Many submenu-options at the grub list vanished

[keos]

No, I do not see it clearly ... it looks like there are two images for only one reality ... No, i'm far away for to be a magician.

What command can i use to know exactly where are every OS/partitions?
Can i trust Gparted?

[fehlix]

What command can i use to know exactly where are every OS/partitions?
Can i trust Gparted?

No. You can only boot into the selected EFI-loader, and
get a piece of paper an write down where you are booted into.
Alternatively and .. if you're inclined .. you can md5sum-compare the /boot/efi/EFI/<name>/grubx64.efi loader
with the one within the booted system at /boot/grub/x86_64-efi/core.efi.
Example:
Your /boot/efi/EFi/MX19/grubx64.efi
is identical to (when booted into MX19)
/boot/grub/x86_64-efi/core.efi
Just run and "binary"-compare using md5sum:
md5sum /boot/grub/x86_64-efi/core.efi
and
md5sum /efi/EFi/MX19/grubx64.efi
and you'll see you have the identical efi-bootloader.
So by this you can find out which efi-bootloader belongs to what system you boot into.

[keos]

I do not explain myself well, what I need to know is where are the operating systems / partitions for the case when i need to uninstall / install? Can I use/trust Gparted for that purpose?. Thanks.

[fehlix]

I do not explain myself well, what I need to know is where are the operating systems / partitions for the case when i need to uninstall / install? Can I use/trust Gparted for that purpose?. Thanks.

It's always a good idea to label the partition with the name of the OS when installing (or afterwards using Gparted). So by this way you can trust Gparted and your own partion labels before wiping or re-using the partitions, after uninstalling.
... or take a piece of paper and write down where you have installed what

[m_frank]

---

Well, it might have TOO much detail, but there-in lie the nuggets you seek.

So, do:

Code: Select all

sudo apt update

Code: Select all

 sudo apt install boot-info-script

And install bootinfoscript

Sadly, there is no Man page in MX-19!
But, MX-18.3 = Yes!

But, there is --help :

Code: Select all

$ bootinfoscript --help

Usage Boot Info Script:
-----------------------

  Run the script as sudoer:

    sudo /usr/sbin/bootinfoscript <outputfile>

  or if your operating system does not use sudo:

    su -
    /usr/sbin/bootinfoscript <outputfile>

  When running the script, without specifying an output file, all the output
  is written to the file "RESULTS.txt" in the same folder as the script.

  But when run from /bin, /sbin, /usr/bin, or another system folder, the file
  "RESULTS.txt" is written to the home directory of the user.

  When the file "RESULTS.txt" already exists, the results will be written to
  "RESULTS1.txt". If "RESULTS1.txt" exists, the results will be written to
  "RESULTS2.txt", ...

  To get version number, release date, last git commit and git retrieval date
  of this script, use (no root rights needed):

    /usr/sbin/bootinfoscript -v
    /usr/sbin/bootinfoscript -V
    /usr/sbin/bootinfoscript --version

  To get this help text, use (no root rights needed):

    /usr/sbin/bootinfoscript -h
    /usr/sbin/bootinfoscript -help
    /usr/sbin/bootinfoscript --help

  To automatically gzip a copy of the output file, use (root rights needed):

    /usr/sbin/bootinfoscript -g <outputfile>
    /usr/sbin/bootinfoscript --gzip <outputfile>

  To write the output to stdout instead of a file, use (root rights needed):

    /usr/sbin/bootinfoscript --stdout

  The last development version of Boot Info Script can be downloaded, with:
    (no root rights needed)

    /usr/sbin/bootinfoscript --update <filename>

  If no filename is specified, the file will be saved in the home dir as
  "bootinfoscript_YYYY-MM-DD_hh:mm:ss".

Spent some reading the help.

---

Here's a small sample of output from my T500 while running MX-19 x64 (sda7,sda8):

Code: Select all

$ inxi -SMxxxza
System:
  Host: mx-3 Kernel: 4.19.0-8-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 8.3.0 
  parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.19.0-8-amd64 
  root=UUID=f9bca753-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX ro quiet nosplash 
  consoleblank=600 
  Console: tty 11 dm: LightDM 1.26.0 
  Distro: MX-19.1_x64 patito feo October 21  2019 
  base: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) 
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 2082BKU v: ThinkPad T500 
  serial: <filter> Chassis: type: 10 serial: <filter> 
  Mobo: LENOVO model: 2082BKU serial: <filter> BIOS: LENOVO 
  v: 7VET81WW (3.11 ) date: 11/19/2009 

Run bootinfoscript to gather info...

