Bootloader Repair Needed

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hi all,

I have a triple boot set up with Win10/Linux Mint 20/Leap 15.2

Leap was installed last and the system uses it’s bootloader - or it used to!

I had a problem with Mint which meant I had to use it’s Timeshift feature to revert back to an earlier snapshot. This worked, but it re-wrote the bootloader as well.
When I now boot, Mint and Windows are visible in Mint’s GRUB menu, but Leap 15.2 is missing.

I’m still a Linux novice and am wondering how to repair the Leap’s bootloader so that I can get back to normal.

I’ve booted into my Leap install my bootable USB ISO and all is there and working - just need to fix the booloader.

With many thanks

Dumfy

2

Do you boot your system in UEFI- or in CSM-mode (aka Bios-mode)?

Hint: When you boot up the openSUSE Leap 15.2 installation media and the very first screen shows NO list of F-key functions in the bottom row , then your system boots in UEFI-mode.

Regards

susejunky

3

It must be UEFi mode as the only options at the bottom of the screen are Command Line and Edit Entry

4

It must be UEFi mode as the only options at the bottom of the screen are Command Line and Edit Entry

5

You seem to be able to boot into Mint.

While in mint, run the command:

sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub.cfg

And then see whether there is an entry to boot Leap 15.2 in the Mint boot menu.

6

Many thanks, but sorry to say that had no effect. Leap 15.2 not showing in the Mint boot menu - just Mint itself and Windows.

7

You are probably using “btrfs” and the Mint bootloader can’t cope with the way that openSUSE sets that up.

If you boot the install iso, there is an option to boot the hard drive. See if that works.

Another choice: the install iso has an option to boot an installed system. Maybe see if that works.

It is easier to fix your booting from within the system, which is why I suggest trying those. Failing that, you will need to work from the rescue system.

8

I am using “btrfs” so that explains why the Mint bootloader can’t cope then. Perhaps I should’ve used ext4 for Leap instead?

Using the install ISO, I can’t get into Leap with the “Boot an Installed System” option - just takes me to the Mint GRUB menu with no Leap 15.2 selection.

However, I can get into Leap via the install ISO using "Boot Installed System / Linux Systems / Mint or Leap. Selecting Leap takes me in. Am replying to this thread inside Leap as a matter of interest.

So, once inside Leap, can I can get it’s bootloader back?

9

From inside Leap, use:

Yast → System → Boot loader

Change something unimportant. Just change the timeout by 1 second.

Save the changes, and that should reinstall the boot loader.

10

If all your systems are installed for UEFI-boot it might be enough to change the boot order in your UEFIs NVRAM.

I suggest you start your openSUSE Leap 15.2 installation (via the install ISO), open a root console and issue

# efibootmgr -v

and post the result here.

Regards

susejunky

11

Brilliant - thank you. It worked a treat and all back to normal. One to remember for the future . . . it’s only easy when you know how