 seconds
- Linux Swap partition 16GB to 14GB ....terminated after <1% progress in 1 minute
- Linux ext.4 Linux Mint OS 25GB to 23GB....terminated after <1% progress in 1 minute

So this confirms the issue is with
- Linux file systems only
- only for copy, resize, and slide operations using Partition Work (IFU copy and imaging/restoring operations are not compromised)
- only with BIU, not BIBM.
brucebne
Posts: 159
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 11:01 am

Re: How to boot from an EUFI original or clone Linux partiti

Post by brucebne »

While I am clarifying BIU issues, there's two more that persist on both my laptops:

1.
After selecting ANY boot menu item including Windows10, I get this error message for 1-3 seconds (depending on the laptop)

"warning: unable to point UEFI to current boot item (1h 0h)"

This started on both laptops after I resized one Mint partition.



2.
In BIU, after doing partition work (resize, delete, slide) and exiting Partition Work,
then trying to do something else in BIU or IFU,
the following error message appears

"unable to open BootIt.dat" and a manual reboot is required with ctrl,alt,del

Other errors have occurred after partition work also.

-----------------------------

If the 3 BIU issues I mention above can be resolved, and IFL installation and operation documentation can be synched across the terabyte webosphere, then I'll purchase both, and be happy to recommend both products to moderately experienced Linux users.

The combination of being able to do partition manipulation and imaging using the same file type (*.TBI) pre-boot (internally or via usb drive), or booted within Linux is very desirable to me.
Brian K
Posts: 2214
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: How to boot from an EUFI original or clone Linux partiti

Post by Brian K »

Bruce, thanks for the video.
TeraByte Support
Posts: 3598
Joined: Thu May 05, 2011 10:37 pm

Re: How to boot from an EUFI original or clone Linux partiti

Post by TeraByte Support »



"brucebne" wrote in message news:16631@public.bootitbm...

While I am clarifying BIU issues, there's two more that persist on both my
laptops:

1.
After selecting ANY boot menu item including Windows10, I get this error
message for 1-3 seconds (depending on the laptop)

"warning: unable to point UEFI to current boot item (1h 0h)"

>>>>>>>> That's normal if the UEFI BIOS current boot item is read-only.


This started on both laptops after I resized one Mint partition.


2.
In BIU, after doing partition work (resize, delete, slide) and exiting
Partition Work,
then trying to do something else in BIU or IFU,
the following error message appears

"unable to open BootIt.dat" and a manual reboot is required with
ctrl,alt,del


>>>>>>> That's normal if the UEFI bios can't handle a "remount" the file
>>>>>>> systems.

Other errors have occurred after partition work also.

brucebne
Posts: 159
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 11:01 am

Re: How to boot from an EUFI original or clone Linux partiti

Post by brucebne »

TeraByte Support wrote:

> 1.
> After selecting ANY boot menu item including Windows10, I get this error
> message for 1-3 seconds (depending on the laptop)
>
> "warning: unable to point UEFI to current boot item (1h 0h)"
>
> >>>>>>>> That's normal if the UEFI BIOS current boot item is read-only.


Thanks TS.
I am tempted to infer much in an attempt to resolve, but anything I think of doesn't reconcile with why this error only started after a partition resize.


__________________________________________

>
> "unable to open BootIt.dat" and a manual reboot is required with
> ctrl,alt,del
>
>
> >>>>>>> That's normal if the UEFI bios can't handle a "remount" the file
> >>>>>>> systems.
>


Sounds like a lot of BIOSs are in that category, as my Dell and Lenovo laptops get the error, and I think Brian mentioned it for one of his computers too.
brucebne
Posts: 159
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 11:01 am

Re: How to boot from an EUFI original or clone Linux partiti

Post by brucebne »

Finally I feel like I am understanding UEFI/GPT.

Re GPT, I've experimented with gdisk and sgdisk over the last few evenings - backing up, restoring the tables, sorting, creating/deleting/resizing partitions, changing guid.

Re UEFI, Rod Smith's explanations on how to add and manage boot loaders has clarified much, and I've played around with his instructions to great success.
brucebne
Posts: 159
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 11:01 am

Re: How to boot from an EUFI original or clone Linux partiti

Post by brucebne »

My tests booting a clone of Linux Mint on the same ssd drive as the original partition has given me an appreciation for simplifying the boot process.
To my mind, that means booting with the OS kernel file which has an integrated boot stub. Refind's OS probe searches for and makes boot items for these. BIU doesn't

Interestingly, Peter Anvin suggested the boot stub be integrated with the kernel image file to overcome complications in dev't of the kernel independently of boot loaders.
Linus Torvalds immediately agreed to this.
Read about it here. https://lwn.net/Articles/632528/

Integrating the kernel and a bootloader (boot stub) into one file makes a lot of sense and avoids a lot of issues with multiboot systems....when wanting to boot from cloned OSs, when the original OS still exists on the system.
DrTeeth
Posts: 1289
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: How to boot from an EUFI original or clone Linux partiti

Post by DrTeeth »

On Wed, 13 Feb 2019 13:13:04 PST, just as I was about to take a herb,
brucebne disturbed my reverie and wrote:

>Finally I feel like I am understanding UEFI/GPT.

187 posts in this thread make me glad I am a devoted MBR user, .
--
Cheers,

DrT

** Amateurs built the Ark, but professionals built the Titanic.**
brucebne
Posts: 159
Joined: Sat Jan 19, 2019 11:01 am

Re: How to boot from an EUFI original or clone Linux partiti

Post by brucebne »

DrTeeth wrote:
> On Wed, 13 Feb 2019 13:13:04 PST, just as I was about to take a herb,
> brucebne disturbed my reverie and wrote:
>
> >Finally I feel like I am understanding UEFI/GPT.
>
> 187 posts in this thread make me glad I am a devoted MBR user, .
> --
> Cheers,
>
> DrT

Yes, I have to agree UEFI/GPT is not as simple as BIOS/MBR.
MBR allowed one to throw OS partitions around with only one consideration - 'clear sig'.

UEFI/GPT has the added complication of the IT industry clawing at consumers to maintain cash flows....which includes crippling UEFI firmware so it favours the OS company that paid them to do so.

Anyway, I've got my head around UEFI/GPT adequately enough to sustain business work flow.

I presume GPT and EFI boot management will evolve into something simpler....as per the Linus Torvald backed inclusion of boot loaders in the OS kernel file, as a boot stub.
And BIU will evolve to accommodate that.
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