[gentoo-user] How to use efibootmgr

[gentoo-user] How to use efibootmgr

[Peter Humphrey]

Hello list,

I'm trying to install a customised version of SysRescCD on a USB drive, and 
it's all uphill.

The current stage has me trying to create a UEFI boot entry for it. I have 
several entries I no longer need and I'm trying to delete them with 
efibootmgr. This is what happens:

# efibootmgr --remove-dups
BootCurrent: 0002
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0003,0001,0000,0002,0008,0009,0010,0014
Boot0000* SysRescCD
Boot0001* SysRescCD
Boot0002* Linux Boot Manager
Boot0003* SysRescCD
Boot0008* CD/DVD Drive 
Boot0009* Hard Drive 
Boot0010* UEFI OS
Boot0014* UEFI: SanDisk

# efibootmgr --delete-bootnum 0001
You must specify an entry to delete (see the -b option).

But I have - number 1. The manual says:

-b | --bootnum XXXX
        Modify BootXXXX (hex)

-B | --delete-bootnum
        Delete bootnum (hex)

No variation of 1, 01, 0x1, 0x0001 etc. makes any difference. I know I'm not 
as bright as I used to be, but what on earth have I got wrong? /boot is 
mounted.

-- 
Rgds
Peter

Re: [gentoo-user] How to use efibootmgr

[Mike Gilbert]

On Mon, Sep 19, 2016 at 10:23 AM, Peter Humphrey <peter@prh.myzen.co.uk> wrote:
> Hello list,
>
> I'm trying to install a customised version of SysRescCD on a USB drive, and
> it's all uphill.
>
> The current stage has me trying to create a UEFI boot entry for it. I have
> several entries I no longer need and I'm trying to delete them with
> efibootmgr. This is what happens:
>
> # efibootmgr --remove-dups
> BootCurrent: 0002
> Timeout: 1 seconds
> BootOrder: 0003,0001,0000,0002,0008,0009,0010,0014
> Boot0000* SysRescCD
> Boot0001* SysRescCD
> Boot0002* Linux Boot Manager
> Boot0003* SysRescCD
> Boot0008* CD/DVD Drive
> Boot0009* Hard Drive
> Boot0010* UEFI OS
> Boot0014* UEFI: SanDisk
>
> # efibootmgr --delete-bootnum 0001
> You must specify an entry to delete (see the -b option).
>
> But I have - number 1. The manual says:
>
> -b | --bootnum XXXX
>         Modify BootXXXX (hex)
>
> -B | --delete-bootnum
>         Delete bootnum (hex)
>
> No variation of 1, 01, 0x1, 0x0001 etc. makes any difference. I know I'm not
> as bright as I used to be, but what on earth have I got wrong? /boot is
> mounted.

The manpage seems to be incorrect; -B/--delete-bootnum does not take
any argument. Instead, you must specify the entry number using the -b
option.

Try this:

efibootmgr -b 0001 -B

Re: [gentoo-user] How to use efibootmgr

[Mick]

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On Monday 19 Sep 2016 13:08:29 Mike Gilbert wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 19, 2016 at 10:23 AM, Peter Humphrey <peter@prh.myzen.co.uk> 
wrote:
> > Hello list,
> > 
> > I'm trying to install a customised version of SysRescCD on a USB drive,
> > and
> > it's all uphill.
> > 
> > The current stage has me trying to create a UEFI boot entry for it. I have
> > several entries I no longer need and I'm trying to delete them with
> > efibootmgr. This is what happens:
> > 
> > # efibootmgr --remove-dups
> > BootCurrent: 0002
> > Timeout: 1 seconds
> > BootOrder: 0003,0001,0000,0002,0008,0009,0010,0014
> > Boot0000* SysRescCD
> > Boot0001* SysRescCD
> > Boot0002* Linux Boot Manager
> > Boot0003* SysRescCD
> > Boot0008* CD/DVD Drive
> > Boot0009* Hard Drive
> > Boot0010* UEFI OS
> > Boot0014* UEFI: SanDisk
> > 
> > # efibootmgr --delete-bootnum 0001
> > You must specify an entry to delete (see the -b option).
> > 
> > But I have - number 1. The manual says:
> > 
> > -b | --bootnum XXXX
> > 
> >         Modify BootXXXX (hex)
> > 
> > -B | --delete-bootnum
> > 
> >         Delete bootnum (hex)
> > 
> > No variation of 1, 01, 0x1, 0x0001 etc. makes any difference. I know I'm
> > not as bright as I used to be, but what on earth have I got wrong? /boot
> > is mounted.
> 
> The manpage seems to be incorrect; -B/--delete-bootnum does not take
> any argument. Instead, you must specify the entry number using the -b
> option.
> 
> Try this:
> 
> efibootmgr -b 0001 -B

I recall having a similar problem and this worked last time I tried:

efibootmgr -b 0002 --delete-bootnum Boot0002

where:

-b 002

is the entry I want to modify.

