I want to reload my mint 20.3 with the same 20.3. I would like to get a clean install. I upgraded from 20.2 and I just don't like the way
it feels.

It's been so long since I did this, I'm not sure how to do it.
I've got 500G Nvme drive and Windows and Linux plus a data partition. Here's what it looks like
lsblk
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda 8:0 0 931.5G 0 disk
├─sda1 8:1 0 128M 0 part
├─sda2 8:2 0 833.7G 0 part
└─sda3 8:3 0 97.7G 0 part /media/alan/Linux
sdb 8:16 0 698.7G 0 disk
├─sdb1 8:17 0 697.4G 0 part
└─sdb2 8:18 0 1.3G 0 part
nvme0n1 259:0 0 477G 0 disk
├─nvme0n1p1 259:1 0 529M 0 part
├─nvme0n1p2 259:2 0 100M 0 part /boot/efi
├─nvme0n1p3 259:3 0 16M 0 part
├─nvme0n1p4 259:4 0 99.7G 0 part Windows
├─nvme0n1p5 259:5 0 641M 0 part
├─nvme0n1p6 259:6 0 101.5G 0 part /
├─nvme0n1p7 259:7 0 10G 0 part [SWAP]
└─nvme0n1p8 259:8 0 264.5G 0 part Ntfs 'data'

sda is a 1TB with 2 partitions
sdb is a 750G with 2 partitons
nvme0n1 is my 500G nvme drive.
p6 and p7 on the nvme are Linux and Swap.

Normally when the PC boots, it boots into grub. I have the BIOS set to boot the ubuntu partiton first, not Windows. Grub will come up and
let me chose any of my bootable systems.

I have a thumb drive with Linux 20.3 on it and I want to boot and reload just the p6 part.
I just don't remember where to put 'Device for boot loader installation'?
Something makes me feel I put it in /boot/efi. Is that right and it will still boot nvme0n1p6 to get grub?

On 2/24/22 14:38, this is what Big Al wrote:
> I want to reload my mint 20.3 with the same 20.3.   I would like to get a clean install.  I upgraded from 20.2 and I just don't like the way
> it feels.
>
> It's been so long since I did this, I'm not sure how to do it.
> I've got 500G Nvme drive and Windows and Linux plus a data partition.  Here's what it looks like
<snip>

I took the leap, the more I thought about it, and reloaded the system and I did it right. All works fine.
After a few hours, I got it all working (minus a few tweaks.)

On 2/24/22 21:32, this is what Big Al wrote:
> On 2/24/22 14:38, this is what Big Al wrote:
>> I want to reload my mint 20.3 with the same 20.3.   I would like to get a clean install.  I upgraded from 20.2 and I just don't like the
>> way it feels.
>>
>> It's been so long since I did this, I'm not sure how to do it.
>> I've got 500G Nvme drive and Windows and Linux plus a data partition.  Here's what it looks like
> <snip>
>
> I took the leap, the more I thought about it, and reloaded the system and I did it right.   All works fine.
> After a few hours, I got it all working (minus a few tweaks.)
>
>
Well the install didn't go well. It booted and worked but some, just a few, programs would take 30 seconds to load. Simple (to me)
programs like xreader or xviewer or pix etc.
So I restored my old partition of linux (it's all on one 109G partition, no home etc.

Problem now is, it won't boot. or it tosses and error and drops to a command prompt.
I that a thumb drive with linux 20.3 on it, bootable, I'm using it now.
I can boot from it by hitting F12 and getting a boot options and picking the thumb drive.
The thumb drive had a 'update-grub' done and one of the options in it's boot menu it to load my old system on the HD, along with itself and
Windows. (3 system)

So the grub on the Linux HD is great, it's just that windows isn't booting it right.

How can I fix that. I don't want to re-install grub, but if I do, I guess I can always fix it back.
What I think is wrong is the uefi loader?

--
Linux Mint Cinnamon 20.2 64bit, Dell Inspiron 5570 laptop
Quad Core i7-8550U, 16G Memory, 512G SSD, 750G & 1TB HDDs

