Trouble Booting to Linux

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jaydub
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:27 am

Trouble Booting to Linux

Post by jaydub »

I have been a BIBM user for many years, and I decided to install the UEFI version on a blank GPT hard drive. I installed UEFI Bootit and then successfully installed Win10, and then another iteration of Win10 behind it. I then installed Mint Linux and when I boot to it, I get "Boot Attempt Failed". My process for installing Linux was:
1. Behind the second Win10 install, I created a Linux Native partition and a Linux Swap/Solaris partition behind it in Partition Work.
2. Booted to Mint install disc and set my Mount Point at "/"; the only other reasonable choice would have been "/boot".
3. At "Device for Boot Loader Information", I chose /dev/sda1 which identifies itself as the only EFI partition on the system.
4. Mint appears to successfully install. So I rebooted to BootIt, and a Linux boot item was automatically created. I left everything unchanged, but changed the Identity to "Mint" from "ubuntu" as Mint is the name of the partition in which Linux is installed. The boot item now reads:
Identity: Mint (same as partition name)
HD: 0
Boot: EFI System Partition
Boot File: \EFI\Ubuntu.001\grubx64.efi (I confirmed that that entry does in fact exist)

But no luck booting. When in go into "Properties" on the Linux partition, it indeed says "Bootable: No". Attached are relevant screen shots. Any idea what the issue might might be?
Attachments
Edit Menu Item
Edit Menu Item
20210713_203155a.jpg (223.63 KiB) Viewed 3041 times
Boot File Location
Boot File Location
20210713_203321a.jpg (194.25 KiB) Viewed 3041 times
Partition Work
Partition Work
20210713_203458a.jpg (193.89 KiB) Viewed 3041 times
Brian K
Posts: 2213
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Trouble Booting to Linux

Post by Brian K »

jaydub,

My Mint partition also says "Bootable: No" but it does boot.

My Boot File is : \EFI\Ubuntu.001\shimx64.efi as I have Secure Boot enabled. What is your Secure Boot status?

Boot File: \EFI\Ubuntu.001\grubx64.efi will not boot Mint in my computer. I get "Boot Attempt Failed". You don't have shimx64.efi.
jaydub
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:27 am

Re: Trouble Booting to Linux

Post by jaydub »

I do have Secure Boot enabled. The whole reason I'm moving to UEFI is that Windows 11 requires GPT and, I believe, Secure Boot. So, if I change the path in the boot item to \EFI\Ubuntu.001\shimx64.efi would that work, or will BootIt say that no such files exists?
Brian K
Posts: 2213
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Trouble Booting to Linux

Post by Brian K »

Browse to \EFI\ubuntu.001 (from the Boot File Browse button)

Can you see shimx64.efi?
Brian K
Posts: 2213
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Trouble Booting to Linux

Post by Brian K »

My ubuntu.001 folder contains...

grubx64.efi
mmx64.efi
shimx64.efi

No folders present
jaydub
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:27 am

Re: Trouble Booting to Linux

Post by jaydub »

No, i only see:
fw
fwupx64.efi
grubx64.efi

When I decided to load Mint for test purposes, I grabbed the only DVD I had on hand, which was from three years ago (Sonja 18.2). Sounds like I need to install a current version of Mint to get those additional files. Thanks a lot Brian. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow!!
Brian K
Posts: 2213
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Trouble Booting to Linux

Post by Brian K »

jaydub, your install method was fine. Same as I do but I don't bother with a Swap partition.
I ignore the screen where it asks about Secure Boot. I think for nVidia. I click skip.
jaydub
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:27 am

Re: Trouble Booting to Linux

Post by jaydub »

I downloaded the most recent version of Mint (20.2 Uma) and perused the ISO. The only boot files I see in the EFI/BOOT folder are BOOTx64.efi, grubx64.efi and mmx64.efi. No shimx64.efi. But that's on the ISO. Maybe shimx64.efi comes to life when Mint is installed on the system? I'm using the Mate version; I downloaded Cinammon version and same thing...no shimx64.efi. Perhaps I need to peruse the web, find the file and paste it into the EFI folder? Not sure how I would paste it in. Your thoughts?

As to skipping the Secure Boot, that question was never prompted in the install process. And you are probably right, the swap partition is probably not a big deal these days.
Brian K
Posts: 2213
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Trouble Booting to Linux

Post by Brian K »

I used a UFD, not optical media if that's relevant.

Just checked. No shimx64.efi on the UFD but it's probably in a compressed file.
Brian K
Posts: 2213
Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2011 1:11 am
Location: NSW, Australia

Re: Trouble Booting to Linux

Post by Brian K »

I'll try a Mint Cinnamon 20.2 install.
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