Debdog-full-install EFI

[Kennel Dweller]

Hi guys. It's been a while since I have needed help but I am confused with uefi booting.

I have been flawlessly running a debdog full install in my shed for a good while and been very happy with it until now.
It has happened again,some local scumbag has stolen the laptop I was using for my engravings!!

Being the resourceful kind of person I am and not to be inconvenienced more than necessary i took a trip to Cash Converters and purchased a used replacement PC.
The new machine does not have a legacy boot option for internal devices and would only boot the backup live USB I had.

Not a problem for a clever chap like me is it? Create a new ISO from the mklive-sid with efi support, yep all works perfick, now to install it.
Not as straightforward as I had first thought, I have it working from the internal ME drive but only as a live system and cannot save any work to the drive.
The debdog-full-install script failed on this and rewrote the boot to legacy format.

Is there a full install script for efi anywhere? I would love to use it.

I have read so much old and or conflicting information about GPT partitions FAT tables and EFI files in Boot folders I am going back over the material while trying to research a solution.
Could somebody please shed some light on the current configuration or how to make a full install from my EFI capable ISO?

The ISO itself is a barebones Debian Dog sid backed up in squashfs. The PC is a Dell OptiPlex 3060 Micro Form Factor PC with 8th Gen 8G ram, with some strange and new to me 256 Me card thing instead of a proper old scsi that I am used to.

[fredx181]

Hi Kennel Dweller,
Yes the debdog-full-install script is in fact outdated as it works only with bootloader for legacy BIOS.

Can you give more info about your situation now, e.g. you still have the partition with the full install, and the FAT32 first partition ?

Someway you need to install GRUB2 (or start again with a fresh FAT32 first partition with the EFI folder and grub.cfg)
This entry should work in grub.cfg then in theory (replace the UUID string with what it is for you):

Code: Select all

menuentry "DDog Full install" {
insmod part_msdos 
insmod ext2
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root  ff46c108-01c3-4dfe-bfea-00395fdf3fd0
linux /boot/vmlinuz1 root=UUID=ff46c108-01c3-4dfe-bfea-00395fdf3fd0 rw  
initrd /boot/initrd.img
}

EDIT:

I have it working from the internal ME drive but only as a live system and cannot save any work to the drive

why ? you cannot setup a save folder ?

[Kennel Dweller]

Hi Fred and thanks so much for the swift reply
Yes I still have it set up as described, there is ReadMe-UEFI file on the ISO which I have followed and copied the correct files to the correct place and all works extremely well but only in live mode.
I am looking to do a full install as read write with it being my only install on this machine It controls my CNC, laser and 3D printer with no power saving or any other interruptions.
No acpi, systemd, home, sudo, obshutdown, nothing except what I need to work with the whole OS unpacks to 1.3G as a full install including all software and appimages.

I have no idea of why I cannot do a save folder, the only option I can get to work is the "always fresh" from the porteus menu, I am currently saving to the sda2 partition or usb.

I will try your entry with a fresh FAT32 first partition with the EFI folder and grub.cfg. I assume I should still use GPT partitioning and full install to EXT4 /dev/sda2?

[fredx181]

If I'm right, the second entry in grub.cfg says changes=/deb_dog now two options;
- Create a folder on a ext partition with the name deb_dog
- Change in grub.cfg as you wish to e.g changes=/sidsave and create sidsave folder on the ext partition.
Both should work then after reboot.

I will try your entry with a fresh FAT32 first partition with the EFI folder and grub.cfg. I assume I should still use GPT partitioning and full install to EXT4 /dev/sda2?

With the correct UUID string (of the sda2 partition) in my example above, I think it should work.

[Kennel Dweller]

Hi guys. I am back again. I went off on a trip around the distro's to see if I could find a true "no systemd" full install, only because I had a bee in my bonnet about being forced to accept it.
What happened to freedom of choice and why do I need systemd files to switch off things I don't want installed? I just had enough of all the windowisms creeping into Linux and decided to rebel.
I don't want or need to be told I am using root account and risk damaging my system, I know I am, I don't want pulse or any other media player, I don't need sudo, skel, acpi, encryption etc. I simply want to build a system to suit my needs and be able to use the tools I put in the box without recommends or dependencies, a simple basic "do as I say, not as you please system".

Rant over:
I almost found what I was looking for in freebsd but I noticed that allowing systemd to enter during updates, without my say so I might add. Antix is where I have settled for the time being,I have stripped it back and not broken it yet and can keep an eye on the file structure removing the dross as it appears.

Reason for my return is:
The light has finally dawned on me that this EFI boot system is no more than a file manager and not a magical mystery after all, I don't actually need Porteus to boot a dog.
I set too with a ./mklive-sid script with the intention of remastering and installing to sdd only to discover that although a live cd was produced it will not boot. I tried again and this time kept an eye on the terminal to trace the error. Is it me or the script at fault?

Screenshot_2022-10-05_02-12-55.png (132.78 KiB) Viewed 934 times

[fredx181]

@Kennel Dweller Yes, thanks, I could reproduce the error, has to do with a change in Sid (unstable !!), forced "usr merge" (see also here: https://packages.debian.org/unstable/main/usrmerge), which is not matching with mklive configurations.
Anyway fixed that by modifying mklive-sid to install newest debootstrap, new attached in Sid topic first post .
And see: viewtopic.php?p=68557#p68557

EDIT: for full install this may not be the best, e.g. the "full-installer" is in fact outdated (no GRUB2 or EFI support), perhaps better to go for Antix (no-systemd AFAIK).

[Kennel Dweller]

Fred you are a true super hero, many thanks for fixing this.
I am happy enough with Antix full install, it does all I require from it.
The EFI readme instructions on the live cd work well so the whole live cd can sit there for use when I need a network connection.
Old habits dye hard and I always like to have a recovery usb nearby and debdog does the that job admireably