On 2/24/22 2:38 PM, Big Al wrote:
> I want to reload my mint 20.3 with the same 20.3.   I would like to
> get a clean install.  I upgraded from 20.2 and I just don't like the
> way it feels.
>
> It's been so long since I did this, I'm not sure how to do it.
> I've got 500G Nvme drive and Windows and Linux plus a data partition. 
> Here's what it looks like
> lsblk
> NAME        MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
> sda           8:0    0 931.5G  0 disk
> ├─sda1        8:1    0   128M  0 part
> ├─sda2        8:2    0 833.7G  0 part
> └─sda3        8:3    0  97.7G  0 part /media/alan/Linux
> sdb           8:16   0 698.7G  0 disk
> ├─sdb1        8:17   0 697.4G  0 part
> └─sdb2        8:18   0   1.3G  0 part
> nvme0n1     259:0    0   477G  0 disk
> ├─nvme0n1p1 259:1    0   529M  0 part
> ├─nvme0n1p2 259:2    0   100M  0 part /boot/efi
> ├─nvme0n1p3 259:3    0    16M  0 part
> ├─nvme0n1p4 259:4    0  99.7G  0 part Windows
> ├─nvme0n1p5 259:5    0   641M  0 part
> ├─nvme0n1p6 259:6    0 101.5G  0 part /
> ├─nvme0n1p7 259:7    0    10G  0 part [SWAP]
> └─nvme0n1p8 259:8    0 264.5G  0 part  Ntfs 'data'
>
> sda is a 1TB with 2 partitions
> sdb is a 750G with 2 partitons
> nvme0n1 is my 500G nvme drive.
> p6 and p7 on the nvme are Linux and Swap.
>
> Normally when the PC boots, it boots into grub. I have the BIOS set to
> boot the ubuntu partiton first, not Windows.   Grub will come up and
> let me chose any of my bootable systems.
>
> I have a thumb drive with Linux 20.3 on it and I want to boot and
> reload just the p6 part.
> I just don't remember where to put 'Device for boot loader installation'?
> Something makes me feel I put it in /boot/efi.   Is that right and it
> will still boot nvme0n1p6 to get grub?
>
I am curious, did you install the original Linux on your laptop, or did
you buy it pre-configured?

The reason I ask is because a while back I bought a new desktop, one of
those deals where you get to configure the hardware. I even spoke to the
people who were building my new computer, it was with the understanding
that I would be installing Linux Mint. I eventually removed the nvram
that would not allow me to install Mint. I replaced it with a ssd and
everything started working. I spent many hours in the cmos altering the
safe boot, uefi,.. and every possible combination but I could not
install Mint and I could not run it from a dvd.

On 2/25/2022 11:38 AM, Big Al wrote:
> On 2/24/22 21:32, this is what Big Al wrote:
>> On 2/24/22 14:38, this is what Big Al wrote:
>>> I want to reload my mint 20.3 with the same 20.3.   I would like to get a clean install.  I upgraded from 20.2 and I just don't like the way it feels.
>>>
>>> It's been so long since I did this, I'm not sure how to do it.
>>> I've got 500G Nvme drive and Windows and Linux plus a data partition.  Here's what it looks like
>> <snip>
>>
>> I took the leap, the more I thought about it, and reloaded the system and I did it right.   All works fine.
>> After a few hours, I got it all working (minus a few tweaks.)
>>
>>
> Well the install didn't go well.  It booted and worked but some, just a few, programs would take 30 seconds to load.  Simple (to me) programs like xreader or xviewer or pix etc.
> So I restored my old partition of linux (it's all on one 109G partition, no home etc.
>
> Problem now is, it won't boot. or it tosses and error and drops to a command prompt.
> I that a thumb drive with linux 20.3 on it, bootable, I'm using it now.
> I can boot from it by hitting F12 and getting a boot options and picking the thumb drive.
> The thumb drive had a 'update-grub' done and one of the options in it's boot menu it to load my old system on the HD, along with itself and Windows.  (3 system)
>
> So the grub on the Linux HD is great, it's just that windows isn't booting it right.
>
> How can I fix that.  I don't want to re-install grub, but if I do, I guess I can always fix it back.
> What I think is wrong is the uefi loader?
>

Did you move the relative position of something on the drive ?

No matter how much OSes appear to be "partition number agnostic".
there are still aspects that are position dependent.

You can be going along, having a good time for yourself, until
one specific gparted move backfires. That's my experience at least.

As long as a person works with backups, you have the materials
to make it "look" like it did before. On my current project, I
have three snapshots on a 6TB backup disk while I've been working.

If you need to work with the 16MB MSR (a partition with no apparent
file system, a spacer partition before Windows C: partition), it can
be backed up with your Macrium CD, then restored from the Macrium CD via
"drag and drop restore". This solves the problem where other partition
managers refuse to touch it. The reason that happens, is a lot of
partition managers "chkdsk" or "fsck" the partition you ask them to
move, before moving it. I think Macrium at least "dd" transfers the
content (16 whole megabytes) into the .mrimg file and has the common
sense not to question the content.

*******

To work with the ESP (EFI system partition), it is a VFAT partition
at heart.

Since Gdisk does not have an identifier for FAT partitions that
I can see, I change EF00 to 0700 (NTFS), then mount the partition,
delete the bits I don't particularly like, then change it back to
EF00 before the boot process finds out :-) That was all part of
house cleaning my 24 partition disk and reducing it to 7 partitions.

The reason this works, is the automounter does not rely on the partition
type field for everything. Sector 0 can contain "hints" as to what
it is, and the proper FAT mount results. The source code for the FOSS
"disktype" program, can give you some idea how partitions are recognized
without using the partition type field. And one of the reasons this
was technically necessary, is some code points are shared by three
file systems.

