grub recovery

[Peter Lesterhuis]

Hi,
After a Windows update my (dual boot) system won't boot into fedora anymore.
Somehow the grub bootloader doesn' t start.
After booting this is what I see:
Minimal Bash-like line editing is supported. For the first word TAB lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or file completions.
grub>_
When I issue the command "exit" the Windows bootloader pops up.
I googled on this subject, but found many completely different answers. 
I would appreciate any suggestion. How can I recover my system?

[Rami Rosen]

Hi,
I suggest that first you will make sure that the update of windows did
not destroy the grub entries of Fedora.
You can do it by booting a Fedora LiveCD, then mount the system using
"chroot /mnt/sysimage" (there are a lot of guides about it) and look
at /boot/grub2/grub.cfg.

Another way is to cat this grub.cfg from the "grub>" prompt (this is a
bit more complex maybe, also for this there are guides).

Assuming there are the Fedora entries, the reason can be that the
"default=" entry is changed to boot into Windows and also hide is set
(hiding the grub menu).
In case of doubts I would suggest posting the contents of grub2.cfg
here/in pastebin + link here.

Regards,
Rami Rosen
http://ramirose.wix.com/ramirosen

On 20 November 2016 at 23:15, [e-mail]
 wrote:
> Hi,
> After a Windows update my (dual boot) system won't boot into fedora anymore.
> Somehow the grub bootloader doesn' t start.
>
> After booting this is what I see:
>
> Minimal Bash-like line editing is supported. For the first word TAB lists
> possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or
> file completions.
>
> grub>_
>
> When I issue the command "exit" the Windows bootloader pops up.
>
> I googled on this subject, but found many completely different answers.
> I would appreciate any suggestion. How can I recover my system?
>
> users mailing list -- [e-mail]
> To unsubscribe send an email to [e-mail]

[JD]

On 11/20/2016 02:15 PM, [e-mail] wrote:
> Hi,
> After a Windows update my (dual boot) system won't boot into fedora 
> anymore.
> Somehow the grub bootloader doesn' t start.
>
> After booting this is what I see:
>
> /Minimal Bash-like line editing is supported. For the first word TAB 
> lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible 
> device or file completions.
>
> grub>_/
>
> When I issue the command "exit" the Windows bootloader pops up.
>
> I googled on this subject, but found many completely different answers.
> I would appreciate any suggestion. How can I recover my system?

The Solution:
01. Boot a live fedora cd or dvd
02. mount your on-disk  fedora linux on .... say /fedora, like so:
       mkdir /fedora
       mount /dev/sd??  /fedora   # where ?? is the disk and partition 
where your fedora is installed.
03. tar cf - dev   | tar -C /fedora -xpvf -
04. chroot /fedora
05. grub2-install --recheck  /dev/sd??
06. grub2-mkconfig -o /etc/grub2.cfg

When the command (at point 8) returns, then
07. cd /dev
08. rm -rf *
Why? because /dev/  is populated  dynamically at boot time.

Let the list know how it went.

[Pete Travis]

On Nov 20, 2016 4:55 PM, "jd1008"  wrote:
> On 11/20/2016 02:15 PM, [e-mail] wrote:
> > Hi,
> > After a Windows update my (dual boot) system won't boot into fedora

anymore.
> > Somehow the grub bootloader doesn' t start.
> >
> > After booting this is what I see:
> >
> > /Minimal Bash-like line editing is supported. For the first word TAB

lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible device
or file completions.
> > grub>_/
> >
> > When I issue the command "exit" the Windows bootloader pops up.
> >
> > I googled on this subject, but found many completely different answers.
> > I would appreciate any suggestion. How can I recover my system?
>
> The Solution:
> 01. Boot a live fedora cd or dvd
> 02. mount your on-disk  fedora linux on .... say /fedora, like so:
>       mkdir /fedora
>       mount /dev/sd??  /fedora   # where ?? is the disk and partition

where your fedora is installed.
> tar cf - dev   | tar -C /fedora -xpvf -
> chroot /fedora
> grub2-install --recheck  /dev/sd??
> grub2-mkconfig -o /etc/grub2.cfg
>
> When the command (at point 8) returns, then
> 07. cd /dev
> 08. rm -rf *
> Why? because /dev/  is populated  dynamically at boot time.
>
> Let the list know how it went.

This tar+rm business with dev looks confusing and dangerous.  Use bind
mounts to place the virtual filesystems in the chroot path.

