Grub Fails to Install

[p.H]

If the tablet cannot boot from the SD card it may not be able to access it either at boot time, so you must also put the root or /boot partition on the internal storage.

If you do a new installation, select advanced > expert install in the boot screen. It will ask extra questions, just leave the default if you do not know what to answer, except for one : when installing GRUB, it will offer to install the boot loader in the removable device path. Say yes. This will give an extra chance to make the system boot even if the boot variable creation fails.

[pinkbeat]

If the tablet cannot boot from the SD card it may not be able to access it either at boot time, so you must also put the root or /boot partition on the internal storage.

If you do a new installation, select advanced > expert install in the boot screen. It will ask extra questions, just leave the default if you do not know what to answer, except for one : when installing GRUB, it will offer to install the boot loader in the removable device path. Say yes. This will give an extra chance to make the system boot even if the boot variable creation fails.

Okay, but, will the 16GB internal drive be enough storage for the /root? It's actual 15.1 GB or around that. I could put the /swap, /usr and /home on the sd cart but, I thought the/root needed at least 20GB storage. What say you?

I did go into each partition to check before writing and I noticed EFI was on do not use. Maybe that was what was happening. We will see. I had already started the reinstall b4 your post. Swap and EFI are on the internal and the root and home are on the sd card currently. I'll see what happens when it's done a couple hours from now.

[p.H]

will the 16GB internal drive be enough storage for the /root?

It depends on your needs. I have whole Debian installations which fit in 15 GB (but with the LXDE light desktop environment, and I am not sure it supports touchscreens well). If it is not enough, as I wrote you can put a separate /boot partition (250 to 500 MB) on the internal storage and the root partition on the SD card. Alternatively, you may put the root partition on the internal storage and /usr on the SD card, but that is about the same as a separate /boot and just more complicated. Of course you may put /home and /var on the SD card in any case.

I noticed EFI was on do not use

[Edit] Weird, in my experience manual partitioning marks all EFI partitions as used by default and will complain if no EFI partition is present or marked as used.

'll see what happens when it's done a couple hours from now.

Hours ?
IMO, you should just do a basic installation without a desktop environment and check if it boots. Then you can run tasksel to install a desktop environment. If you do a full installation and it fails to boot again, you'll have lost a lot of time for nothing.

[pinkbeat]

will the 16GB internal drive be enough storage for the /root?

It depends on your needs. I have whole Debian installations which fit in 15 GB (but with the LXDE light desktop environment, and I am not sure it supports touchscreens well). If it is not enough, as I wrote you can put a separate /boot partition (250 to 500 MB) on the internal storage and the root partition on the SD card. Alternatively, you may put the root partition on the internal storage and /usr on the SD card, but that is about the same as a separate /boot and just more complicated. Of course you may put /home and /var on the SD card in any case.

These are the partitions I made on this install. I don't have one named /boot though. Wasn't away I needed to do that. Unless you are talking about the EFI partition.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/190020956 ... 602063847/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/190020956 ... 602063847/

'll see what happens when it's done a couple hours from now.

Hours ?
IMO, you should just do a basic installation without a desktop environment and check if it boots. Then you can run tasksel to install a desktop environment. If you do a full installation and it fails to boot again, you'll have lost a lot of time for nothing.

I didn't know that. I'm so lost with Linux. lol. I'll try that if you suggest a different partitioning scheme than what I have going now. What is tasksel? Yeah, I was installing GNOME as well as the Debian Desktop environment.

Here are the TTY4 and TTY3 screenshots after the Grub-install dummy fail screen.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/190020956 ... 602063847/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/190020956 ... 602063847/

Also, this is what I got when I tried the mount command that was given on here to try.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/190020956 ... 602063847/

So, If you think I need to redo my partitions in a particular way let me know and I will redo it with the basic boot suggestion you stated earlier. Just tell me exactly what and where.
Thanks!

[p.H]

Please do not write your replies inside the quoted parts, it is confusing.

If you want to take no chances, I suggest the following actions :
- select expert install
- put the EFI partition on the internal storage
- create a /boot partition on the internal storage
- do not select any tasks
- install GRUB in the removable device path (fallback bootloader)
- if boot succeeds, run tasksel to install the desired tasks

A /boot partition is not to be confused with the EFI partition. It is mounted on /boot. The EFI partition is mounted on /boot/efi.

What is tasksel?

Tasksel is a tool which allows to install "tasks" such as dekstop environments, web server, print server...
It does the same as the "select tasks" step during installation but can be run at any time.

Also, this is what I got when I tried the mount command that was given on here to try.

Maybe efivarfs was already mounted. You can check with mount without argument or by listing the contents of /sys/firmware/efi/efivars with ls.

[pinkbeat]

@ p.H. Thanks, I'll give it a try. Sorry, I didn't realize I was typing within the qoute. Honest mistake. Thanks for telling me. Don't want to be confusing. I'll report back by tomorrow sometime. Thanks again p.H.

[Bulkley]

I don't have permission to view that image and I refuse to sign up to "Flickr" (whatever the **** that is).

I have to agree. I tried the Flikr link and got "404".

[p.H]

I tried the Flikr link and got "404"

Not the same issue. The OP removed old pictures.

[pinkbeat]

- install GRUB in the removable device path (fallback bootloader)

A bit confused as what to do at this step. What do I partition that section as so there is space for it? Can't make two /boot partitions. Also the /boot partition I made on the internal drive says that the bootable flag is off. Is that okay?

[p.H]

You must not make two /boot partition (obviously impossible) but one EFI partition (use as: EFI boot) and one /boot partition (use as: ext4 and mount on: /boot) both on the internal storage.

The removable device path has nothing to do with the separate /boot partition. It is an option that is offered in expert mode during the installation of GRUB. It requires no extra space in the EFI partition if its size is at least 10 MB.

The /boot partition must not have the boot flag. With GPT, the boot flag is equal to the EFI system partition type.

[pinkbeat]

You must not make two /boot partition (obviously impossible) but one EFI partition (use as: EFI boot) and one /boot partition (use as: ext4 and mount on: /boot) both on the internal storage.

The removable device path has nothing to do with the separate /boot partition. It is an option that is offered in expert mode during the installation of GRUB. It requires no extra space in the EFI partition if its size is at least 10 MB.

The /boot partition must not have the boot flag. With GPT, the boot flag is equal to the EFI system partition type.

Okay, so /boot, efi and /swap is what I have on the internal and /root and /home is what I have on the micro sd card. If that is all good and fine as far as correctly partioning...it failed on both the removable and internal to install grub dummy.

[p.H]

it failed on both the removable and internal to install grub dummy.

This setup is not intended to fix the GRUB installation error. GRUB is actually installed but registering it in the EFI boot variable failed. Enabling the removable device path is intended as a workaround to the lack of the EFI boot variable.

Does the tablet boot with GRUB now ? If not, what does the EFI shell show ?

[pinkbeat]

it failed on both the removable and internal to install grub dummy.

This setup is not intended to fix the GRUB installation error. GRUB is actually installed but registering it in the EFI boot variable failed. Enabling the removable device path is intended as a workaround to the lack of the EFI boot variable.

Does the tablet boot with GRUB now ? If not, what does the EFI shell show ?

I'm at this step in the partitioning and got this error. Don't know what to do next.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/190020956 ... ateposted/

[p.H]

Delete and re-create the EFI partition.

[pinkbeat]

Delete and re-create the EFI partition.

I tried but keep getting the same error.

[pinkbeat]

I guess I've been abandonded.