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sudo bootinfoscript  boot-info-2020-04-10-T500-MX19x64.txt

Quick overview of partitions, containing 3 MX intallations, 2 swap partitions:

Code: Select all

"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________
Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL
/dev/sda1        e2e2adf1-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   swap       Swap
/dev/sda10       a3e58873-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   swap       Swap-MX19
/dev/sda5        68b84fb4-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       Root-MX18.3
/dev/sda6        004bc773-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       Home-MX18.3
/dev/sda7        f9bca753-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       Root-MX19
/dev/sda8        caf65465-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       Home-MX19
/dev/sda9        20439be9-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       MX-19_386

Some bits have been obsured, and some have been collapsed to ":"

Code: Select all

                  Boot Info Script 0.77      [10 June 2018]


============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================

 => Grub2 (v2.00) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 1 of
    the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
    for (,msdos5)/boot/grub. It also embeds following components:

    modules
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    fshelp ext2 part_msdos biosdisk
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

sda1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:

sda2: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       Extended Partition
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:

sda5: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  Grub2 (v1.99-2.00)
    Boot sector info:  Grub2 (v2.00) is installed in the boot sector of sda5
                       and looks at sector 21435136 of the same hard drive
                       for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
                       for (,msdos5)/boot/grub. It also embeds following
                       components:

                       modules
                       -------------------------------------------------------
                       fshelp ext2 part_msdos biosdisk
                       -------------------------------------------------------
    Operating System:  Debian GNU/Linux 9 (stretch)
    Boot files:        /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab
                       /boot/grub/i386-pc/core.img

sda6: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:
    Operating System:
    Boot files:

sda7: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  Grub2 (v1.99-2.00)
    Boot sector info:  Grub2 (v1.99-2.00) is installed in the boot sector of
                       sda7 and looks at sector 181288984 of the same hard
                       drive for core.img, but core.img can not be found at
                       this location.
    Operating System:  Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster)
    Boot files:        /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab
                       /boot/grub/i386-pc/core.img

sda8: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:
    Operating System:
    Boot files:

sda9: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  Grub2 (v1.99-2.00)
    Boot sector info:  Grub2 (v2.00) is installed in the boot sector of sda9
                       and looks at sector 327579640 of the same hard drive
                       for core.img. core.img is at this location and looks
                       for (,msdos9)/boot/grub. It also embeds following
                       components:

                       modules
                       -------------------------------------------------------
                       fshelp ext2 part_msdos biosdisk
                       -------------------------------------------------------
    Operating System:  Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster)
    Boot files:        /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab
                       /boot/grub/i386-pc/core.img

sda10: _________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:

============================ Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda _____________________________________________________________________
Disk /dev/sda: 298.1 GiB, 320072933376 bytes, 625142448 sectors
Disk model: ST9320423AS
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sda1               2,048     8,390,655     8,388,608  82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda2           8,390,656   625,141,759   616,751,104   5 Extended
/dev/sda5           8,392,704    58,724,351    50,331,648  83 Linux
/dev/sda6          58,726,400   159,389,695   100,663,296  83 Linux
/dev/sda7         159,391,744   209,723,391    50,331,648  83 Linux
/dev/sda8         209,725,440   310,388,735   100,663,296  83 Linux
/dev/sda9         310,390,784   377,499,647    67,108,864  83 Linux
/dev/sda10        377,501,696   385,890,303     8,388,608  82 Linux swap / Solaris


"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________

Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL

/dev/sda1        e2e2adf1-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   swap       Swap
/dev/sda10       a3e58873-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   swap       Swap-MX19
/dev/sda5        68b84fb4-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       Root-MX18.3
/dev/sda6        004bc773-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       Home-MX18.3
/dev/sda7        f9bca753-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       Root-MX19
/dev/sda8        caf65465-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       Home-MX19
/dev/sda9        20439be9-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       MX-19_386

========================= "ls -l /dev/disk/by-id" output: ======================
	:
================================ Mount points: =================================

Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options

/dev/sda7        /                        ext4       (rw,noatime)
/dev/sda8        /home                    ext4       (rw,noatime)


=========================== sda5/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================
	:
=============================== sda5/etc/fstab: ================================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Pluggable devices are handled by uDev, they are not in fstab
UUID=68b84fb4-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX / ext4 defaults,noatime 1 1
UUID=004bc773-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX /home ext4 defaults,noatime 1 2
UUID=e2e2adf1-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX swap swap defaults 0 0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sda5: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)

