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Install in existing partition on legacy MBR disk with other distros [SOLVED]

Hi all, I'm new to Artix. So far, only have been able to install in VirtualBox so I can learn the system.

Meanwhile, I burned the install ISO to a USB stick and TRIED to go ahead and install it to replace an existing partition. That failed, seemingly because my BIOS has UEFI *enabled* but the SSD has no UEFI/EFI partition (old Samsung laptop that came with Windows 7 -- Windows is no more on this box, however), so the squidly installer refused.

I went back into BIOS and disabled UEFI, and the installer said okay when I pointed it to an existing partition (which HAD Bodhi Linux installed on it), and promptly DELETED the partition, but then threw an error that it could NOT create a new partition. So now, there is just unallocated space, no sda2 partition.

How to proceed?

(I uploaded an image file of my SSD's partitions but not sure yet how to insert it inline.) (EDIT -- DUH! there it is!)

Re: Install in existing partition on legacy MBR disk with other distros

Reply #1 –
these end up as very hard to understand questions.

First, the SSD - you are talking about a thumb drive?  Those have had UEFI for a decade or longer.  They can boot with or without UEFI, FWIW.

Not sure what you are trying to do with the partitioning but boot into a live CD and run cfdisk.  It should allow you to make the alterations you want.

FWIW - older Hardware can have hardware issues, especially drives which depend on magnetic ink and moving parts.  I've seen the firmware on drives get hopelessly confused.

Re: Install in existing partition on legacy MBR disk with other distros

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Durhammer – on

That failed, seemingly because my BIOS has UEFI *enabled* but the SSD has no UEFI/EFI partition


that is likely a misunderstanding.  The install image that you burned is an DISK IMAGE and without looking at it, it almost certainly has a UEFI partition and there are separate rules and leanencies  for compatibilities for thumb drives within the uefi specification.

Regardless, I doubt putting the system into legacy mode negatively affects your install.  If you are going to try to put all of artix into a single partition without a boot partition, you might need to be in legacy mode unless you have an existing boot loader that will boot artix.

Your current boot partition is. FWIW, ext4 and not UEFI compilent.  I fail to see how it booted in UEFI mode to start with.

Re: Install in existing partition on legacy MBR disk with other distros

Reply #3 –
Thanks for replying, @mrbrklyn .

I'm referring to the SSD inside the laptop. It was (cloned?) from the original HDD that came with the laptop, circa 2011 (at least the BIOS). See below.

As I said, it's a legacy MBR partitioned drive, which can only have up to 4 primary partitions. This one has (or had) two primary and four inside an 'extended' partition.

To make this thing use EFI/UEFI, I'd pretty much have to wipe the whole SSD and create a new GPT, yadda yadda yadda. Don' wanna do it!

You can't tell from the Gparted screen shot, I had BunsenLabs installed in "sda2" which is now "unallocated" after the Artix installer deleted it. In the extended partition, I have four distro installations. I had NO problems installing any of these. This is kinda disappointing, but I have hope!