*******

This description doesn't tell us how the boot partition number
is identified. Yes, there is a reference to (hd0,2), but that /boot/grub
is on *some* partition number, which we need to find. There is no "active" flag
(only implicitly via ESP code point).

https://www.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs/view/systemd/postlfs/grub-setup.html

As the root user, mount it if it's not already mounted:

mountpoint /sys/firmware/efi/efivars || mount -v -t efivarfs efivarfs /sys/firmware/efi/efivars

...

grub-install --bootloader-id=LFS --recheck # would the *first* grub-install have different syntax???
# I would hope so. That's too terse.
...

cat > /boot/grub/grub.cfg << EOF # UEFI has already vectored us here
# Begin /boot/grub/grub.cfg
set default=0
set timeout=5

insmod part_gpt
insmod ext2
set root=(hd0,2) # A consistency check ???
# Could go bad if we deleted a partition ???
# Or is this syntax example just an inappropriate one ?

if loadfont /boot/grub/fonts/unicode.pf2; then
set gfxmode=auto
insmod all_video
terminal_output gfxterm
fi

menuentry "GNU/Linux, Linux 5.10.17-lfs-10.1" {
linux /boot/vmlinuz-5.10.17-lfs-10.1 root=/dev/sda2 ro
}

menuentry "Firmware Setup" {
fwsetup
}
EOF

You would think, from the time the ESP is accessed, at some point the boot
selection should have a GUID or BLKID associated with it.

This page has a bit more detail.

https://www.happyassassin.net/posts/2014/01/25/uefi-boot-how-does-that-actually-work-then/

[root@system directory]# efibootmgr -v
BootCurrent: 0002
Timeout: 3 seconds
BootOrder: 0003,0002,0000,0004
Boot0000* CD/DVD Drive BIOS(3,0,00)
Boot0001* Hard Drive HD(2,0,00)
Boot0002* Fedora HD(1,800,61800,6d98f360-cb3e-4727-8fed-5ce0c040365d)File(\EFI\fedora\grubx64.efi)
Boot0003* opensuse HD(1,800,61800,6d98f360-cb3e-4727-8fed-5ce0c040365d)File(\EFI\opensuse\grubx64.efi)
Boot0004* Hard Drive BIOS(2,0,00)P0: ST1500DM003-9YN16G .
[root@system directory]#

And at least the Linux entries have GUID-like entries. To point us
to a partition with a /boot/grub for a look. That means maybe the
UEFI handoff works, and then the shit hits the fan on root=(hd0,2)
declarations ?

Windows uses the BCD file for the boot menu, and it has GUID-like
entries as well, as well as drive letters and even partition numbers.
You can even switch a BCD (using BCDedit) from a partition number
(the Windows namespace for those) to a drive letter. The drive letter
is stored in the Registry, in places like "mountvol". Windows seems
to use more indirection and lookups, to try to develop "good" identifiers.

At least the above sample, does not suggest to me that Linux
would be broken by moving things. The efivars level might survive.
But looking at the grub in each partition might be a good idea.

It's still a bit mysterious, what file holds this bit... The
800 might be a 1MB offset from the disk origin (hex?).

HD(1,800,61800,6d98f360-cb3e-4727-8fed-5ce0c040365d)File(\EFI\fedora\grubx64.efi)

You can use "testdisk" to look inside the ESP while the system
is running. But if you want to make changes, then maybe my little
partition type change is enough to start erasing things :-)

Summary: Looking at the mess above, it seems delightfully complicated.

