Is this still a good reference for making Grub2 ‘live’ on another drive?
obviously old article. I have a USB drive instead of a DVD.
Or is there a better maybe cleaner way?
I need to get a PATA drive out of my machine, and apparently it is where Grub lives.
https://forums.opensuse.org/content.php/128-Re-install-Grub2-from-DVD-Rescue
/dev/sda is the old PATA drive
/dev/sdc is a spining disc SATA drive
/dev/sdb AND /dev/sdd are new SSD drives
**lsblk**
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINTS
sda 8:0 0 149.1G 0 disk
├─sda1 8:1 0 8G 0 part
├─sda2 8:2 0 40G 0 part
└─sda3 8:3 0 101G 0 part
sdb 8:16 0 465.8G 0 disk
├─sdb1 8:17 0 100M 0 part
└─sdb2 8:18 0 238.4G 0 part /run/media/bill/624433AB443380B9
sdc 8:32 0 149G 0 disk
├─sdc1 8:33 0 8G 0 part
├─sdc2 8:34 0 42G 0 part
└─sdc3 8:35 0 99G 0 part
sdd 8:48 0 232.9G 0 disk
├─sdd1 8:49 0 10G 0 part [SWAP]
├─sdd2 8:50 0 60G 0 part /
└─sdd3 8:51 0 162.9G 0 part /home
sr0 11:0 1 1024M 0 rom
**fdisk -l**
**Disk /dev/sdb: 465.76 GiB, 500107862016 bytes, 976773168 sectors**
Disk model: PNY CS900 500GB
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: dos
Disk identifier: 0x7eec2a98
**Device ****Boot**** Start**** End**** Sectors**** Size****Id****Type**
/dev/sdb1 * 2048 206847 204800 100M 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb2 206848 500209663 500002816 238.4G 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
**Disk /dev/sdd: 232.89 GiB, 250059350016 bytes, 488397168 sectors**
Disk model: PNY CS900 250GB
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: F957DE42-246A-4FD2-97DB-B90B6240996A
**Device **** Start**** End**** Sectors**** Size****Type**
/dev/sdd1 2048 20973567 20971520 10G Linux swap
/dev/sdd2 20973568 146802687 125829120 60G EFI System
/dev/sdd3 146802688 488397134 341594447 162.9G Linux filesystem
**Disk /dev/sdc: 149.01 GiB, 160000000000 bytes, 312500000 sectors**
Disk model: ST3160815AS
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: dos
Disk identifier: 0xf0528969
**Device ****Boot**** Start**** End**** Sectors****Size****Id****Type**
/dev/sdc1 2048 16779263 16777216 8G 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdc2 * 16779264 104859647 88080384 42G 83 Linux
/dev/sdc3 104859648 312499999 207640352 99G 83 Linux
**Disk /dev/sda: 149.05 GiB, 160041885696 bytes, 312581808 sectors**
Disk model: WDC WD1600AAJB-0
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: dos
Disk identifier: 0xfb30b87c
**Device ****Boot**** Start**** End**** Sectors**** Size****Id****Type**
/dev/sda1 2048 16779263 16777216 8G 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda2 * 16779264 100665343 83886080 40G 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 100665344 312581807 211916464 101G 83 Linux
Hi
You can boot from /dev/sdc2 which has the boot flag set…
Not really enough information provided, since you haven’t told what if anything is booting via ESP (using UEFI). But, getting the PATA out of there, at least as a boot device or as sda, is a solid plan. Use https://forums.opensuse.org/showthread.php/533087-How-to-have-a-custom-UEFI-grub-menu-for-a-multiboot-system as a guide and build a custom.cfg for the installation(s) booting from the ESP to be able to boot every installed system.
a couple of images
https://susepaste.org/79362026
This showed up during install on /dev/sdd (didn’t know what it meant, so I hit 'Continue)
It also shows up in YaST Partitioner when I try to label. or do much of anything wiith /dev/sdd2
https://susepaste.org/86837219
I don’t know how I got to that boot, esp, legacy boot notation on /dev/sdd2 This is NOT a UEFI machine!
