[SOLVED] Machine Not Compatible with GRUB: How to Uninstall and Install Another Boot Loader

des_a · 05-16-2023, 08:40 AM

This is the software side of my other problem. My problem now, continued here to not get messy there, is that I have a machine that looks like it's compatible with the Linux kernel, but not GRUB, the bootloader. It is compatible with earlier versions, as I've ran those before. But I don't think my system has older versions in it's repository.

So what I need to do, and see if it works, is to try to install LILO in place of GRUB, at least first, then see if it works. I'm sure now it's partitioned fine. I usually like GRUB so much, that I never use LILO. But now, it's worth a try. How do I do this in Linux Mint, or Mageia? I will have to use the rescue system, I think.

des_a · 05-16-2023, 08:42 AM

(I didn't mean to make this post, it was an accident.) The thread, though, I did mean to make.

wpeckham · 05-16-2023, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by des_a

This is the software side of my other problem. My problem now, continued here to not get messy there, is that I have a machine that looks like it's compatible with the Linux kernel, but not GRUB, the bootloader. It is compatible with earlier versions, as I've ran those before. But I don't think my system has older versions in it's repository.

So what I need to do, and see if it works, is to try to install LILO in place of GRUB, at least first, then see if it works. I'm sure now it's partitioned fine. I usually like GRUB so much, that I never use LILO. But now, it's worth a try. How do I do this in Linux Mint, or Mageia? I will have to use the rescue system, I think.

More detail is needed. We need enough to understand WHAT about this hardware or installation makes it incompatible with GRUB.

On slackware I run elilo, for a pinebook I use ubootn (although there is another new boot loader for that platform), but Grub2 works almost everywhere else. Without knowing why GRUB is not suitable, we cannot be sure what ELSE would not work for you.

How exactly is GRUB failing you? Perhaps it is simply a configuration fault.

des_a · 05-17-2023, 01:34 AM

Im not sure how its failing at all. Ive never dealt with this before. When i install mageia with all updates it and mint are identical in booting results. No error message, just blinking cursor at top of screen in infinte loop. I know linux runs, because i have no issues in a live enviroment or with installer. None which i do not have a fix for. But no boot.

BW-userx · 05-17-2023, 07:53 AM

well it looks like it takes gas but it does not run when I put it in.
is it UEFI compat?
fefind works it goes into /boot/efi/EFI

des_a · 05-17-2023, 11:05 AM

I can tell it's not UEFI compatible. It only supports legacy BIOS. Otherwise, there would be more options for UEFI in "BIOS setup utillity".

wpeckham · 05-17-2023, 12:03 PM

You are saying it locks BEFORE the grub menu? I find that interesting!
In a live session can you look at the partitioning of the primary drive? Does it have two partitions? What kinds of partitions and file systems are reported?

des_a · 05-17-2023, 04:15 PM

Yep! Before the menu. That's why I've never seen this before, as I've used GRUB since my first Linux edition.

Output of fdisk:

Code:

To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>".
See "man sudo_root" for details.

mint@mint:~$ fdisk /dev/sda

Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.37.2).
Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them.
Be careful before using the write command.

fdisk: cannot open /dev/sda: Permission denied
mint@mint:~$ sudo fdisk /dev/sda

Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.37.2).
Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them.
Be careful before using the write command.


Command (m for help): p
Disk /dev/sda: 111.79 GiB, 120034123776 bytes, 234441648 sectors
Disk model: WDC WD1200JS-00M
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: 37A67672-095E-4A56-83ED-19B06B9CF658

Device      Start       End   Sectors   Size Type
/dev/sda1    2048    204833    202786    99M Linux filesystem
/dev/sda2  206848    221024     14177   6.9M BIOS boot
/dev/sda3  221184 234441614 234220431 111.7G Linux filesystem

Command (m for help):

/dev/sdb

Code:

Disk /dev/sdb: 111.79 GiB, 120034123776 bytes, 234441648 sectors
Disk model: WDC WD1200JS-00M
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: 21A53642-0CE9-4CE8-9F0C-267F60E99DB3

Device     Start       End   Sectors   Size Type
/dev/sdb1   2048 234441614 234439567 111.8G Linux filesystem

colorpurple21859 · 05-17-2023, 06:37 PM

How old is this computer? Make model?
try this:

Code:

sudo parted /dev/sda
disk_set pmbr_boot on
quit

reboot

des_a · 05-17-2023, 08:18 PM

Ill try when i can again. I got the tower used, so unless the os can report the make/model, dont know. I have to probably restore my network before i go back and work on the machine.

frankbell · 05-17-2023, 09:38 PM

Quote:

unless the os can report the make/model, dont know.

If there's no identifying information on the case, maybe you can open it up and note the make/model of the motherboard. Any little bit of information could help.

des_a · 05-19-2023, 02:27 PM

If it wouuld let me, I would take a picture of the motherboard. Maybe one of my friends knows how to find out the make and model of the machhine? I will try. I will also try those commands before I try anything else. I had to stop to fix my smart home. My problem, which I knew, is I had bad cords. But I hadn't made an update diagram yet, so I needed to completely rewire everything, and check every ethernet cord. No problems anymore, but I replaced at least 5 of my cords. I will slowly return to my previous schedule which will let me work on this more. Possibly tommorrow, I will work on it? It goes at my Mom's house, and we don't live together. We are in the same town though.

des_a · 05-20-2023, 04:27 PM

Quote:

How old is this computer? Make model?
try this:
Code:

sudo parted /dev/sda
disk_set pmbr_boot on
quit

reboot

I still don't know the make and model at this time, but this command works fine! At least, it did with Mageia Linux. But since I'm guessing the kernel is "roughly" the same, they're both Linux, after all, I'm guessing that it will with Linux Mint as well. I'm laying out the partitions the same, and installing it to see if I'm right. If I'm right, I'm through building the machine which will now go to my friend, maybe with everything, and maybe without. I bought myself a docking station, which solves the problem for me, though I probably wanted to know this for my other tower which is the same model. The other tower is running Windows 10 for now. Very, very, sluggishly. If this works after I install, then this problem is solved for sure. If not, I will try to get the make and model with a friends help. At least, of the motherboard. I suspect that the tower was put together customly, as part of an assembly for the university. It's not dell or hp or anything that comes with a brand name written on the outside of the case.

des_a · 05-20-2023, 06:35 PM

Makes Linux Mint run too! Sorry for the delay to try the commands. Please tell me what, exactly the commands do. However, they DO indeed work, and I trusted you in this case. However, I'd really like to know more about what I did. I'm not a total dummy. They used the partitioning tool, one of them, on the first hard drive, and set a flag. But beyond that, I have no clue. Please inform me. Thanks! Other than that, solved! Just waiting a period of time, to see if you answer what they do. Thank you much. Not sure which model the PC is. Thanks again. I'm very, very, very grateful.

colorpurple21859 · 05-20-2023, 06:46 PM

A gpt drive has a protective mbr used to make the drive compatible with old bios non-uefi system. Some older bios requires a boot flag to be set to find the drive. What the command does is set the boot flag on the gpt protective mbr partition.