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unable to boot using efi

Posted: 26 Mar 2015, 06:50
by Rogerqea
I downloaded porteus3.1 and install it into my usb disk. It works very well on my laptop which has a traditional BIOS, so I don't think there are any problem with my usb disk.
But when I tried to use it to boot from my tablet which has an EFI system, it failed. The "EFI" folder is on the top of my usb disk. It can boot a few first steps, and I can see the screen which asked me to choose to boot from my win8.1 or from porteus. Then after I chose porteus, it only showed a black screen and two line words, and then died, didn't react to any input. It seems that my usb disk was rejected because the light on it was off. However I had booted ubuntu 14.04 and 14.10 on my EFI tablet successfully before.

Re: unable to boot using efi

Posted: 26 Mar 2015, 11:19
by francois

Re: unable to boot using efi

Posted: 26 Mar 2015, 12:32
by Rogerqea
francois wrote:Look here:
viewtopic.php?f=81&t=2700
Thank you for your reply. But it definitely isn't a problem about UEFI or EFI, because I have shut down the security boot.
the last two line before my tablet dead is :
"starting vmlinuz
using load options 'initrd=boot\syslinux\initrd.xz'"
The boot program has been loaded, but it failed to load the kernel. Actually I think the boot program can't detect my USB disk. By the way my tablet and USB disk are linked with a USB-hub, probably the program can't deal with USBhub?
Moreover, It is very strange that when I extract Linux mint's live iso's files to USB disk to boot from it, I meet similar problem. But when I do same thing to Ubuntu's live iso, it boots successfully. As Mint is based Ubuntu, I suspect there are some little differences in the boot step which lead to this.

Re: unable to boot using efi

Posted: 26 Mar 2015, 14:10
by brokenman
What is the architecture of your tablet? (x86, arm)

I have a UEFI system so I can doublecheck. It worked last time I checked. Can you please explain how you acquired the Porteus v3.1 ISO? Was it directly from our server or using the build option. If the build option, then if you can remember any settings you chose it would be a big help. Thanks.

Re: unable to boot using efi

Posted: 26 Mar 2015, 14:43
by Rogerqea
brokenman wrote:What is the architecture of your tablet? (x86, arm)

I have a UEFI system so I can doublecheck. It worked last time I checked. Can you please explain how you acquired the Porteus v3.1 ISO? Was it directly from our server or using the build option. If the build option, then if you can remember any settings you chose it would be a big help. Thanks.
My tablet's architecture is x64, and its CPU is Intel N2910. As I have installed a Windows8.1(x64 enterprise edition)on its SSD and have used Win8.1 more than half a year, I don't think the problem is in the hardware.
I got my porteus today through your build options. I remember that all my options are 64bit, EFI, GUI, kde, factory time zone, UTC support, English keyboard, 2%sound, set passwords for guest and root but didn't change other advanced options, chrome, Libra office, Skype, development tool, Linux video card driver, no printing support. I help these would help you.

Re: unable to boot using efi

Posted: 27 Mar 2015, 18:12
by brokenman
Judging by the last message you receive before the freeze it is most probably the bootloader stopping and not able to find the kernel in the path given. I just downloaded a new ISO and installed on a brand new USB drive from windows and then booted straight into porteus from where I am posting this message.

You may try opening the refind.conf file inside the EFI folder and uncommenting the line that reads: scanfor internal,external,optical,manual

This will force refind to search the device for kernels. If this doesn't work then you can try playing with refind. The config file is well commented.

Re: unable to boot using efi

Posted: 28 Mar 2015, 02:44
by Rogerqea
brokenman wrote:Judging by the last message you receive before the freeze it is most probably the bootloader stopping and not able to find the kernel in the path given. I just downloaded a new ISO and installed on a brand new USB drive from windows and then booted straight into porteus from where I am posting this message.

You may try opening the refind.conf file inside the EFI folder and uncommenting the line that reads: scanfor internal,external,optical,manual

This will force refind to search the device for kernels. If this doesn't work then you can try playing with refind. The config file is well commented.
Thank you very much.
I have tried your advice, but it seems that the options in refind.conf only influence whether the loader can detect all systems on my tablet. As I described previously, the bug happens in the next step, i.e. the loader can detect Win8.1 and porteus, and I can choose to boot porteus, but then (I guess) the loader failed to load the Linux kernel.
Moreover, I found that only when I include "manual" in "scanfor" porteus can be detected. It is a USB drive but "external" doesn't work, which makes me feel strange. The "manual" is commented as"- use stanzas later in this configuration file", but actually I don't understand its meaning.