It is a new install, so not much to be lost yet. Should I Re-Install ??
@mrmazda - I am looking into your Link. Lots of information there!
Will do that for the short term, as it is a drive that shows ‘problems’.
If your BIOS is not UEFI, then you need a BIOS boot partition on GPT partitioned drives to provide a home to the portion of Grub normally installed in the master boot track. There’s no need or point to reinstall if you can’t use UEFI.
What are you talking about? Anyway, instead of telling what you don’t have you may consider telling what you have. You may post the following:
**erlangen:~ #** **inxi -zFm**
**System:**
**Kernel:** 6.0.1-1-default **arch:** x86_64 **bits:** 64 **Console:** pty pts/1
**Distro:** openSUSE Tumbleweed 20221014
**Machine:**
**Type:** Desktop **System:** Micro-Star **product:** MS-7C56 **v:** 2.0 **serial:** N/A
**Mobo:** Micro-Star **model:** B550-A PRO (MS-7C56) **v:** 2.0 **serial:** <filter>
**UEFI:** American Megatrends LLC. **v:** A.90 **date:** 03/17/2022
**Memory:**
**RAM:****total:** 31.26 GiB **used:** 3.78 GiB (12.1%)
**Array-1:****capacity:** 128 GiB **slots:** 4 **EC:** None
**Device-1:** DIMM 0 **type:** no module installed
**Device-2:** DIMM 1 **type:** DDR4 **size:** 16 GiB **speed:** 3200 MT/s
**Device-3:** DIMM 0 **type:** no module installed
**Device-4:** DIMM 1 **type:** DDR4 **size:** 16 GiB **speed:** 3200 MT/s
**CPU:**
**Info:** 6-core **model:** AMD Ryzen 5 5600X **bits:** 64 **type:** MT MCP **cache:**
**L2:** 3 MiB
**Speed (MHz):****avg:** 2450 **min/max:** 2200/4650 **cores:****1:** 3700 **2:** 2200 **3:** 2200
**4:** 2200 **5:** 2200 **6:** 2200 **7:** 2200 **8:** 2200 **9:** 2200 **10:** 2200 **11:** 2200 **12:** 3700
**Graphics:**
**Device-1:** AMD Lexa PRO [Radeon 540/540X/550/550X / RX 540X/550/550X]
**driver:** amdgpu **v:** kernel
**Display:** x11 **server:** X.Org **v:** 21.1.4 **with:** Xwayland **v:** 22.1.3 **driver:****X:**
**loaded:** amdgpu **unloaded:** fbdev,modesetting,vesa **gpu:** amdgpu
**resolution:** 3840x2160~60Hz
**OpenGL:****renderer:** AMD Radeon RX 550 / 550 Series (polaris12 LLVM 15.0.1
DRM 3.48 6.0.1-1-default) **v:** 4.6 Mesa 22.2.0
**Audio:**
**Device-1:** AMD Baffin HDMI/DP Audio [Radeon RX 550 640SP / 560/560X]
**driver:** snd_hda_intel
**Device-2:** AMD Starship/Matisse HD Audio **driver:** snd_hda_intel
**Sound Server-1:** ALSA **v:** k6.0.1-1-default **running:** yes
**Sound Server-2:** PipeWire **v:** 0.3.59 **running:** yes
**Network:**
**Device-1:** Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
**driver:** r8169
**IF:** enp42s0 **state:** up **speed:** 1000 Mbps **duplex:** full **mac:** <filter>
**Drives:**
**Local Storage:****total:** 3.64 TiB **used:** 1.51 TiB (41.6%)
**ID-1:** /dev/nvme0n1 **vendor:** Samsung **model:** SSD 970 EVO Plus 2TB
**size:** 1.82 TiB
**ID-2:** /dev/sdb **vendor:** Crucial **model:** CT2000BX500SSD1 **size:** 1.82 TiB
**Partition:**
**ID-1:** / **size:** 1.77 TiB **used:** 453.88 GiB (25.0%) **fs:** btrfs
**dev:** /dev/nvme0n1p2
**ID-2:** /boot/efi **size:** 511 MiB **used:** 640 KiB (0.1%) **fs:** vfat
**dev:** /dev/nvme0n1p1
**ID-3:** /home **size:** 1.77 TiB **used:** 453.88 GiB (25.0%) **fs:** btrfs
**dev:** /dev/nvme0n1p2
**ID-4:** /opt **size:** 1.77 TiB **used:** 453.88 GiB (25.0%) **fs:** btrfs
**dev:** /dev/nvme0n1p2
**ID-5:** /var **size:** 1.77 TiB **used:** 453.88 GiB (25.0%) **fs:** btrfs
**dev:** /dev/nvme0n1p2
**Swap:**
**Alert:** No swap data was found.
