From: robin_listas@es.invalid   
      
   On 14/07/2020 20.14, Andrew wrote:   
   > Malcolm wrote:   
   >> On Tue, 14 Jul 2020 14:02:54 +0200   
   >> "Carlos E.R."  wrote:   
   >>   
   >>> On 14/07/2020 09.28, Andrew wrote:   
   >>>> Carlos E.R. wrote:   
   >>>>> On 13/07/2020 14.27, Andrew wrote:   
   >>>>>> Given a Linux-only system running on two discs (SSD and   
   >>>>>> "normal"), I have been trying to work out how to change things to   
   >>>>>> use the UEFI boot mechanism.   
   >>>>>> The SSD ( /dev/sda ) has room to spare, although not at the start   
   >>>>>> of the drive.  The system-main partition is also on that drive.   
   >>>>>> The only instructions I have seen are for Debian-based systems.   
   >>>>>> I'm aware that I could do an initial install - re-partitioning   
   >>>>>> the SSD - and that would get me there, is that the only way?   
   >>>>>> The Motherboard is only a couple of years old - as you can guess   
   >>>>>> by the use of SSD - so there are no technical constraints.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>> As you are posting on the SUSE group, I take it for a given that   
   >>>>> you are using openSUSE Leap or Tumbleweed. Well, it is easy, fire   
   >>>>> up YaST, boot module, change boot method to UEFI. It should   
   >>>>> propose to create an EFI partition (doesn't need to be at the   
   >>>>> start), but I don't know if this is contemplated. So, you have to   
   >>>>> try.   
   >>>>>   
   >>>>>   
   >>>> Thanks, but . . .   
   >>>> I tried it the first time.  It told me it needed to install a new   
   >>>> package - which it did - but then told me I had no valid EFI   
   >>>> partition. YaST Partitioner did not want to let me create a new   
   >>>> partition (of any kind) in the unassigned area of the SSD.   
   >>>> Booting a current Gparted, it allowed me to create such a partition.   
   >>>> Booting back into openSUSE 15.1, YaST Partitioner allowed me to set   
   >>>> the partition type to EF and format the beast.   
   >>>> Trying YaST Boot, once again it told me I had no valid EFI   
   >>>> partition. Reboot (some changes to the partition table used to   
   >>>> require a reboot) and trying YaST Boot, once again it told me I had   
   >>>> no valid EFI partition. My new EFI partition is correctly   
   >>>> formatted, but empty.   
   >>>   
   >>>   
   >>> Well, at this point I'm out of ideas, and I would recommend asking at   
   >>> the official openSUSE support channels, ie, the mailing list or the   
   >>> web forum.   
   >>>   
   >> Hi   
   >> I suspect the disk is still 'dos' rather than 'gpt' better to backup   
   >> and look at bios_grub or start afresh with the disk as gpt (far better   
   >> idea IMHO).   
   >>   
   >   
   > I have not done anything to that SSD using fdisk but Yast/Partitioner   
   > does describe the Partition Table as being MS-DOS.   
      
   Then Malcolm is right.   
      
   > On the other hand: from what I have read about EFI, that should not   
   > matter.  On a similar setup but with UEFI boot, the Partition Table is   
   > also described as being MS-DOS.  The content of *that* EFI partition   
   > were set up by an original openSUSE install and that is looking like the   
   > best option.   
   > No urgency though, it works using the traditional BIOS boot now.   
      
   It matters to YaST, it does not contemplate that case.   
      
   --   
   Cheers, Carlos.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)