Code: [Select]
$ inxi -F
System:
  Host: mx23 Kernel: 6.1.0-37-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 Desktop: Openbox
    v: 3.6.1 Distro: MX-23.6_fluxbox_x64 Libretto September 15  2024
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: SAMSUNG product: RF511/RF411/RF711 v: 10HX
    serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: SAMSUNG model: RF511/RF411/RF711 v: 10HX
    serial: <superuser required> UEFI: American Megatrends
    v: 10HX.M034.20110426.SSH date: 04/26/2011
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT1 charge: 34.6 Wh (77.9%) condition: 44.4/48.8 Wh (90.9%)
    volts: 10.7 min: 11.1
CPU:
  Info: quad core model: Intel Core i7-2630QM bits: 64 type: MT MCP cache:
    L2: 1024 KiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 799 min/max: 800/2900 cores: 1: 798 2: 800 3: 800 4: 800
    5: 800 6: 800 7: 798 8: 800
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics
    driver: i915 v: kernel
  Device-2: NVIDIA GF108M [GeForce GT 540M] driver: N/A
  Device-3: Silicon Motion WebCam SCB-1100N type: USB driver: uvcvideo
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 driver: X: loaded: modesetting
    unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: crocus gpu: i915 resolution: 1: 1600x900~60Hz
    2: 1080x1920~60Hz
  API: OpenGL v: 3.3 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 3000 (SNB
    GT2)
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel 6 Series/C200 Series Family High Definition Audio
    driver: snd_hda_intel
  Device-2: NVIDIA GF108 High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
  Device-3: Intel USB2.0 Device type: USB
    driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid
  Device-4: AKAI MPKmini2 type: USB driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-37-amd64 status: kernel-api
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active
Network:
  Device-1: Broadcom BCM4313 802.11bgn Wireless Network Adapter driver: wl
  IF: wlan0 state: up mac: b4:74:9f:7c:bd:95
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
    driver: r8169
  IF: eth0 state: down mac: e8:11:32:44:7e:5f
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Broadcom BCM2070 Bluetooth Device type: USB driver: btusb
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 1 state: down bt-service: N/A
    rfk-block: hardware: no software: yes address: B4:74:9F:62:2E:6F
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 2.96 TiB used: 347.68 GiB (11.5%)
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Samsung model: SSD 860 EVO 1TB size: 931.51 GiB
  ID-2: /dev/sdb type: USB vendor: Sabrent model: SABRENT size: 238.47 GiB
  ID-3: /dev/sdc type: USB vendor: Seagate model: BUP Slim BK size: 1.82 TiB
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 97.87 GiB used: 59.33 GiB (60.6%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb3
  ID-2: /boot/efi size: 511 MiB used: 11.7 MiB (2.3%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/sdb2
Swap:
  ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 12 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) dev: /dev/sdb4
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 49.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Info:
  Processes: 275 Uptime: 4h 33m Memory: 7.67 GiB used: 2.28 GiB (29.7%)
  Shell: Bash inxi: 3.3.26

Re: Install in existing partition on legacy MBR disk with other distros

Reply #4 –
Quote from: mrbrklyn – on
Quote from: Durhammer – on

That failed, seemingly because my BIOS has UEFI *enabled* but the SSD has no UEFI/EFI partition


that is likely a misunderstanding.  The install image that you burned is an DISK IMAGE and without looking at it, it almost certainly has a UEFI partition and there are separate rules and leanencies  for compatibilities for thumb drives within the uefi specification.

Regardless, I doubt putting the system into legacy mode negatively affects your install.  If you are going to try to put all of artix into a single partition without a boot partition, you might need to be in legacy mode unless you have an existing boot loader that will boot artix.

Sorry, just replied to your previous post. Like ships passing in the night!

The image I "burned" into a usable USB stick was done using the MX Linux "Live USB" creator, which only does a live/persistent thing for MX or antiX ISOs.  Others just get done via dd.

I DID try disabling UEFI in my BIOS and DID boot into legacy mode. That's the only way I could convince the Artix installer to not try the EFI stuff. It DID let me choose an existing partition to replace, and it DID delete it, but that's as far as it went, and there was nothing in the dialog box to explain what happened.

All the other distros on this [again, internal] SSD boot up via the MBR and grub just fine. Well, not BunsenLabs now....

Re: Install in existing partition on legacy MBR disk with other distros

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Durhammer – on
Thanks for replying, @mrbrklyn .

I'm referring to the SSD inside the laptop. It was (cloned?) from the original HDD that came with the laptop, circa 2011 (at least the BIOS). See below.

As I said, it's a legacy MBR partitioned drive, which can only have up to 4 primary partitions. This one has (or had) two primary and four inside an 'extended' partition.

To make this thing use EFI/UEFI, I'd pretty much have to wipe the whole SSD and create a new GPT, yadda yadda yadda. Don' wanna do it!