**Sensors:**
**System Temperatures:****cpu:** 37.8 C **mobo:** N/A **gpu:** amdgpu **temp:** 54.0 C
**Fan Speeds (RPM):****fan-1:** 517 **fan-2:** 0 **fan-3:** 0 **fan-4:** 0 **fan-5:** 0 **fan-6:** 0
**fan-7:** 0 **fan-8:** 0 **fan-9:** 0 **fan-10:** 0 **gpu:** amdgpu **fan:** 958
**Info:**
**Processes:** 349 **Uptime:** 3h 9m **Shell:** Bash **inxi:** 3.3.21
**erlangen:~ #**
@karlmistelberger, I will post that later.
Right now the ssd drive that has Leap on it just opens what looks like a lLock Screen). My name is there, but I can’t enter a password. Only as root.
So IMO, it is messed up, probably because it is looking for a BIOS boot partition(see 1st image in a post above https://susepaste.org/79362026).
Time to clean the drive, and reinstall??
So, here it is. my system is a legacy system, MBR.
NOT EFI or GPT
inxi -zFm
**System: Kernel:** 5.14.21-150400.24.21-default x86_64 **bits:** 64 **Console:** pty pts/1 **Distro:** openSUSE Leap 15.4
**Machine: Type:** Desktop **System:** Hewlett-Packard **product:** HP Compaq dc7700 Convertible Minitower **v:** N/A **serial:** <filter>
**Mobo:** Hewlett-Packard **model:** 0A58h **serial:** <filter> **BIOS:** Hewlett-Packard **v:** 786E1 v01.16 **date:** 08/17/2011
**Memory: RAM:****total:** 3.76 GiB **used:** 1.32 GiB (35.1%)
**Array-1:****capacity:** 4 GiB **slots:** 4 **EC:** None
**Device-1:** XMM1 **size:** 1024 MiB **speed:** 667 MT/s
**Device-2:** XMM2 **size:** 1024 MiB **speed:** 667 MT/s
**Device-3:** XMM3 **size:** 1024 MiB **speed:** 667 MT/s
**Device-4:** XMM4 **size:** 1024 MiB **speed:** 667 MT/s
**Array-2:****capacity:** 4 GiB **use:** Flash Memory **slots:** 1 **EC:** None
**Device-1:** SYSTEM ROM **size:** 1024 KiB **speed:** N/A
**CPU: Info:** Dual Core **model:** Intel Core2 6300 **bits:** 64 **type:** MCP **cache:****L2:** 2 MiB
**Speed:** 1595 MHz **min/max:** 1596/1867 MHz **Core speeds (MHz):****1:** 1595 **2:** 1595
**Graphics: Device-1:** Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Cedar [Radeon HD 5000/6000/7350/8350 Series] **driver:** radeon **v:** kernel
**Display:****server:** X.Org 1.20.3 **driver:****loaded:** ati,radeon **unloaded:** fbdev,modesetting,vesa
**resolution:** 1680x1050~60Hz
**OpenGL:****renderer:** AMD CEDAR (DRM 2.50.0 / 5.14.21-150400.24.21-default LLVM 11.0.1) **v:** 3.3 Mesa 21.2.4
**Audio: Device-1:** Intel 82801H HD Audio **driver:** snd_hda_intel
**Device-2:** Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Cedar HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 5400/6300/7300 Series] **driver:** snd_hda_intel
**Sound Server-1:** ALSA **v:** k5.14.21-150400.24.21-default **running:** yes
**Sound Server-2:** PulseAudio **v:** 15.0 **running:** yes
**Sound Server-3:** PipeWire **v:** 0.3.49 **running:** yes
**Network: Device-1:** Intel 82566DM Gigabit Network **driver:** e1000e
**IF:** eth1 **state:** down **mac:** <filter>
**Device-2:** Realtek RTL8169 PCI Gigabit Ethernet **driver:** r8169
**IF:** eth0 **state:** up **speed:** 1000 Mbps **duplex:** full **mac:** <filter>
**RAID: Hardware-1:** Silicon Image PCI0680 Ultra ATA-133 Host Controller **driver:** pata_sil680
**Drives: Local Storage:****total:** 996.71 GiB **used:** 38.82 GiB (3.9%)
**ID-1:** /dev/sda **vendor:** Western Digital **model:** WD1600AAJB-00PVA0 **size:** 149.05 GiB
**ID-2:** /dev/sdb **vendor:** PNY **model:** CS900 500GB SSD **size:** 465.76 GiB
**ID-3:** /dev/sdc **vendor:** Seagate **model:** ST3160815AS **size:** 149.01 GiB
**ID-4:** /dev/sdd **vendor:** PNY **model:** CS900 250GB SSD **size:** 232.89 GiB
**Partition: ID-1:** / **size:** 41.04 GiB **used:** 7.68 GiB (18.7%) **fs:** ext4 **dev:** /dev/sdc2
**ID-2:** /home **size:** 96.9 GiB **used:** 31.14 GiB (32.1%) **fs:** ext4 **dev:** /dev/sdc3
**Swap: ID-1:** swap-1 **type:** partition **size:** 8 GiB **used:** 0 KiB (0.0%) **dev:** /dev/sdc1
**Sensors: System Temperatures:****cpu:** 50.0 C **mobo:** N/A **gpu:** radeon **temp:** 68.0 C
**Fan Speeds (RPM):** N/A
**Info: Processes:** 177 **Uptime:** 0h 20m **Shell:** Bash **inxi:** 3.3.07
You don’t say if you’ve fixed it in the meantime, but remember that (legacy) BIOS needs to be “told” (either with a BIOS-configuration or some sort of boot menu) which drive to (try to) boot from (first). It will then read MBR on this disk (if I remember correctly). If it doesn’t find anything meaningful to boot there, depending on the BIOS it might try the next configured disk. Since you mention connecting SSDs I assume your BIOS is new enough to have disk boot order configuration. If it doesn’t, the disk order is determined by attachment.
And I think you should be able to “move” the grub “installation” with grub2-install, possibly with some suitable parameters (can’t really help you with which, if any). But, since BIOS doesn’t “find” grub on its own like UEFI does, you need to know which disk (sda, sdb, etc) corresponds to the one BIOS tries to boot from and possibly tell grub2-install which it is. It might not be the one you think, as udev or the kernel-drivers (or something else, not sure about this) does not necessarily order the disks in the same order as the boot order configured in BIOS. So the disk configured in the BIOS as first boot disk might not end up as sda (or any second as sdb, etc.).
If you still need help figuring this out, fetch and run bootinfoscript and pastebin its output so we can see all the places where Grub already is. You may already be able to simply remove the PATA’s power cable and boot from the Seagate without doing anything else. If it’s not bootable due to some kind of old age problem, and if there’s room on sdd to add a BIOS Boot Partition, add it, then see if YaST will behave as you expect, or have YaST add it and have it update bootloader. If 8MB isn’t available, remove swap, create BIOS/BOOT, then recreate swap in the remaining space.