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(This question is related to this, this, this and this one, but neither answers this specific question / offers a solution for this case).

Problem: The system stopped being able to boot the Ubuntu installation (after several months), displaying Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media.

What we've¹ tried:

  • Reorder boot device priority
  • Boot a live-usb installation and:
    • install boot-repair
    • run boot-repair: Did not work, since the usb key could only be booted when UEFI was disabled in BIOS settings, while the installation on hdd has been done with UEFI enabled (and boot-repair doesn't do any repairwork if boot modes don't match). We did however obtain the boot info paste from boot-repair.
    • ensure the boot and esp flag are set for /dev/sda1 (the EFI partition) (both flags were set, nothing to be done here)

What I've gathered might be possible solutions:

  • Try to get the live-usb to boot in UEFI mode (no luck so far; the usb drive has been written to using etch, btw.), run boot-repair.
  • Disable UEFI in BIOS, somehow migrate the UEFI setup to a BIOS setup.
  • Boot the live-usb in legacy mode, trigger Ubuntu installation, hope that it recognizes the old installation and just install on top (Won't work since root and home are on the same partition, i.e. would overwrite user data and settings)

Miscellaneous information and thoughts:

  • Laptop model: Samsung NP305E7A-A03DE
  • BIOS: Aptio setup utility 2010, 2.11.1210 (does not have any secure boot related options, obviously, since that first appeared around 2012)
  • Initial Ubuntu 17.10 installation was done on an empty hdd, so no cruft from previous operating systems.

¹The problem is complicated by the fact that I cannot access the laptop myself but have to do all debug work via phone.

Tedil
  • 121
  • If originally Windows 8, then it has to have UEFI Secure boot. Often called Windows or "other". You can using gparted add a bios_grub partition, 1 or 2MB unformatted with bios_grub flag and install grub-pc, the BIOS version of grub, with Boot-Repair or chroot. But better to get UEFI to work. UEFI only boot key: http://askubuntu.com/questions/395879/how-to-create-uefi-only-bootable-usb-live-media You may need USB boot settings in UEFI to allow USB boot? – oldfred Jul 17 '18 at 21:27
  • @oldfred BIOS version is from 2010 when secure boot wasn't officially "released" yet. I will however try both UEFI-only usb key and grub-pc, thanks ;) – Tedil Jul 19 '18 at 09:23
  • Usually systems that old did not have UEFI, just BIOS. So then UEFI only key will not work. But you can convert it to standard installer just by installing syslinux to it. And best to update BIOS to latest version available from Samsung for that model. Installer either use dd to image ISO to flash drive as ISO is a hybrid that works for DVD or flash drives. Or installer erases & formats flash drive with FAT32 partition, extracts ISO & installs syslinux for BIOS boot. – oldfred Jul 19 '18 at 14:48

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