Re: unable to boot using efi

Posted: 28 Mar 2015, 06:30
by neko
@Rogerqea
To distinguish what is a cause,
you could test by booting another EFI iso.

1. Boot Porteus-aFVWM-v3.1-x86_64-2.iso (FVWM) on BIOS PC.

2. On the FVWM running environment,
create USB memory stick for EFI PC including this FVWM ISO by "Create Porteus live USB" tool.

3. Boot FVWM from the USB on EFI tablet.

Result:
(1)NG
This test was not useful.

(2)OK
3-1)It might be guessed that there is a trouble in /EFI/boot/XXX.efi or /EFI/boot/XXX.cfg.
-- confirm test 4.

3-2)It might be guessed that there is a trouble in kernel.
-- confirm test 5.

4. Replace /EFI of orignal ISO(USB) with one of FVWM ISO.
Add the /.disk of FVWM ISO to orignal ISO(USB).
Boot this new original ISO(USB) on EFI tablet.

5. Replace /boot/syslinux/vmlinuz and /porteus/base/000-kernel.xzm of orignal ISO(USB)
with ones of FVWM ISO.
Boot this new original ISO(USB) on EFI tablet.

Best regard.


====================================
Porteus-aFVWM-v3.1-x86_64-2.iso (202M)
http://www.mediafire.com/download/zzpsc ... 6_64-2.iso
md5sum: b3784403dfdd6bd7b9c6d3866e479342 Porteus-aFVWM-v3.1-x86_64-2.iso

Re: unable to boot using efi

Posted: 29 Mar 2015, 02:39
by Rogerqea
neko wrote:@Rogerqea
To distinguish what is a cause,
you could test by booting another EFI iso.

1. Boot Porteus-aFVWM-v3.1-x86_64-2.iso (FVWM) on BIOS PC.

2. On the FVWM running environment,
create USB memory stick for EFI PC including this FVWM ISO by "Create Porteus live USB" tool.

3. Boot FVWM from the USB on EFI tablet.

Result:
(1)NG
This test was not useful.

(2)OK
3-1)It might be guessed that there is a trouble in /EFI/boot/XXX.efi or /EFI/boot/XXX.cfg.
-- confirm test 4.

3-2)It might be guessed that there is a trouble in kernel.
-- confirm test 5.

4. Replace /EFI of orignal ISO(USB) with one of FVWM ISO.
Add the /.disk of FVWM ISO to orignal ISO(USB).
Boot this new original ISO(USB) on EFI tablet.

5. Replace /boot/syslinux/vmlinuz and /porteus/base/000-kernel.xzm of orignal ISO(USB)
with ones of FVWM ISO.
Boot this new original ISO(USB) on EFI tablet.

Best regard.


====================================
Porteus-aFVWM-v3.1-x86_64-2.iso (202M)
http://www.mediafire.com/download/zzpsc ... 6_64-2.iso
md5sum: b3784403dfdd6bd7b9c6d3866e479342 Porteus-aFVWM-v3.1-x86_64-2.iso

Thank you very much.
I have downloaded your iso file, but I am afraid that I have to know the password of root of the system in your iso file to use the "Create Porteus live USB" tool...

Re: unable to boot using efi

Posted: 29 Mar 2015, 03:03
by neko
@Rogerqea
The root password of FVWM ISO is same as one of original Porteus ISO.

Best regard.

Re: unable to boot using efi

Posted: 29 Mar 2015, 12:11
by cttan
Hi Rogerqea,

Most likely yout USB is not formatted as GPT disk.

Pls issue this command in a terminal:-

Code: Select all

# fdisk -l /dev/sdc

WARNING: GPT (GUID Partition Table) detected on '/dev/sdc'! The util fdisk doesn't support GPT. Use GNU Parted.


Disk /dev/sdc: 3944 MB, 3944742912 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 479 cylinders, total 7704576 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1               1     7704575     3852287+  ee  GPT
Checkout this thread:-
http://forum.porteus.org/viewtopic.php? ... hilit=uefi

And inside the thread there is a must watch video from brokenman about UEFI USB making:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_AXMoa ... tu.be?hd=1

Re: unable to boot using efi

Posted: 30 Mar 2015, 11:33
by brokenman
It is able to boot from a standard FAT32 partition. What is the file system you are booting from? Inside the EFI folder you will find a folder with the drivers for supported file systems.