I ‘ve just installed F37 with Anaconda to my laptop’s ssd from a usb-stick created with Fedora Media Writer. My plan was to keep the existing Windows 10 and F33 and install F37 beside them.
I had free, non-allocated partition-space, so i selected the following settings in Anaconda: “custom installation” > and in the sub-menu: “auto create F37 partions”. the resulting installation process created serveral new Brtfs partitions/volumes: p7 and p8 and i think modified p1
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINTS
zram0 252:0 0 7,4G 0 disk [SWAP]
nvme0n1 259:0 0 238,5G 0 disk
├─nvme0n1p1 259:1 0 260M 0 part /boot/efi
├─nvme0n1p2 259:2 0 16M 0 part
├─nvme0n1p3 259:3 0 42,4G 0 part
├─nvme0n1p4 259:4 0 1000M 0 part
├─nvme0n1p5 259:5 0 1G 0 part
├─nvme0n1p6 259:6 0 117,7G 0 part
├─nvme0n1p7 259:7 0 1G 0 part /boot
└─nvme0n1p8 259:8 0 75,1G 0 part /home
/
After the installation process had finished i did a reboot. The Grub bootloader now shows entries for Windows 10, F37 and F37-rescue (all are working) but the previous F33 entry is gone. Please help me with instructions to restore F33 grub boot entry!
if i run a plain grub2-mkconfig to stdout, i see a “Found Fedora 33 (Workstation Edition) on /dev/nvme0n1p6” message. Is the solution to persist it with “grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg” ?
[root@sampc5 boot]# grub2-mkconfig
Generating grub configuration file ...
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub2-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
set pager=1
if [ -f ${config_directory}/grubenv ]; then
load_env -f ${config_directory}/grubenv
elif [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
load_env
fi
if [ "${next_entry}" ] ; then
set default="${next_entry}"
set next_entry=
save_env next_entry
set boot_once=true
else
set default="${saved_entry}"
fi
if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
menuentry_id_option=""
fi
export menuentry_id_option
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi
function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}
function load_video {
if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
insmod all_video
else
insmod efi_gop
insmod efi_uga
insmod ieee1275_fb
insmod vbe
insmod vga
insmod video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
fi
}
terminal_output console
if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ] ; then
set timeout_style=menu
set timeout=5
# Fallback normal timeout code in case the timeout_style feature is
# unavailable.
else
set timeout=5
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/01_users ###
if [ -f ${prefix}/user.cfg ]; then
source ${prefix}/user.cfg
if [ -n "${GRUB2_PASSWORD}" ]; then
set superusers="root"
export superusers
password_pbkdf2 root ${GRUB2_PASSWORD}
fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/01_users ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/08_fallback_counting ###
insmod increment
# Check if boot_counter exists and boot_success=0 to activate this behaviour.
if [ -n "${boot_counter}" -a "${boot_success}" = "0" ]; then
# if countdown has ended, choose to boot rollback deployment,
# i.e. default=1 on OSTree-based systems.
if [ "${boot_counter}" = "0" -o "${boot_counter}" = "-1" ]; then
set default=1
set boot_counter=-1
# otherwise decrement boot_counter
else
decrement boot_counter
fi
save_env boot_counter
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/08_fallback_counting ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
insmod part_gpt
insmod ext2
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 1ec21bb9-d4b5-436b-bbbf-760f485bb30d