You can't tell from the Gparted screen shot, I had BunsenLabs installed in "sda2" which is now "unallocated" after the Artix installer deleted it. In the extended partition, I have four distro installations. I had NO problems installing any of these. This is kinda disappointing, but I have hope!

Code: [Select]
$ inxi -F
System:
  Host: mx23 Kernel: 6.1.0-37-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 Desktop: Openbox
    v: 3.6.1 Distro: MX-23.6_fluxbox_x64 Libretto September 15  2024
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: SAMSUNG product: RF511/RF411/RF711 v: 10HX
    serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: SAMSUNG model: RF511/RF411/RF711 v: 10HX
    serial: <superuser required> UEFI: American Megatrends
    v: 10HX.M034.20110426.SSH date: 04/26/2011
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT1 charge: 34.6 Wh (77.9%) condition: 44.4/48.8 Wh (90.9%)
    volts: 10.7 min: 11.1
CPU:
  Info: quad core model: Intel Core i7-2630QM bits: 64 type: MT MCP cache:
    L2: 1024 KiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 799 min/max: 800/2900 cores: 1: 798 2: 800 3: 800 4: 800
    5: 800 6: 800 7: 798 8: 800
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics
    driver: i915 v: kernel
  Device-2: NVIDIA GF108M [GeForce GT 540M] driver: N/A
  Device-3: Silicon Motion WebCam SCB-1100N type: USB driver: uvcvideo
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 driver: X: loaded: modesetting
    unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: crocus gpu: i915 resolution: 1: 1600x900~60Hz
    2: 1080x1920~60Hz
  API: OpenGL v: 3.3 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 3000 (SNB
    GT2)
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel 6 Series/C200 Series Family High Definition Audio
    driver: snd_hda_intel
  Device-2: NVIDIA GF108 High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
  Device-3: Intel USB2.0 Device type: USB
    driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid
  Device-4: AKAI MPKmini2 type: USB driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-37-amd64 status: kernel-api
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active
Network:
  Device-1: Broadcom BCM4313 802.11bgn Wireless Network Adapter driver: wl
  IF: wlan0 state: up mac: b4:74:9f:7c:bd:95
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
    driver: r8169
  IF: eth0 state: down mac: e8:11:32:44:7e:5f
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Broadcom BCM2070 Bluetooth Device type: USB driver: btusb
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 1 state: down bt-service: N/A
    rfk-block: hardware: no software: yes address: B4:74:9F:62:2E:6F
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 2.96 TiB used: 347.68 GiB (11.5%)
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Samsung model: SSD 860 EVO 1TB size: 931.51 GiB
  ID-2: /dev/sdb type: USB vendor: Sabrent model: SABRENT size: 238.47 GiB
  ID-3: /dev/sdc type: USB vendor: Seagate model: BUP Slim BK size: 1.82 TiB
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 97.87 GiB used: 59.33 GiB (60.6%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb3
  ID-2: /boot/efi size: 511 MiB used: 11.7 MiB (2.3%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/sdb2
Swap:
  ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 12 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) dev: /dev/sdb4
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 49.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Info:
  Processes: 275 Uptime: 4h 33m Memory: 7.67 GiB used: 2.28 GiB (29.7%)
  Shell: Bash inxi: 3.3.26


try cfdisk and the makr the fs by hand with mkfs.ext4 on it.  See how that goes.  btw your sdb disk is set up for uefi

Re: Install in existing partition on legacy MBR disk with other distros

Reply #6 –
Quote from: mrbrklyn – on

try cfdisk and the makr the fs by hand with mkfs.ext4 on it.  See how that goes.  btw your sdb disk is set up for uefi

How different is that from asking Gparted (offline, of course) to do that?

Yes, of course I know about the sdb disk. It was *purposely* configured that way so I could boot it up with my MX Linux Fluxbox edition both here and on other laptops.

Re: Install in existing partition on legacy MBR disk with other distros

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Durhammer – on
Quote from: mrbrklyn – on

try cfdisk and the makr the fs by hand with mkfs.ext4 on it.  See how that goes.  btw your sdb disk is set up for uefi

How different is that from asking Gparted (offline, of course) to do that?