--delete-bootnum Boot0002

is what I want to do to it.  I don't remember if specifying "Boot0002" was 
necessary, but it worked all the same.  I guess you can try first:


efibootmgr -b 0001 -B

as already suggested and see if this does it.  Also, before I delete a boot 
stub entry, e.g. 0002, I change the boot order to make sure it is not first:  
--bootorder 0003,0005,0010,0002

but I don't think it is necessary.
-- 
Regards,
Mick

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Re: [gentoo-user] How to use efibootmgr

[Bill Kenworthy]

On 19/09/16 22:23, Peter Humphrey wrote:
> Hello list,
> 
> I'm trying to install a customised version of SysRescCD on a USB drive, and 
> it's all uphill.
> 
> The current stage has me trying to create a UEFI boot entry for it. I have 
> several entries I no longer need and I'm trying to delete them with 
> efibootmgr. This is what happens:
> 
> # efibootmgr --remove-dups
> BootCurrent: 0002
> Timeout: 1 seconds
> BootOrder: 0003,0001,0000,0002,0008,0009,0010,0014
> Boot0000* SysRescCD
> Boot0001* SysRescCD
> Boot0002* Linux Boot Manager
> Boot0003* SysRescCD
> Boot0008* CD/DVD Drive 
> Boot0009* Hard Drive 
> Boot0010* UEFI OS
> Boot0014* UEFI: SanDisk
> 
> # efibootmgr --delete-bootnum 0001
> You must specify an entry to delete (see the -b option).
> 
> But I have - number 1. The manual says:
> 
> -b | --bootnum XXXX
>         Modify BootXXXX (hex)
> 
> -B | --delete-bootnum
>         Delete bootnum (hex)
> 
> No variation of 1, 01, 0x1, 0x0001 etc. makes any difference. I know I'm not 
> as bright as I used to be, but what on earth have I got wrong? /boot is 
> mounted.
> 

Try efibootmgr -B -b 0005

BillK

Re: [gentoo-user] How to use efibootmgr

[Peter Humphrey]

On Monday 19 Sep 2016 21:28:25 Mick wrote:
> On Monday 19 Sep 2016 13:08:29 Mike Gilbert wrote:

--->8

> > The manpage seems to be incorrect; -B/--delete-bootnum does not take
> > any argument. Instead, you must specify the entry number using the -b
> > option.

Or you could say, with hindsight, that the man page is not strictly 
incorrect, as it doesn't say anything that isn't true. You just have to know 
how to interpret it before you start.   :)

> > Try this:
> > 
> > efibootmgr -b 0001 -B

That worked a treat - many thanks. Except for this little wrinkle, which I 
hope is harmless:

# efibootmgr -b 0000 -B
BootCurrent: 0002
Timeout: 1 seconds
No BootOrder is set; firmware will attempt recovery
Boot0002* Linux Boot Manager
Boot0008  CD/DVD Drive 
Boot0010* UEFI OS

> I recall having a similar problem and this worked last time I tried:
> 
> efibootmgr -b 0002 --delete-bootnum Boot0002
> 
> where:
> 
> -b 002
> 
> is the entry I want to modify.
> 
> --delete-bootnum Boot0002
> 
> is what I want to do to it.  I don't remember if specifying "Boot0002" was
> necessary, but it worked all the same.  I guess you can try first:
> 
> 
> efibootmgr -b 0001 -B
> 
> as already suggested and see if this does it.  Also, before I delete a
> boot stub entry, e.g. 0002, I change the boot order to make sure it is
> not first: --bootorder 0003,0005,0010,0002
> 
> but I don't think it is necessary.

Hah! Watch this:

# efibootmgr --bootorder 0002,0010,0008
Could not set BootOrder: No space left on device

I'll do a bit more poking around.

-- 
Rgds
Peter