insmod part_gpt
insmod fat
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=boot 1A53-254F
# This section was generated by a script. Do not modify the generated file - all changes
# will be lost the next time file is regenerated. Instead edit the BootLoaderSpec files.
#
# The blscfg command parses the BootLoaderSpec files stored in /boot/loader/entries and
# populates the boot menu. Please refer to the Boot Loader Specification documentation
# for the files format: https://systemd.io/BOOT_LOADER_SPECIFICATION/.
# The kernelopts variable should be defined in the grubenv file. But to ensure that menu
# entries populated from BootLoaderSpec files that use this variable work correctly even
# without a grubenv file, define a fallback kernelopts variable if this has not been set.
#
# The kernelopts variable in the grubenv file can be modified using the grubby tool or by
# executing the grub2-mkconfig tool. For the latter, the values of the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX
# and GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT options from /etc/default/grub file are used to set both
# the kernelopts variable in the grubenv file and the fallback kernelopts variable.
if [ -z "${kernelopts}" ]; then
set kernelopts="root=UUID=0232550c-42e8-4e2a-92ed-1e39dcade081 ro rootflags=subvol=root00 rhgb quiet "
fi
insmod blscfg
blscfg
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_reset_boot_success ###
# Hiding the menu is ok if last boot was ok or if this is a first boot attempt to boot the entry
if [ "${boot_success}" = "1" -o "${boot_indeterminate}" = "1" ]; then
set menu_hide_ok=1
else
set menu_hide_ok=0
fi
# Reset boot_indeterminate after a successful boot
if [ "${boot_success}" = "1" ] ; then
set boot_indeterminate=0
# Avoid boot_indeterminate causing the menu to be hidden more than once
elif [ "${boot_indeterminate}" = "1" ]; then
set boot_indeterminate=2
fi
# Reset boot_success for current boot
set boot_success=0
save_env boot_success boot_indeterminate
### END /etc/grub.d/10_reset_boot_success ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/12_menu_auto_hide ###
if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ] ; then
if [ "${menu_show_once}" ]; then
unset menu_show_once
save_env menu_show_once
set timeout_style=menu
set timeout=60
elif [ "${menu_auto_hide}" -a "${menu_hide_ok}" = "1" ]; then
set orig_timeout_style=${timeout_style}
set orig_timeout=${timeout}
if [ "${fastboot}" = "1" ]; then
# timeout_style=menu + timeout=0 avoids the countdown code keypress check
set timeout_style=menu
set timeout=0
else
set timeout_style=hidden
set timeout=1
fi
fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/12_menu_auto_hide ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/14_menu_show_once ###
if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ]; then
if [ "${menu_show_once_timeout}" ]; then
set timeout_style=menu
set timeout="${menu_show_once_timeout}"
unset menu_show_once_timeout
save_env menu_show_once_timeout
fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/14_menu_show_once ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_ppc_terminfo ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_ppc_terminfo ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
grub2-probe: error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sda3. Check your device.map.
Found Windows Boot Manager on /dev/nvme0n1p1@/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
menuentry 'Windows Boot Manager (on /dev/nvme0n1p1)' --class windows --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-efi-1A53-254F' {
insmod part_gpt
insmod fat
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 1A53-254F
chainloader /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
}
Found Fedora 33 (Workstation Edition) on /dev/nvme0n1p6
# Other OS found, undo autohiding of menu unless menu_auto_hide=2
if [ "${orig_timeout_style}" -a "${menu_auto_hide}" != "2" ]; then
set timeout_style=${orig_timeout_style}
set timeout=${orig_timeout}
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
if [ "$grub_platform" = "efi" ]; then
menuentry 'UEFI Firmware Settings' $menuentry_id_option 'uefi-firmware' {
fwsetup
}
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/35_fwupd ###
### END /etc/grub.d/35_fwupd ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
done
sry. for the unformatted message chunk, but every time i try to format a text section with fixed type markdown directives, the whole post/reply gets detected as spam and will be hidden
sorry @christiansam , I was trying to help you with formatting but after saving your text, it apparently got detected as spam again, and I don’t have an option to restore. Apologies for kicking the text
okay, grub2-mkconfig seems to be able to detect my previous f33 (root?)-volume/-partition. is it safe to persist it with this command: “grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg”?
i’m asking because
i don’t want to mess up my uefi settings in general and in specific, i don’t want risk to loose my current windows 10 and f37 boot entries.
i don’t know if further/future dnf kernel updates will preserve such a manually added/trigger grub2-entry (regarding if i do run “grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg”)
as stated in the post before: the still-existing f33 partion/volumes seem to get detected by grub2-mkconfig -o … but i’m not sure if this results in a actually created f33 grub/boot entry:
...
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
grub2-probe: error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sda3. Check your device.map.
Found Windows Boot Manager on /dev/nvme0n1p1@/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
menuentry 'Windows Boot Manager (on /dev/nvme0n1p1)' --class windows --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-efi-1A53-254F' {
insmod part_gpt
insmod fat
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 1A53-254F
chainloader /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
}
Found Fedora 33 (Workstation Edition) on /dev/nvme0n1p6
# Other OS found, undo autohiding of menu unless menu_auto_hide=2
if [ "${orig_timeout_style}" -a "${menu_auto_hide}" != "2" ]; then
set timeout_style=${orig_timeout_style}
set timeout=${orig_timeout}
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
if [ "$grub_platform" = "efi" ]; then
menuentry 'UEFI Firmware Settings' $menuentry_id_option 'uefi-firmware' {
fwsetup
}
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
...
It should be safe. But making a backup copy of that file with, e.g., cp /boot/grub2/grub.cfg /boot/grub2/grub.cfg.bak would also be a good idea.
The grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg will only touch that config file. It will not affect any UEFI settings. If Windows was listed in the output when you omitted -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg then that boot entry should still be there (but I’d still make a backup of that file just in case).
I think they will. But I’m not 100% certain either.
[root@sampc5 grub2]# grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg
Generating grub configuration file ...
grub2-probe: error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sda3. Check your device.map.