Paul

On 2/25/22 22:09, this is what Paul wrote:
> On 2/25/2022 11:38 AM, Big Al wrote:
>> On 2/24/22 21:32, this is what Big Al wrote:
>>> On 2/24/22 14:38, this is what Big Al wrote:
>>>> I want to reload my mint 20.3 with the same 20.3.   I would like to get a clean install.  I upgraded from 20.2 and I just don't like the
>>>> way it feels.
>>>>
>>>> It's been so long since I did this, I'm not sure how to do it.
>>>> I've got 500G Nvme drive and Windows and Linux plus a data partition.  Here's what it looks like
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>> I took the leap, the more I thought about it, and reloaded the system and I did it right.   All works fine.
>>> After a few hours, I got it all working (minus a few tweaks.)
>>>
>>>
>> Well the install didn't go well.  It booted and worked but some, just a few, programs would take 30 seconds to load.  Simple (to me)
>> programs like xreader or xviewer or pix etc.
>> So I restored my old partition of linux (it's all on one 109G partition, no home etc.
>>
>> Problem now is, it won't boot. or it tosses and error and drops to a command prompt.
>> I that a thumb drive with linux 20.3 on it, bootable, I'm using it now.
>> I can boot from it by hitting F12 and getting a boot options and picking the thumb drive.
>> The thumb drive had a 'update-grub' done and one of the options in it's boot menu it to load my old system on the HD, along with itself
>> and Windows.  (3 system)
>>
>> So the grub on the Linux HD is great, it's just that windows isn't booting it right.
>>
>> How can I fix that.  I don't want to re-install grub, but if I do, I guess I can always fix it back.
>> What I think is wrong is the uefi loader?
>>
>
> Did you move the relative position of something on the drive ?
>
> No matter how much OSes appear to be "partition number agnostic".
> there are still aspects that are position dependent.
>
> You can be going along, having a good time for yourself, until
> one specific gparted move backfires. That's my experience at least.
>
> As long as a person works with backups, you have the materials
> to make it "look" like it did before. On my current project, I
> have three snapshots on a 6TB backup disk while I've been working.
>
> If you need to work with the 16MB MSR (a partition with no apparent
> file system, a spacer partition before Windows C: partition), it can
> be backed up with your Macrium CD, then restored from the Macrium CD via
> "drag and drop restore". This solves the problem where other partition
> managers refuse to touch it. The reason that happens, is a lot of
> partition managers "chkdsk" or "fsck" the partition you ask them to
> move, before moving it. I think Macrium at least "dd" transfers the
> content (16 whole megabytes) into the .mrimg file and has the common
> sense not to question the content.
>
> *******
>
> To work with the ESP (EFI system partition), it is a VFAT partition
> at heart.
>
> Since Gdisk does not have an identifier for FAT partitions that
> I can see, I change EF00 to 0700 (NTFS), then mount the partition,
> delete the bits I don't particularly like, then change it back to
> EF00 before the boot process finds out :-) That was all part of
> house cleaning my 24 partition disk and reducing it to 7 partitions.
>
> The reason this works, is the automounter does not rely on the partition
> type field for everything. Sector 0 can contain "hints" as to what
> it is, and the proper FAT mount results. The source code for the FOSS
> "disktype" program, can give you some idea how partitions are recognized
> without using the partition type field. And one of the reasons this
> was technically necessary, is some code points are shared by three
> file systems.
>
> *******
>
> This description doesn't tell us how the boot partition number
> is identified. Yes, there is a reference to (hd0,2), but that /boot/grub
> is on *some* partition number, which we need to find. There is no "active" flag
> (only implicitly via ESP code point).
>
>    https://www.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs/view/systemd/postlfs/grub-setup.html
>
>       As the root user, mount it if it's not already mounted:
>
>       mountpoint /sys/firmware/efi/efivars || mount -v -t efivarfs efivarfs /sys/firmware/efi/efivars
>
>       ...
>
>       grub-install --bootloader-id=LFS --recheck  # would the *first* grub-install have different syntax???
>                                                   # I would hope so. That's too terse.
>       ...
>
>       cat > /boot/grub/grub.cfg << EOF            # UEFI has already vectored us here
>       # Begin /boot/grub/grub.cfg
>       set default=0
>       set timeout=5
>
>       insmod part_gpt
>       insmod ext2
>       set root=(hd0,2)                            # A consistency check ???
>                                                   # Could go bad if we deleted a partition ???
>                                                   # Or is this syntax example just an inappropriate one ?
>
>       if loadfont /boot/grub/fonts/unicode.pf2; then
>         set gfxmode=auto
>         insmod all_video
>         terminal_output gfxterm
>       fi
>
>       menuentry "GNU/Linux, Linux 5.10.17-lfs-10.1"  {
>         linux   /boot/vmlinuz-5.10.17-lfs-10.1 root=/dev/sda2 ro
>       }
>
>       menuentry "Firmware Setup" {
>         fwsetup
>       }
>       EOF
>
> You would think, from the time the ESP is accessed, at some point the boot
> selection should have a GUID or BLKID associated with it.
>
> This page has a bit more detail.
>
>    https://www.happyassassin.net/posts/2014/01/25/uefi-boot-how-does-that-actually-work-then/
>
>    [root@system directory]# efibootmgr -v
>    BootCurrent: 0002
>    Timeout: 3 seconds
>    BootOrder: 0003,0002,0000,0004
>    Boot0000* CD/DVD Drive  BIOS(3,0,00)
>    Boot0001* Hard Drive    HD(2,0,00)
>    Boot0002* Fedora        HD(1,800,61800,6d98f360-cb3e-4727-8fed-5ce0c040365d)File(\EFI\fedora\grubx64.efi)
>    Boot0003* opensuse      HD(1,800,61800,6d98f360-cb3e-4727-8fed-5ce0c040365d)File(\EFI\opensuse\grubx64.efi)
>    Boot0004* Hard Drive    BIOS(2,0,00)P0: ST1500DM003-9YN16G        .
>    [root@system directory]#
>
> And at least the Linux entries have GUID-like entries. To point us
> to a partition with a /boot/grub for a look. That means maybe the
> UEFI handoff works, and then the shit hits the fan on  root=(hd0,2)
> declarations ?
>
> Windows uses the BCD file for the boot menu, and it has GUID-like
> entries as well, as well as drive letters and even partition numbers.
> You can even switch a BCD (using BCDedit) from a partition number
> (the Windows namespace for those) to a drive letter. The drive letter
> is stored in the Registry, in places like "mountvol". Windows seems
> to use more indirection and lookups, to try to develop "good" identifiers.
>
> At least the above sample, does not suggest to me that Linux
> would be broken by moving things. The efivars level might survive.
> But looking at the grub in each partition might be a good idea.
>
> It's still a bit mysterious, what file holds this bit... The
> 800 might be a 1MB offset from the disk origin (hex?).
>
>    HD(1,800,61800,6d98f360-cb3e-4727-8fed-5ce0c040365d)File(\EFI\fedora\grubx64.efi)
>
> You can use "testdisk" to look inside the ESP while the system
> is running. But if you want to make changes, then maybe my little
> partition type change is enough to start erasing things :-)
>
> Summary: Looking at the mess above, it seems delightfully complicated.
>
>    Paul
>
Now you tell me. (grin).
Thanks. I'm going to book mark your ideas, it will be late night reading.