-- Pete

[JD]

On 11/22/2016 10:35 AM, Pete Travis wrote:
> On Nov 20, 2016 4:55 PM, "jd1008" <[e-mail] 
> > wrote:
> > On 11/20/2016 02:15 PM, [e-mail]
>
>  wrote:
> > > Hi,
> > > After a Windows update my (dual boot) system won't boot into fedora
>
> anymore.
> > > Somehow the grub bootloader doesn' t start.
> > >
> > > After booting this is what I see:
> > >
> > > /Minimal Bash-like line editing is supported. For the first word
>
> TAB lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists 
> possible device or file completions.
> > > grub>_/
> > >
> > > When I issue the command "exit" the Windows bootloader pops up.
> > >
> > > I googled on this subject, but found many completely different answers.
> > > I would appreciate any suggestion. How can I recover my system?
> >
> > The Solution:
> > 01. Boot a live fedora cd or dvd
> > 02. mount your on-disk  fedora linux on .... say /fedora, like so:
> >       mkdir /fedora
> >       mount /dev/sd??  /fedora   # where ?? is the disk and
>
> partition where your fedora is installed.
> > tar cf - dev   | tar -C /fedora -xpvf -
> > chroot /fedora
> > grub2-install --recheck  /dev/sd??
> > grub2-mkconfig -o /etc/grub2.cfg
> >
> > When the command (at point 8) returns, then
> > 07. cd /dev
> > 08. rm -rf *
> > Why? because /dev/  is populated  dynamically at boot time.
> >
> > Let the list know how it went.
>
> This tar+rm business with dev looks confusing and dangerous.  Use bind 
> mounts to place the virtual filesystems in the chroot path.
>
> -- Pete

What's so dangerous about it?
Unless one is so absent minded and is not watching what one is typing 
.... :) :)

[Tod Merley]

There are reasons why most of the old e-mail list forums are now locked
down and managed.  Simply too much of the advise is hostile.

On Tue, Nov 22, 2016 at 2:06 PM, jd1008  wrote:
> On 11/22/2016 10:35 AM, Pete Travis wrote:
> > On Nov 20, 2016 4:55 PM, "jd1008" <[e-mail] > wrote:
> > > On 11/20/2016 02:15 PM, [e-mail] <mailto:
> >
> > [e-mail]> wrote:
> > > > Hi,
> > > > After a Windows update my (dual boot) system won't boot into fedora
> >
> > anymore.
> > > > Somehow the grub bootloader doesn' t start.
> > > >
> > > > After booting this is what I see:
> > > >
> > > > /Minimal Bash-like line editing is supported. For the first word TAB
> >
> > lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible device
> > or file completions.
> > > > grub>_/
> > > >
> > > > When I issue the command "exit" the Windows bootloader pops up.
> > > >
> > > > I googled on this subject, but found many completely different answers.
> > > > I would appreciate any suggestion. How can I recover my system?
> > >
> > > The Solution:
> > > 01. Boot a live fedora cd or dvd
> > > 02. mount your on-disk  fedora linux on .... say /fedora, like so:
> > >       mkdir /fedora
> > >       mount /dev/sd??  /fedora   # where ?? is the disk and partition
> >
> > where your fedora is installed.
> > > tar cf - dev   | tar -C /fedora -xpvf -
> > > chroot /fedora
> > > grub2-install --recheck  /dev/sd??
> > > grub2-mkconfig -o /etc/grub2.cfg
> > >
> > > When the command (at point 8) returns, then
> > > 07. cd /dev
> > > 08. rm -rf *
> > > Why? because /dev/  is populated  dynamically at boot time.
> > >
> > > Let the list know how it went.
> >
> > This tar+rm business with dev looks confusing and dangerous.  Use bind
> > mounts to place the virtual filesystems in the chroot path.
> >
> > -- Pete
> >
> > What's so dangerous about it?
>
> Unless one is so absent minded and is not watching what one is typing ....
> :) :)
>
> users mailing list -- [e-mail]
> To unsubscribe send an email to [e-mail]

[Tod Merley]

The grub command line shell affords you the opportunity to find out what
has happened.  But you need to take the time to learn how to use it.  I
think it would be well worth your time for you and for us.  Then we know
what happened.

You are booting to grub.

Q1:  Is this in a secure boot environment for from a "legacy" configuration?

Q2: What did Windows do?  Changed the name and UUID of a partition?  Format
your Linux partition?   What has happened.