Found Windows Boot Manager on /dev/nvme0n1p1@/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
Found Fedora 33 (Workstation Edition) on /dev/nvme0n1p6
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
done
[root@sampc5 grub2]# pwd
/boot/grub2
[root@sampc5 grub2]# ll
insgesamt 24
drwx------. 2 root root 4096 5. Nov 10:03 fonts
-rw-------. 1 root root 6863 15. Nov 23:02 grub.cfg
-rw-------. 1 root root 6863 15. Nov 23:02 grub.cfg_org
-rw-------. 1 root root 1024 15. Nov 23:03 grubenv
grub.cfg_org is the backup of the file which was created in the f37 installation process
I performed a reboot, no f33 boot-entry showed up. Same situation as before:
f37
f37-rescue
windows
UEFI settings (maybe a lenovo specific entry, idk)
All of the above stated boot-entries are functional/working. Sadly the previous f33 boot/grub-entry - along with eventually needed resources (f33 kernel-/initrd images) for such a configuration - was neither migrated nor is referenced from the previous f33 boot-parition, when f37 anaconda created the new f37 boot/grub configuration resp. boot-partition.
I suspect the problem is that both fedora 33 and fedora 37 use the /boot/efi/EFI/fedora/grub.cfg file but the purpose of that file is totally different in those two releases. Also if the two different releases each has its own /boot partition it would get very complex to have both functional.
Fedora 33 actually uses its main grub.cfg file as the one noted above, but fedora 37 only uses that one as a pointer stub file that redirects grub to the file at /boot/grub2/grub.cfg.
The content of the main grub.cfg file is radically different in those two releases as well. (the /boot/efi/EFI/fedora/grub.cfg in fedora 33 as compared to the /boot/grub2/grub.cfg in fedora 37)
I don’t know how the changes to grub and the file locations and content could be reconciled to allow both to coexist and boot gracefully while using a single efi partition.
first: thank you all for the already provided analysis and guidance.
would the following be a feasible solution for my scenario?
1.)
if you tell me the relevant files involved, i could manually copy the required f33 (e.g. kernel/initrd boot-images/-resources) files from the old f33 boot-partition to the new f37 boot-partion. this is the content of the previous, still existing, f33 boot-partition:
2.)
if you tell me which configuration to use, i could possible utilize one of the grub hooks (e.g. 40_custom file located in the /etc/grub.d/) and manually insert the required parameters, so following calls of “grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg” would presumably create the required f33 boot-entries for usage in the current f37 environement.
Following - afaik - might be the relevant part of my previous f33 boot/grub configuration:
[root@sampc5 ~]# cat /run/media/christian/2e484fcb-6306-46c5-a7b6-b7ee2d39553d/loader/entries/b56092016dbb4086bfdf8b9dac4a3e10-5.13.19-100.fc33.x86_64.conf
title Fedora (5.13.19-100.fc33.x86_64) 33 (Workstation Edition)
version 5.13.19-100.fc33.x86_64
linux /vmlinuz-5.13.19-100.fc33.x86_64
initrd /initramfs-5.13.19-100.fc33.x86_64.img
options root=UUID=41ab391f-6b8b-4add-b132-2824de0c0c25 ro rootflags=subvol=root rhgb quiet
grub_users $grub_users
grub_arg --unrestricted
grub_class kernel
If such an approach does not work, could you provide me as a workaround instructions how to get my previous f33 environment running in some other form? Also a non-presistent, manual way, e.g. via the interactive grub2 recovery during boot-up, would be appreciated. In general i do plan to move to f37, but to ease migration of my current applications/services located in f33, i need a way to get f33 started.
See this as a workaround/POC, i guess a more sustainable scenario involes utilizing grub2 mechanisms to prevent overwriting such a ad-hoc generated grub/boot configuration. Maybe someone with proper knowledge regearding grub and fedora could provided a more lasting solution/instructions.
I think there may be a few other files that could be necessary for long term use, such as
the matching symvers, System-map, and config files for that kernel.
You also probably should modify the /etc/fstab file on the fedora 33 install to mount the different /boot partition.
Lastly, it seems rather critical to avoid damaging /boot/efi/EFI/fedora/grub.cfg that you ensure no kernel or grub updates are performed on fedora 33 with such a blended system.
Other than these few comments I would congratulate you on figuring how to make it work to boot both F33 and F37 on the same drive.
update:
I do not know if or how a kernel update on f37 may impact the f33 kernel. Since dnf normally only keeps 3 kernels it seems probable that any update may remove the f33 kernel so it seems likely that you would have to always carefully exclude the f33 kernel from removal (and never allow the offline updates or gnome software updates to be done).