I've since just reloaded Mint 20.2 (that's what I was on a few weeks ago) and it's all up and running and configged. I'm just now playing
with some minor program settings. And I've found that my backup isn't as complete as I'd wish.
I don't use timeshift. Kinda wish I had the space, and that's for a later plan.

On 2/25/22 16:39, this is what Nic wrote:
> On 2/24/22 2:38 PM, Big Al wrote:
>> I want to reload my mint 20.3 with the same 20.3.   I would like to get a clean install.  I upgraded from 20.2 and I just don't like the
>> way it feels.
>>
>> It's been so long since I did this, I'm not sure how to do it.
>> I've got 500G Nvme drive and Windows and Linux plus a data partition. Here's what it looks like
>> lsblk
>> NAME        MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
>> sda           8:0    0 931.5G  0 disk
>> ├─sda1        8:1    0   128M  0 part
>> ├─sda2        8:2    0 833.7G  0 part
>> └─sda3        8:3    0  97.7G  0 part /media/alan/Linux
>> sdb           8:16   0 698.7G  0 disk
>> ├─sdb1        8:17   0 697.4G  0 part
>> └─sdb2        8:18   0   1.3G  0 part
>> nvme0n1     259:0    0   477G  0 disk
>> ├─nvme0n1p1 259:1    0   529M  0 part
>> ├─nvme0n1p2 259:2    0   100M  0 part /boot/efi
>> ├─nvme0n1p3 259:3    0    16M  0 part
>> ├─nvme0n1p4 259:4    0  99.7G  0 part Windows
>> ├─nvme0n1p5 259:5    0   641M  0 part
>> ├─nvme0n1p6 259:6    0 101.5G  0 part /
>> ├─nvme0n1p7 259:7    0    10G  0 part [SWAP]
>> └─nvme0n1p8 259:8    0 264.5G  0 part  Ntfs 'data'
>>
>> sda is a 1TB with 2 partitions
>> sdb is a 750G with 2 partitons
>> nvme0n1 is my 500G nvme drive.
>> p6 and p7 on the nvme are Linux and Swap.
>>
>> Normally when the PC boots, it boots into grub. I have the BIOS set to boot the ubuntu partiton first, not Windows.   Grub will come up
>> and let me chose any of my bootable systems.
>>
>> I have a thumb drive with Linux 20.3 on it and I want to boot and reload just the p6 part.
>> I just don't remember where to put 'Device for boot loader installation'?
>> Something makes me feel I put it in /boot/efi.   Is that right and it will still boot nvme0n1p6 to get grub?
>>
> I am curious, did you install the original Linux on your laptop, or did you buy it pre-configured?
>
> The reason I ask is because a while back I bought a new desktop, one of those deals where you get to configure the hardware. I even spoke to
> the people who were building my new computer, it was with the understanding that I would be installing Linux Mint. I eventually removed the
> nvram that would not allow me to install Mint. I replaced it with a ssd and everything started working. I spent many hours in the cmos
> altering the safe boot, uefi,.. and every possible combination but I could not install Mint and I could not run it from a dvd.
>
This is a laptop I bought from Dell with Windows 10 on it, and installed Linux. 4years ago.
About 3 years ago after warrenty, I replaced the 128SSD with a 512mvme. For some reason Acronis didn't like the new drive as a restore.
Not sure why (I've since done a restore with Acronis and they work). Oh well. Because of that, I had to reload Windows and Mint, and left
over I use for my VM hard drives making Virtualbox run much faster on a Nvme drive.