I have gone to not doing dual boot with Windows simply because they do not
wish to play well with other OS.

Would a good solution be to learn how to dual boot from Windows using their
boot loader redirection?

Have a lot of fun!

Tod

On Sun, Nov 20, 2016 at 1:15 PM, [e-mail] <
[e-mail]> wrote:
> Hi,
> After a Windows update my (dual boot) system won't boot into fedora
> anymore.
> Somehow the grub bootloader doesn' t start.
>
> After booting this is what I see:
>
> *Minimal Bash-like line editing is supported. For the first word TAB lists
> possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or
> file completions.grub>_*
>
> When I issue the command "exit" the Windows bootloader pops up.
>
> I googled on this subject, but found many completely different answers.
> I would appreciate any suggestion. How can I recover my system?
>
> users mailing list -- [e-mail]
> To unsubscribe send an email to [e-mail]

[Chris Murphy]

On Sun, Nov 20, 2016 at 1:15 PM, [e-mail]
 wrote:
> Hi,
> After a Windows update my (dual boot) system won't boot into fedora anymore.
> Somehow the grub bootloader doesn' t start.
>
> After booting this is what I see:
>
> Minimal Bash-like line editing is supported. For the first word TAB lists
> possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or
> file completions.
>
> grub>_
>
> When I issue the command "exit" the Windows bootloader pops up.
>
> I googled on this subject, but found many completely different answers.
> I would appreciate any suggestion. How can I recover my system?

This suggests it's UEFI firmware, because exit causes the firmware to
fallback to the next item in the boot order. But why does the firmware
find grubx64.efi but not grub.cfg which is in the same path, just
because Windows did an update? Kinda strange. For BIOS, I'd expect
exit to fail because there's no fallback.

Possibly the easiest way to handle this is with any F23-F25
netinstaller, and use the rescue boot option found in the
troubleshooting submenu (of GRUB if in fact I'm correct and this
computer has UEFI firmware; if I'm wrong, it'll have a
syslinux/isolinux boot menu). The rescue option is supposed to find
and assemble a Fedora installation per fstab, at /mnt/sysimage. Once
it does that:

# chroot /mnt/sysimage
# ls -l /boot/efi/EFI/fedora

Is there a grub.cfg? If so maybe

# cat /boot/efi/EFI/fedora/grub.cfg | fpaste

Or possibly we have a legacy linux on this computer, so maybe this is better

# tree -L 3 /boot/efi/ | fpaste
# efibootmgr -v | fpaste

And just for grins

# mv /boot/efi/EFI/fedora/grub.cfg /boot/efi/EFI/fedora/grub.cfg.old
# grub2-mkconfig /boot/efi/EFI/fedora/grub.cfg
# exit
# reboot -f

[Robin Laing]

On 20/11/16 20:19, Tod Merley wrote:
> The grub command line shell affords you the opportunity to find out what
> has happened.  But you need to take the time to learn how to use it.  I
> think it would be well worth your time for you and for us.  Then we know
> what happened.
>
> You are booting to grub.
>
> Q1:  Is this in a secure boot environment for from a "legacy" configuration?
>
> Q2: What did Windows do?  Changed the name and UUID of a partition?  Format
> your Linux partition?   What has happened.
>
> I have gone to not doing dual boot with Windows simply because they do not
> wish to play well with other OS.
>
> Would a good solution be to learn how to dual boot from Windows using their
> boot loader redirection?
>
> Have a lot of fun!
>
> Tod
>
> On Sun, Nov 20, 2016 at 1:15 PM, [e-mail] <
> [e-mail]> wrote:
> > Hi,
> > After a Windows update my (dual boot) system won't boot into fedora
> > anymore.
> > Somehow the grub bootloader doesn' t start.
> >
> > After booting this is what I see:
> >
> > *Minimal Bash-like line editing is supported. For the first word TAB lists
> > possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible device or
> > file completions.grub>_*
> >
> > When I issue the command "exit" the Windows bootloader pops up.
> >
> > I googled on this subject, but found many completely different answers.
> > I would appreciate any suggestion. How can I recover my system?

I was shocked with Windows 8 to Windows 10 upgrade last summer.  Went 
smooth and DIDN'T mess with my Fedora installation.  In fact nothing 
changed.

I did the upgrade of Windows expecting to spend a day cleaning the 
Fedora and upgrading from 23 to 24.  I was done both in less than 3 
hours.  Plenty of time to sit back and relax.

Yes, secure boot.