I'm working on an older machine using legacy BIOS and I'm trying to set up a dual boot with Linux. I've run into issues specifically with the bootloader. I have installed Linux on both /dev/sda and /dev/sdb, but whenever I restart, it gets stuck on the Parrot OS logo and then I get a GRUB error saying 'no such device'.
I manually partitioned my drive with the following settings:
- Boot: Mounted at /boot, ext4, with a boot flag
- Swap: Linux swap, encrypted
- Home: Mounted at /home, encrypted, ext4
- Root: Mounted at /, encrypted, ext4
- A 8MB unformatted GPT partition as required.
I've seen some threads mention needing to set EFI, but I don't think my PC supports that since I'm using legacy BIOS. Plus, I have hardware that supports CSM. I did try using a flashed drive meant for UEFI, but it said UEFI isn't supported on my system.
Also, I've read conflicting advice about where to install the bootloader. Some say /dev/sda, others say /dev/sdb, and I've had no luck with either. Lastly, I'd rather not wipe the entire disk, as I have Windows data I need to keep. I'm really stuck and have spent about 6 hours trying to fix this. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
Just to clarify, a boot partition at /boot is not the same as the BIOS boot partition needed for GRUB. Your BIOS boot partition is essential for GRUB to recognize and boot from a GPT disk using legacy mode. Make sure that partition is correctly set up, otherwise, you might keep running into the 'no such device' error.
It sounds like you're having a tough time with the GRUB installation. First, you want to make sure that your drive has a BIOS boot partition for it to boot properly when using GPT with legacy BIOS. This has to be a small partition (typically 1MB to 2MB) without any file system. Have you checked that?
When installing, it's also crucial to always use a wired Ethernet connection to avoid any issues during the installation phase. After the installation, don't forget to remove the boot media before rebooting. This might help in preventing the boot error you're facing.
Also, ensure that you're following the correct installation procedure based on your system's architecture (which you mentioned is x86_64). Sometimes minor details can cause significant issues!
Yeah, I included a 134MB BIOS boot partition on my second and third attempts, but still ran into issues!