On 2/26/2022 8:56 AM, Big Al wrote:
> On 2/25/22 22:09, this is what Paul wrote:
>> On 2/25/2022 11:38 AM, Big Al wrote:
>>> On 2/24/22 21:32, this is what Big Al wrote:
>>>> On 2/24/22 14:38, this is what Big Al wrote:
>>>>> I want to reload my mint 20.3 with the same 20.3.   I would like to get a clean install.  I upgraded from 20.2 and I just don't like the way it feels.
>>>>>
>>>>> It's been so long since I did this, I'm not sure how to do it.
>>>>> I've got 500G Nvme drive and Windows and Linux plus a data partition.  Here's what it looks like
>>>> <snip>
>>>>
>>>> I took the leap, the more I thought about it, and reloaded the system and I did it right.   All works fine.
>>>> After a few hours, I got it all working (minus a few tweaks.)
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Well the install didn't go well.  It booted and worked but some, just a few, programs would take 30 seconds to load.  Simple (to me) programs like xreader or xviewer or pix etc.
>>> So I restored my old partition of linux (it's all on one 109G partition, no home etc.
>>>
>>> Problem now is, it won't boot. or it tosses and error and drops to a command prompt.
>>> I that a thumb drive with linux 20.3 on it, bootable, I'm using it now.
>>> I can boot from it by hitting F12 and getting a boot options and picking the thumb drive.
>>> The thumb drive had a 'update-grub' done and one of the options in it's boot menu it to load my old system on the HD, along with itself and Windows.  (3 system)
>>>
>>> So the grub on the Linux HD is great, it's just that windows isn't booting it right.
>>>
>>> How can I fix that.  I don't want to re-install grub, but if I do, I guess I can always fix it back.
>>> What I think is wrong is the uefi loader?
>>>
> Now you tell me.  (grin).
> Thanks.  I'm going to book mark your ideas, it will be late night reading.
>
> I've since just reloaded Mint 20.2 (that's what I was on a few weeks ago) and it's all up and running and configged.   I'm just now playing with some minor program settings.    And I've found that my backup isn't as complete as I'd wish.
> I don't use timeshift.  Kinda wish I had the space, and that's for a later plan.
>
> Thanks again.

NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda 8:0 0 931.5G 0 disk
├─sda1 8:1 0 128M 0 part
├─sda2 8:2 0 833.7G 0 part
└─sda3 8:3 0 97.7G 0 part /media/alan/Linux
sdb 8:16 0 698.7G 0 disk
├─sdb1 8:17 0 697.4G 0 part
└─sdb2 8:18 0 1.3G 0 part
nvme0n1 259:0 0 477G 0 disk
├─nvme0n1p1 259:1 0 529M 0 part
├─nvme0n1p2 259:2 0 100M 0 part /boot/efi
├─nvme0n1p3 259:3 0 16M 0 part
├─nvme0n1p4 259:4 0 99.7G 0 part Windows
├─nvme0n1p5 259:5 0 641M 0 part
├─nvme0n1p6 259:6 0 101.5G 0 part /
├─nvme0n1p7 259:7 0 10G 0 part [SWAP]
└─nvme0n1p8 259:8 0 264.5G 0 part Ntfs 'data'

When you're installing an OS, generally it's a good idea to
disconnect the drives which are not the intended target.

That leaves this.

nvme0n1 259:0 0 477G 0 disk
├─nvme0n1p1 259:1 0 529M 0 part
├─nvme0n1p2 259:2 0 100M 0 part /boot/efi
├─nvme0n1p3 259:3 0 16M 0 part
├─nvme0n1p4 259:4 0 99.7G 0 part Windows
├─nvme0n1p5 259:5 0 641M 0 part
├─nvme0n1p6 259:6 0 101.5G 0 part /
├─nvme0n1p7 259:7 0 10G 0 part [SWAP]
└─nvme0n1p8 259:8 0 264.5G 0 part Ntfs 'data'

Now, there's no question, which device will receive the grub-install.

Windows and Linux don't have to get in a fight there either.

I think it's possible, when you tried to install on the NVMe,
that an attempt might have been made to install grub on one
of the other disks.

Windows can do damage, if you install it fresh. If you do an Upgrade
Install, like 21H2, the Windows folder on /boot/efi is separate
from the named Linux folder.

If you're doing an update-grub (which would be implicit if the
software adds a new kernel to the OS), if OSProber utility is missing
from the OS, then grub will not add a Windows entry for chainload.
You can use your package manager to install OSProber, then do the
update-grub, and then you might see a Windows entry in the grub menu.