  10.221126556 = 10.974851072   boot/grub/grub.cfg                             2
  10.221092224 = 10.974814208   boot/grub/i386-pc/core.img                     1
  10.147022247 = 10.895282176   boot/vmlinuz-4.19.0-5-amd64                    1
   8.413097382 = 9.033494528    boot/vmlinuz-4.19.0-6-amd64                    1
   4.936534882 = 5.300563968    boot/vmlinuz-4.19.0-8-amd64                    1
   4.936534882 = 5.300563968    vmlinuz                                        1
   8.413097382 = 9.033494528    vmlinuz.old                                    1
   9.016540527 = 9.681436672    boot/initrd.img-4.19.0-5-amd64                 3
   8.649356842 = 9.287176192    boot/initrd.img-4.19.0-5-amd64.old-dkms        3
   9.315483093 = 10.002423808   boot/initrd.img-4.19.0-6-amd64                 1
   8.758747101 = 9.404633088    boot/initrd.img-4.19.0-6-amd64.old-dkms        1
   5.579185486 = 5.990604800    boot/initrd.img-4.19.0-8-amd64                 5
   5.579185486 = 5.990604800    initrd.img                                     5
   9.315483093 = 10.002423808   initrd.img.old                                 1

=========================== sda7/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================
	:
=============================== sda7/etc/fstab: ================================
	:
=================== sda7: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================
	:
=========================== sda9/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================
	:
=============================== sda9/etc/fstab: ================================
	:
=================== sda9: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================
	:
EOF	

---

*WHEW*

On UEFI systems there quite a bit of detail about the ESP partition,
but I haven't anything that shows the EFI "NVRAM" contents.

If you roll up your sleeves, dig into the output,
and add the output of sudo efibootmgr -v,
you'll have most everything you're could be looking for.

[keos]

Code: Select all

                  Boot Info Script 0.77      [10 June 2018]


============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================


============================ Drive/Partition Info: =============================

no valid partition table found
"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________

Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL

/dev/nvme0n1                                                       
/dev/nvme0n1p1   DAB1-D49A                              vfat       
/dev/nvme0n1p2   8e5faa71-cff4-4e40-84a9-fe22a204dccb   ext4       Manjaro
/dev/nvme0n1p3   dace6e36-8d39-4c7e-9c41-32191c8117a2   ext4       Endeavouros
/dev/nvme0n1p4   af011a48-5b6e-41c5-8f95-82a4af45382b   ext4       rootMX19
/dev/nvme0n1p5   b6888e4e-41c9-4925-9a71-1907d061b6a2   ext4       
/dev/nvme0n1p6   218bcaea-0fc0-41bd-8c12-40ab72265b57   ext4       
/dev/nvme0n1p7   f6cc25e1-c248-4a32-b563-16c021502574   ext4       

========================= "ls -l /dev/disk/by-id" output: ======================

total 0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13 abr 11 04:34 nvme-eui.1919394465030001001b444a4411e88f -> ../../nvme0n1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-eui.1919394465030001001b444a4411e88f-part1 -> ../../nvme0n1p1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-eui.1919394465030001001b444a4411e88f-part2 -> ../../nvme0n1p2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-eui.1919394465030001001b444a4411e88f-part3 -> ../../nvme0n1p3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-eui.1919394465030001001b444a4411e88f-part4 -> ../../nvme0n1p4
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-eui.1919394465030001001b444a4411e88f-part5 -> ../../nvme0n1p5
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-eui.1919394465030001001b444a4411e88f-part6 -> ../../nvme0n1p6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-eui.1919394465030001001b444a4411e88f-part7 -> ../../nvme0n1p7
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 13 abr 11 04:34 nvme-PC_SN520_NVMe_WDC_256GB_191939446503 -> ../../nvme0n1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-PC_SN520_NVMe_WDC_256GB_191939446503-part1 -> ../../nvme0n1p1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-PC_SN520_NVMe_WDC_256GB_191939446503-part2 -> ../../nvme0n1p2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-PC_SN520_NVMe_WDC_256GB_191939446503-part3 -> ../../nvme0n1p3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-PC_SN520_NVMe_WDC_256GB_191939446503-part4 -> ../../nvme0n1p4
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-PC_SN520_NVMe_WDC_256GB_191939446503-part5 -> ../../nvme0n1p5
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-PC_SN520_NVMe_WDC_256GB_191939446503-part6 -> ../../nvme0n1p6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 15 abr 11 04:34 nvme-PC_SN520_NVMe_WDC_256GB_191939446503-part7 -> ../../nvme0n1p7

================================ Mount points: =================================

Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options

/dev/nvme0n1p1   /boot/efi                vfat       (rw,noatime,fmask=0113,dmask=0002,allow_utime=0020,codepage=437,iocharset=ascii,shortname=mixed,utf8,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/nvme0n1p4   /                        ext4       (rw,relatime)

