Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

Rathatman · 2026-04-18 17:58:21

Hello all

I've done a clean install of Arch linux following the steps of the wiki page, and followed it up with Grub as the boot loader

Whenever i try to boot from it my computer goes straight into UEFI

I tried to move the drive to another computer, removing all other bootable device options, and got a no bootable devices error

I've done arch installs with grub in the past a couple times on different devices with success, and have never had this issue before

Any ideas for obvious things i might have missed?

Will provide any additional information needed

seth · 2026-04-18 18:45:21

Boot the install iso, mount everything into place and run

lsblk -f

then arch-chroot and check

efibootmgr

You can redirect those outputs into files and post them using the 1st link below (currently only paste.c-net.org seems to work, courtesy of fucking AI…)

Rathatman · 2026-04-18 19:08:06

That's a great way to go about it, learnt something new again today

lsblk -f: https://paste.c-net.org/DiscoKodak

efibootmgr: https://paste.c-net.org/DealsTarot

Scimmia · 2026-04-18 19:18:19

You can't just move a drive from one UEFI system to another unless you install the bootloader/boot manager to the default loader location (grub-install's removable option). You have no entry in your NVRAM for that drive now, so either it didn't get added correctly, the system doesn't save new entries, or the system removed the entry when you removed the drive from the system.

From the looks of that lsblk, this is just a simple internal NVMe drive? Mount everything, arch-chroot, and reinstall the bootloader, then check efibootmgr again (efibootmgr -u tends to be more readable). You should see your grub entry. If not, post the command you're using.

Rathatman · 2026-04-18 19:49:33

i looked over the command i was using to install grub again and it was this:

grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB /dev/nvme0n1

After doing it again i see a grub entry as boot0000 on efibootmgr -u

i then exit the arch-chroot and reboot, and it just boots into the install iso from my usb again, and the boot0000 entry is gone from efibootmgr -U again

The nvme ssd is set as first boot priority in the motherboard uefi

Could it have something to do with motherboard settings?

seth · 2026-04-18 19:52:49

grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB

You did that from the chroot or from the iso itself? Latter would be wrong.

Rathatman · 2026-04-18 19:54:18

seth wrote:

grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB
You did that from the chroot or from the iso itself? Latter would be wrong.

From chroot

seth · 2026-04-18 19:58:14

from the chroot and w/ nvme0n1p1 mounted into that /boot

find /boot -iname '*.efi'

Rathatman · 2026-04-18 20:04:49

seth wrote:

from the chroot and w/ nvme0n1p1 mounted into that /boot
find /boot -iname '*.efi'

/boot/grub/x86_64-efi/core.efi
/boot/grub/x86_64-efi/grub.efi
/boot/EFI/GRUB/grubx64.efi

Scimmia · 2026-04-18 20:14:10

That sounds like your firmware just refuses to save entries, or deletes entries (usually anything non-Windows) when something else is successfully booted. Usually the easiest way around this is to install to the default loader path like I mentioned before https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GRUB#D … _boot_path . This will allow you to tell the firmware to just boot the disk like you've been trying to do. Having the disk in the boot order doesn't do anything when you actually want to launch a specific executable, which is what a normal UEFI boot does.

seth · 2026-04-18 20:14:14

After

grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB

what is the exact output of efibootmgr?

Rathatman · 2026-04-18 20:30:16

seth wrote:

After
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB
what is the exact output of efibootmgr?

https://paste.c-net.org/oceanattire

cryptearth · 2026-04-18 20:46:35

Scimmia wrote:

the default loader path like I mentioned before https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GRUB#D … _boot_path

note: the uefi spec explicitly calls that "path for removable media"
further the spec states that, in order for an implementation to be spec compliant, it has to be supported for removable media only - and doesn't make any assumptions how a spec compliant implementation may or may not handle this path on fixed media in any way

that being mentioned, as i don't have a wiki account, i'd like to request someone who has to add a discusion about renaming the linked section on my behalf, as both "default" and "fallback" are wrong in regard to the underlying spec
further it should be either extented or at least rephrased in a way to reflect that there's no guarantee about that the removable path is even checked for or recognized by the systems firmware implementation and that "it's usually being handled anyway" is not an "industry standard" one can rely upon but a widespread commonalty at most

~ sorry for semi-hijack
@mods: feel free to split off if you may see fit

Rathatman · 2026-04-18 20:46:36

Scimmia wrote:

That sounds like your firmware just refuses to save entries, or deletes entries (usually anything non-Windows) when something else is successfully booted. Usually the easiest way around this is to install to the default loader path like I mentioned before https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GRUB#D … _boot_path . This will allow you to tell the firmware to just boot the disk like you've been trying to do. Having the disk in the boot order doesn't do anything when you actually want to launch a specific executable, which is what a normal UEFI boot does.

Did some more digging and it seems like this is just a thing with MSI boards? That sucks but at least i learnt something new, this did indeed work, thanks!

seth · 2026-04-18 20:46:54

Looks perfectly fine so if this just disappears Scimmia will be correct, https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GRUB#D … _boot_path

Edit: F5ck…

Last edited by seth (2026-04-18 20:47:17)

cryptearth · 2026-04-18 20:48:20

// F5

btw ... no, nothin with MSI specific, i have a MSI system, too

the issue are usually laptops/notebooks
so, is this a mobile system or regular desktop?

// double F5'ed

Last edited by cryptearth (2026-04-18 20:48:58)

Rathatman · 2026-04-18 20:52:37

It is a Z270-a board from msi, so an older desktop board

cryptearth · 2026-04-18 20:56:48

hm, last bios from 2018 - fair to assume you already have it

however: we actually did had one topic in the past where OP was able to fix a similar issue by just reflashing the latest bios anyway
maybe give it a shot

Arch Linux

#1 2026-04-18 17:58:21

Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#2 2026-04-18 18:45:21

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#3 2026-04-18 19:08:06

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#4 2026-04-18 19:18:19

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#5 2026-04-18 19:49:33

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#6 2026-04-18 19:52:49

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#7 2026-04-18 19:54:18

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#8 2026-04-18 19:58:14

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#9 2026-04-18 20:04:49

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#10 2026-04-18 20:14:10

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#11 2026-04-18 20:14:14

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#12 2026-04-18 20:30:16

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#13 2026-04-18 20:46:35

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#14 2026-04-18 20:46:36

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#15 2026-04-18 20:46:54

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#16 2026-04-18 20:48:20

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#17 2026-04-18 20:52:37

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

#18 2026-04-18 20:56:48

Re: Fresh arch install wont boot with Grub

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