Paul

On 2/27/22 04:04, this is what Paul wrote:
> On 2/26/2022 8:56 AM, Big Al wrote:
>> On 2/25/22 22:09, this is what Paul wrote:
>>> On 2/25/2022 11:38 AM, Big Al wrote:
>>>> On 2/24/22 21:32, this is what Big Al wrote:
>>>>> On 2/24/22 14:38, this is what Big Al wrote:
>>>>>> I want to reload my mint 20.3 with the same 20.3.   I would like to get a clean install.  I upgraded from 20.2 and I just don't like
>>>>>> the way it feels.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It's been so long since I did this, I'm not sure how to do it.
>>>>>> I've got 500G Nvme drive and Windows and Linux plus a data partition.  Here's what it looks like
>>>>> <snip>
>>>>>
>>>>> I took the leap, the more I thought about it, and reloaded the system and I did it right.   All works fine.
>>>>> After a few hours, I got it all working (minus a few tweaks.)
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> Well the install didn't go well.  It booted and worked but some, just a few, programs would take 30 seconds to load.  Simple (to me)
>>>> programs like xreader or xviewer or pix etc.
>>>> So I restored my old partition of linux (it's all on one 109G partition, no home etc.
>>>>
>>>> Problem now is, it won't boot. or it tosses and error and drops to a command prompt.
>>>> I that a thumb drive with linux 20.3 on it, bootable, I'm using it now.
>>>> I can boot from it by hitting F12 and getting a boot options and picking the thumb drive.
>>>> The thumb drive had a 'update-grub' done and one of the options in it's boot menu it to load my old system on the HD, along with itself
>>>> and Windows.  (3 system)
>>>>
>>>> So the grub on the Linux HD is great, it's just that windows isn't booting it right.
>>>>
>>>> How can I fix that.  I don't want to re-install grub, but if I do, I guess I can always fix it back.
>>>> What I think is wrong is the uefi loader?
>>>>
>> Now you tell me.  (grin).
>> Thanks.  I'm going to book mark your ideas, it will be late night reading.
>>
>> I've since just reloaded Mint 20.2 (that's what I was on a few weeks ago) and it's all up and running and configged.   I'm just now
>> playing with some minor program settings.    And I've found that my backup isn't as complete as I'd wish.
>> I don't use timeshift.  Kinda wish I had the space, and that's for a later plan.
>>
>> Thanks again.
>
> NAME        MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
> sda           8:0    0 931.5G  0 disk
> ├─sda1        8:1    0   128M  0 part
> ├─sda2        8:2    0 833.7G  0 part
> └─sda3        8:3    0  97.7G  0 part /media/alan/Linux
> sdb           8:16   0 698.7G  0 disk
> ├─sdb1        8:17   0 697.4G  0 part
> └─sdb2        8:18   0   1.3G  0 part
> nvme0n1     259:0    0   477G  0 disk
> ├─nvme0n1p1 259:1    0   529M  0 part
> ├─nvme0n1p2 259:2    0   100M  0 part /boot/efi
> ├─nvme0n1p3 259:3    0    16M  0 part
> ├─nvme0n1p4 259:4    0  99.7G  0 part Windows
> ├─nvme0n1p5 259:5    0   641M  0 part
> ├─nvme0n1p6 259:6    0 101.5G  0 part /
> ├─nvme0n1p7 259:7    0    10G  0 part [SWAP]
> └─nvme0n1p8 259:8    0 264.5G  0 part  Ntfs 'data'
>
> When you're installing an OS, generally it's a good idea to
> disconnect the drives which are not the intended target.
>
> That leaves this.
>
> nvme0n1     259:0    0   477G  0 disk
> ├─nvme0n1p1 259:1    0   529M  0 part
> ├─nvme0n1p2 259:2    0   100M  0 part /boot/efi
> ├─nvme0n1p3 259:3    0    16M  0 part
> ├─nvme0n1p4 259:4    0  99.7G  0 part Windows
> ├─nvme0n1p5 259:5    0   641M  0 part
> ├─nvme0n1p6 259:6    0 101.5G  0 part /
> ├─nvme0n1p7 259:7    0    10G  0 part [SWAP]
> └─nvme0n1p8 259:8    0 264.5G  0 part  Ntfs 'data'
>
> Now, there's no question, which device will receive the grub-install.
>
> Windows and Linux don't have to get in a fight there either.
>
> I think it's possible, when you tried to install on the NVMe,
> that an attempt might have been made to install grub on one
> of the other disks.
>
> Windows can do damage, if you install it fresh. If you do an Upgrade
> Install, like 21H2, the Windows folder on /boot/efi is separate
> from the named Linux folder.
>
> If you're doing an update-grub (which would be implicit if the
> software adds a new kernel to the OS), if OSProber utility is missing
> from the OS, then grub will not add a Windows entry for chainload.
> You can use your package manager to install OSProber, then do the
> update-grub, and then you might see a Windows entry in the grub menu.
>
>    Paul

While on the subject, my issue in trying to save the old system was that the grub would boot but the uefi didn't know where to get it. When
I reloaded the single partition of Linux root, Acronis probably didn't put it back exactly as it should have.

So how or what software fixer program would fix the bootup? I tried on boot repair tool called boot-repair. I booted Linux on an live usb
and installed boot-repair. But the only way it wanted to work was to replace the entire grub and put the boot on partition 1 (not sure
what it is but I wanted partition 2,uefi (as you see from that lsblk above. So is there a better tool that maybe I'll never need to use?
(grin).

