[solved] I want to install MX-18.3 to partition #19 on my HDD, but...

[fehlix]

I was able to "fix" my liveUSB boot problem by substituting my bootx64.efi from MX18.0 onto the /EFI/BOOT/bootx64.efi on the antiX-19-b2 on the liveUSB ESP partition. The older (12-19-2018) .efi file is about 200K larger. This liveUSB had been made using the liveUSBMaker and previously did not boot.

Intersting.. could you try also the suggested "fix", by coping MX18.3_July /EFI/BOOT/bootx64.efi to /EFI/BOOT/mmx64.efi
and also antiX-19-b2 /EFI/BOOT/bootx64.efi to /EFI/BOOT/mmx64.efi, resp.

[jbMacAZ]

So I'll create new liveUSBs for the 18.3-july and antiX-19b2 and copy the files as directed. If those fail, I'll try using the 18.0 file onto mmx64.efi instead.

Meanwhile, here is the partition information you requested earlier, sorry about the delay.

Code: Select all

$ sudo partition-info  -f all
[sudo] password for demo: 
Name      Size   FS      Label
sda1  -   500M - Fat32 - ESP
sda2  -   128M -      
sda3  -  98.5G - ntfs  - OS
sda4  -  30.3G - ntfs  - Shared
sda5  -   450M - ntfs  - WINRETOOLS
sda6  -  11.6G - ntfs  - Image
sda7  -  44.2G - ext4  - MINT
sda8  -  16.6G - swap 
sda9  -  16.1G - ext2 
sda10 -  25.4G - ext4 
sda11 - 152.4G - ext4  - projects
sda12 -  97.7G - ext4  - bisect
sda13 -  39.4G - ext4 
sda14 -  17.6G - ext4  - rootMX18.3
sda15 -  40.4G - ext4  - Spare
sdb1  -  29.9G - Fat32 - MX-LINUX
sdc1  -  28.6G - ext4  - antiX-Live-usb
sdc2  -    50M - Fat32 - antiX-uefi
sda16 - 195.4G - ext4  - Backup
sda17 -  30.8G - ext4 
sda18 -  27.2G - ext4 
sda19 -  27.5G - ext4  - MXlinux
sda20 -  16.7G - ext4  - MXHome
sda21 -  17.1G - swap 

[fehlix]

So I'll create new liveUSBs for the 18.3-july and antiX-19b2 and copy the files as directed. If those fail, I'll try using the 18.0 file onto mmx64.efi instead.

Yes, note on FAT32 onyl USB you have only 1 Partion. ON the LUM-create USB you have an additionl ESP partittion,
whith the relevant /BOOT/EFI folder.

Meanwhile, here is the partition information you requested earlier, sorry about the delay.

Code: Select all

$ sudo partition-info  -f all
..

So partition-info sees the partitions in question, someone from the MX installer guys will look into this, I guess.

[jbMacAZ]

I tried the antiX experiment first. I made a new LUM liveUSB copied the bootx64.efi to mmx64.efi and tried to boot. This time no error message at all, just a black screen. Next I replaced the antix mmx64.efi with the bootx64.efi from MX18.0 (as mmx64.efi) and antiX19b2 did boot. I still saw the "mmx64.efi not found message" flash briefly before the grub menu appeared. I chose not to test for a black screen with 18.3! I could, if you think there is something helpful in that experiment, but I'm kind of hang averse on this system.

[fehlix]

I tried the antiX experiment first. I made a new LUM liveUSB copied the bootx64.efi to mmx64.efi and tried to boot.

We are getting closer: Yes, please do copy: grubx64.efi to bootx64.efi and to mmx64.efi please try on either antiX and mx18.3-july, better would checking on both as the grub-menu has changed a bit, so we could also check this.
Do also confirm that you have either secure boot enabled or disabled.
EDIT: with the above copy of grubx64.efi to bootx64.efi , secure boot would not work anyway.
Thanks

[jbMacAZ]

I'll be back a bit later with the results.

[jbMacAZ]

grubx64.efi fixes the problem when copied over either bootx64.efi or to mmx64.efi. In either case, there is no briefly flashing error message before grub appears.

With 18.3-July I first copied grubx64.efi over bootx64.efi and it booted fine. Then I restored the original bootx64.efi and copied grubx64.efi to mmx64.efi. This also booted. With antiX19b2 I copied grubx64.efi to bootx64.efi which also booted. All three tests used the same USB stick created with LUM. Prior to these modifications to the ESP partition, the liveUSB fails to boot on my system.

Edit: Secure boot is off on my system.

[jbMacAZ]

Update: My new MX-18.3 installation still has the installer showing on the desktop. When I launch that installer, partitions above 15 are available for selection. So apparently, just the ISO's have this limitation, even though the liveUSB and the installation both have minstall version 19.7.4.

[fehlix]

Update: My new MX-18.3 installation still has the installer showing on the desktop. When I launch that installer, partitions above 15 are available for selection. So apparently, just the ISO's have this limitation, even though the liveUSB and the installation both have minstall version 19.7.4.

So the ISO has also minstall version 19.7.4, and can't see partions nr 16 onwards on you gpt drive, but the LiveUSB can?

[jbMacAZ]

No! minstall on the liveUSB can not see beyond partition 15. Minstall (same version) running on my actual installation on sda14 can.

I went further and made a snapshot of my install and then used it to make a liveUSB. When I run that liveUSB, it CAN'T see the partitions above #15 either. Something about the liveUSB makes the higher partitions invisible to minstall.