Code: Select all

keos@keos-mx:~
$ sudo efibootmgr -v
BootCurrent: 0003
Timeout: 0 seconds
BootOrder: 0003,0001,0004
Boot0000  Windows Boot Manager	HD(1,GPT,055b2cfe-1ad4-4dcf-8e57-ba97840c0794,0x800,0x145000)/File(\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi)WINDOWS.........x...B.C.D.O.B.J.E.C.T.=.{.9.d.e.a.8.6.2.c.-.5.c.d.d.-.4.e.7.0.-.a.c.c.1.-.f.3.2.b.3.4.4.d.4.7.9.5.}....................
Boot0001* manjaro	HD(1,GPT,7ee8288d-1cbb-40a9-abb8-9fac305bb0a4,0x800,0xf4000)/File(\EFI\manjaro\grubx64.efi)
Boot0003* MX19	HD(1,GPT,7ee8288d-1cbb-40a9-abb8-9fac305bb0a4,0x800,0xf4000)/File(\EFI\MX19\grubx64.efi)
Boot0004* endeavouros	HD(1,GPT,7ee8288d-1cbb-40a9-abb8-9fac305bb0a4,0x800,0xf4000)/File(\EFI\endeavouros\grubx64.efi)
keos@keos-mx:~
$ 

All of this still very obscure to me, i think that is not going anywhere ...

-- at this time, and after installed all these systems ... i will go for to trusth Gparted.

Thank you very much for your help.

[m_frank]

---

Well, it might have TOO much detail, ...
(the suggestion to use boot-info-script)
:

:
It's always a good idea to label the partition with the name of the OS when installing (or afterwards using Gparted).
So by this way you can trust Gparted and your own partion labels before wiping or re-using the partitions, after uninstalling.
... or take a piece of paper and write down where you have installed what

Code: Select all

                  Boot Info Script 0.77      [10 June 2018]
============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================
	:
============================ Drive/Partition Info: =============================
no valid partition table found
"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________
Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL
/dev/nvme0n1                                                       
/dev/nvme0n1p1   DAB1-D49A                              vfat       
/dev/nvme0n1p2   8e5faa71-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       Manjaro
/dev/nvme0n1p3   dace6e36-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       Endeavouros
/dev/nvme0n1p4   af011a48-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       rootMX19
/dev/nvme0n1p5   b6888e4e-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       
/dev/nvme0n1p6   218bcaea-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       
/dev/nvme0n1p7   f6cc25e1-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX   ext4       

========================= "ls -l /dev/disk/by-id" output: ======================
	:
================================ Mount points: =================================

Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options
/dev/nvme0n1p1   /boot/efi                vfat       (rw,noatime,fmask=0113,dmask=0002,allow_utime=0020,codepage=437,iocharset=ascii,shortname=mixed,utf8,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/nvme0n1p4   /                        ext4       (rw,relatime)

Code: Select all

keos@keos-mx:~
$ sudo efibootmgr -v
BootCurrent: 0003
Timeout: 0 seconds
BootOrder: 0003,0001,0004
Boot0000  Windows Boot Manager	HD(1,GPT,055b2cfe-1ad4-4dcf-8e57-ba97840c0794,0x800,0x145000)/File(\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi)WINDOWS.........x...B.C.D.O.B.J.E.C.T.=.{.9.d.e.a.8.6.2.c.-.5.c.d.d.-.4.e.7.0.-.a.c.c.1.-.f.3.2.b.3.4.4.d.4.7.9.5.}....................
Boot0001* manjaro	HD(1,GPT,7ee8288d-1cbb-40a9-abb8-9fac305bb0a4,0x800,0xf4000)/File(\EFI\manjaro\grubx64.efi)
Boot0003* MX19	HD(1,GPT,7ee8288d-1cbb-40a9-abb8-9fac305bb0a4,0x800,0xf4000)/File(\EFI\MX19\grubx64.efi)
Boot0004* endeavouros	HD(1,GPT,7ee8288d-1cbb-40a9-abb8-9fac305bb0a4,0x800,0xf4000)/File(\EFI\endeavouros\grubx64.efi)
keos@keos-mx:~
$ 

All of this still very obscure to me, i think that is not going anywhere ...

-- at this time, and after installed all these systems ... i will go for to trust Gparted.

Thank you very much for your help.

---

I appreciate that the bootinfoscript output can be overwhelming, like trying to drink from a fire-hose, and wasn't suggesting that it replace the nice graphical overview that gparted provides. It's probably not for every day use.

On the other hand, if you are trying to get:

• What's installed in the MBR and where it points,
• What's installed in a partition's VBR/PBR and where it points,
• The OS installed in a partition,
• The grub.cfg in a partition and its contents,
• The /etc/fstab of the OS in a partition,
• The fs (File System) of a partition,
• The location of files loaded by Grub,
• The boot files in a partition

Because you're trying to figure out which grub.cfg controls the boot menu or why the new kernel isn't loaded on boot, etc.

You'll find bootinfoscript useful.

Now, if only it also:

• showed the the EFI NVRAM boot order and boot entries (UEFI systems)
• had a higher level overview? A tool to distill the long detailed output?

Maybe boot-info-script should be installed by default?