On 2/27/2022 12:01 PM, Big Al wrote:

> While on the subject, my issue in trying to save the old system was that the grub would boot but the uefi didn't know where to get it.  When I reloaded the single partition of Linux root, Acronis probably didn't put it back exactly as it should have.
>
> So how or what software fixer program would fix the bootup?  I tried on boot repair tool called boot-repair.  I booted Linux on an live usb and installed boot-repair.   But the only way it wanted to work was to replace the entire grub and put the boot on partition 1 (not sure what it is but I wanted partition 2,uefi (as you see from that lsblk above.   So is there a better tool that maybe I'll never need to use? (grin).

Boot-repair is it, for automated repair.

Again, unplugging the unnecessary disks, *forces*
the tool to deal with a single device and it *has*
to manipulate that one device (if it can). My opinion is,
devices should be managed individually, so if they
fail individually or are unplugged individually,
the "stuff" on the other disks survives.

And after you do a Boot-Repair, just one more update-grub
can "pick up" the missing OSes.

Who can say whether Boot-Repair can even parse all
these systemD inspired name spaces.

Really, the right people for the job, would be to get
the grub designers to make recovery tools. Grub is nasty
enough, that people not directly involved with the GRUB
project, might miss some of the nuances.

You can replace the boot loader with something else,
but that would also likely turn into a "week long read
at the library". I don't know if the installation of
that supports chrooting (Change Root) in, or you have to
boot the OS first. Maybe it could even bootstrap random things ?
Dunno. Before Boot-Repair came along, I've fixed a few with
a USB stick and chrooting into the damaged goods and grub-install.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/REFInd

I've always managed, after a lot of trial and error, to
get my mess of a GPT disk working again. But it isn't
pretty and probably isn't done right.

I managed to get Windows to repair the Windows folder.
Doing a Repair Install, without dramatics, won't work.
However, if you crash the OS a few times, I think it
makes note that you are having trouble, because my last
Repair Install attempt actually fixed something :-) It
didn't seem to be a boot virus (I scanned for that), but
the symptoms have improved.

Paul

On 2/26/2022 8:56 AM, Big Al wrote:

> Now you tell me.  (grin).
> Thanks.  I'm going to book mark your ideas, it will be late night reading.
>
> I've since just reloaded Mint 20.2 (that's what I was on a few weeks ago) and it's all up and running and configged.   I'm just now playing with some minor program settings.    And I've found that my backup isn't as complete as I'd wish.
> I don't use timeshift.  Kinda wish I had the space, and that's for a later plan.
>
> Thanks again.

Something you can play with, on the Linux side.

sudo dd if=/dev/sda1 of=sda1.img # back up the ESP of a GPT disk
# assumes it is the first partition, as made by W10 say

sudo mkdir /mnt/fat32 # mount point
sudo mount sda1.img -o loop /mnt/fat32 # mount the copy for examination

ls /mnt/fat32/EFI/ubuntu/grub.cfg
cat /mnt/fat32/EFI/ubuntu/grub.cfg # This is not the regular grub menu but
# has a reference to which partition is next in boot seq
# ... root hd0,gpt7 Which is the Ubuntu slash, that
# has /boot/grub/grub.cfg and can boot other linux OSes

ls /mnt/fat32/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/BCD # The BCD is the Microsoft boot menu and is a .reg file
# It can be dumped with "bcdedit" in Win10
# On MSDOS partitioned disks, System Reserved
# might have /Boot instead

sudo umount /mnt/fat32 # cleanup
sudo rmdir /mnt/fat32

*******

The Acronis that did not work right, is it a recent
version or an old version ? If the Linux OSes could still
boot, but the Windows could not, it would be kinda hard to
explain at the partition level. Unless a Windows lettered
partition was no longer in the lineup of things to detect.

I usually worry about things that come before C: , as removing
them can change the partition number of C: .

You might convert the Acronis to a .vhd file, if they have
a conversion routine for that. Acronis probably also mounts
the backup, as if it was a disk drive, and you could have
a look once it is mounted, and see what is in there. Converting
a "dd" of a mounted disk, to a .vhd is easy... if you can find
the blasted utility to do it. I had a utility for this years ago,
and all it did was append a header and trailer to the dd file.
Later utilities make this seem... complicated. The utilities
in VBoxManage, leave a bit to be desired, but at least the
team still works on their stuff. And they are doing amazing
things (got a tiny bit of video acceleration in a Linux VM today!).

Paul

Big Al wrote:
> So how or what software fixer program would fix the bootup?  I tried on
> boot repair tool called boot-repair.  I booted Linux on an live usb and
> installed boot-repair.   But the only way it wanted to work was to
> replace the entire grub and put the boot on partition 1 (not sure what
> it is but I wanted partition 2,uefi (as you see from that lsblk above.
> So is there a better tool that maybe I'll never need to use? (grin).

WxFixBoot

https://launchpad.net/wxfixboot

https://www.hamishmb.com/html/downloads.php?program_name=wxfixboot

https://launchpad.net/~hamishmb/+archive/ubuntu/myppa

I have never used it so I can't say how good it is.