[SOLVED] nuc nvme problems on fresh install of current: bio settings?

tfrei · 02-08-2021, 09:38 PM

Colorpurple:

I tried to change the 1st partition to fat32, but that wasn't an option. The codes were all different from what I remember (83 used to linux filesystem --but now it was something like 21) . I did change the fstab file as you suggested.

I ended up starting all over from scratch. This time, however, the system was set up for uefi (via the bios). I went through the install steps, it prompted me at one point if I wanted to format the efi partition, I said yes, and it formatted it as fat32. It then eventually promted me for the elilo config and I said yes.

So, now I have a system that boots without a usb stick; it boots elilo however. But it works. I assume elilo works much the same as lilo --we'll see.

I want to thank you for the help you offered even though I didn't follow your steps exactly. You put me on the right path by changing the system bios for uefi boot. Thank you. Ultimately for me the difference was making that change in the bios and then going through a fresh install.

I might go ahead and now try the grub bootloader as you suggested.

colorpurple21859 · 02-08-2021, 09:54 PM

AT least you have it working. For future reference, to format a partition as fat32 the command would be something like

Code:

mkfs.vfat /dev/nvme0n1p1

which is different from the fs type that is set when using cfdisk.

tfrei · 02-09-2021, 07:28 AM

Thanks again colorpurple.

My take away from this, my first experience with eufi, is this:

For a fresh install of slackware:

1) make sure eufi boot is enabled, but also make sure secure boot is disabled.
2) make 3 partitions: first is a small efi (maybe 100 MB), second is swap, third is the linux filesystem
3) proceed with install process; the prompts will recognize uefi on your system and guide you toward elilo. (Alternatively, you might skip elilo and try grub. elilo takes no special extra steps)

The key is steps 1 and 2 above so that install process recognizes uefi.

colorpurple21859 · 02-09-2021, 08:25 AM

yes you summed it correctly. If you plan on multi-booting with other distros, would suggest to make the efi partition at least 300MB

Didier Spaier · 02-09-2021, 09:53 AM

Here:

Code:

didier[~]$ LANG=C df -h /boot/efi
Filesystem      Size  Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sdb2       140M  300K  140M   1% /boot/efi
didier[~]$ tree /boot/efi/
/boot/efi/
├── EFI
│   ├── BOOT
│   │   └── BOOTx64.EFI
│   └── slint
│       └── grubx64.efi
└── startup.nsh

3 directories, 3 files
didier[~]$

But indeed no need to store there initrds or kernels, as I now use GRUB. Please note that a size of 200K would be enough as BOOTx64.efi is a copy of grubx64.efi

And I have two Slint systems plus a Slackware64-current. I could add as many as wished without needing to increase the size of the ESP.

Emerson · 02-09-2021, 10:01 AM

I have seen reports some UEFI firmware won't recognize ESP partition if it is too small, no personal experience, though.

Slurker · 02-09-2021, 11:43 AM

My Debian NUC setup:

nvme0n1 259:0 0 465.8G 0 disk
├─nvme0n1p1 259:1 0 512M 0 part /boot/efi
├─nvme0n1p2 259:2 0 464.3G 0 part /
└─nvme0n1p3 259:3 0 976M 0 part [SWAP]