Yes, of course I know about the sdb disk. It was *purposely* configured that way so I could boot it up with my MX Linux Fluxbox edition both here and on other laptops.


Well, for one thing gpart is not doing what you want at the moment, if I understand you, and you haven't yet tried cfdisk, which I have never seen fail yet :)
 

Re: Install in existing partition on legacy MBR disk with other distros

Reply #8 –
Quote from: mrbrklyn – on

Well, for one thing gpart is not doing what you want at the moment, if I understand you, and you haven't yet tried cfdisk, which I have never seen fail yet :)


Well, actually I WASN'T using Gparted to do anything but take a picture of the disk!

Without experience with cfdisk, I don't really know all the commands and options to tell it what to do. I do pretty much know what to do in Gparted.

In either case, I'm just not sure what the result should be. Am I supposed to format the unallocated space as "sda2" with ext4 and is that all or is there more? And will that really get the Artix installer to install on it? Is it going to try to replace the partition again? This could get quite circular!

Re: Install in existing partition on legacy MBR disk with other distros

Reply #9 –
Well, well, well. I'm here, be it tenuously (damn wifi keeps crapping out for whatever reason).

Code: [Select]
$ inxi -S
System:
  Host: rf711 Kernel: 6.13.8-artix1-1 arch: x86_64 bits: 64
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.20.1 Distro: Artix Linux

Just going to post this for now (bcz see above!) and add to it later.

EDIT1: Took suggestion by @mrbrklyn to format the sda2 partition by hook or crook. Being chicken sheet about such command line things that I've never used before, I did it with Gparted. Worked like a charm. Before trying the install, I again tweaked BIOS to DIS-able UEFI. This time, however, not that it should make a difference, I also completely disabled ACHI support (MS Windows stuff). Booted up the installer and all went well. QUICK, too!

Right now, fiddling with things like getting xrandr installed (really?) and usable for my oddball monitor setup, and getting acpi_call-dkms installed and set up so I can completely turn OFF my Nvidia card to keep the box cool (long story, but it's a necessity for me).

More later! Actually, I guess I might just as well solve this thing unless someone has any other comments....

Re: Install in existing partition on legacy MBR disk with other distros [SOLVED]

Reply #10 –
You can't exist long with fear of the command line.  GUIs suck...and often crippleware.

cfdisk is really an essential ncurses tool

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/linux-unix/cfdisk-command-in-linux-with-examples/

http://www.nylxs.com/docs/gnu_linux1.c4-5correct.pdf for fdisk

Re: Install in existing partition on legacy MBR disk with other distros [SOLVED]

Reply #11 –
I understand completely, @mrbrklyn . However, once I've had great success with one tool, it's hard going back. And I do use plenty of command line tools.

New (sorta) disturbing issue -- this is the second Calmares installer that effed up my machine. When it does its own partition ops, it moves things around and/or possibly changes partition info.

I "installed" CachyOS and it (1) wouldn't start and (2) prevented me from using the primary distro (this one, MX Linux 23 Fluxbox edition) on my external SSD. See the ticket for that.

NOW, after this "successful" install of Artix, I cannot start two of my other distros -- Q4OS (really nice setup) and Sparky (meh). Trying to start Q4OS gets me to a BusyBox (initramfs) prompt (!) and if I enter "exit" it says it gave up waiting for a disk, and spits out a UUID= string that it says doesn't exist. Sparky at least shows its "sparky" splash screen and just freezes. No doubt more of the same....

I had been considering installing/trying EndeavourOS, but no more. Burnt twice (thrice, considering the disabled distro count!) by Calamares.

Re: Install in existing partition on legacy MBR disk with other distros [SOLVED]

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Durhammer – on

NOW, after this "successful" install of Artix, I cannot start two of my other distros --
When I install multiple distributions on the same PC, I only install GRUB on one of these systems.
After an update on one of the installed systems, I update GRUB.