From: unruh@invalid.ca   
      
   On 2020-07-15, Andrew  wrote:   
   > Malcolm wrote:   
   >> On Tue, 14 Jul 2020 20:14:08 +0200   
   >> 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.   
   >>> 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.   
   >> Hi   
   >> Then I would stick to what's working....   
   >>   
   >> What is the system, is it recent or older hardware?   
   >>   
   >   
   > The system is just over two years old and the motherboard - Asus Prime   
   > A320M-K - is still being sold now, I even did a BIOS update a couple of   
   > months back.  This is about as current as it gets.   
   > The SSD (and the rotating disc) are the same age as the Mobo and I'm   
   > pretty sure I have not been updating partitions with fdisk so I have no   
   > idea why the system should think the discs have MS-DOS partition tables.   
   > Actually, I'm absolutely sure I have not been updating SSD   
   > partition-tables with fdisk.  I also never had plans to install Windows   
   > on this system so will not have felt the need to set any compatibility   
   > flags.   
      
   a) AFAIK linux ignores all flags anyway.   
   b) AFAIK Dos partition table means the usual "4 primary partitions, and   
   one can be used for secondary partitions" type partition table. IT is   
   the old standard-- the newer one is gpt partition table. It just means   
   that when you formatted the disks you used the old style rather than the   
   new style partition table, however you partitioned it originally (or   
   perhaps it came with that).   
      
   No great harm unless you really want to have many partitions.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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