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FlexQ4

Member

Registered: 2017-02-19

Posts: 170

Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

Hi,
just installed Q4OS 4.12 beside 2 Windows partitions on a new disk.
After a first reboot the entry for Win7 was in the Grub-menu, and it was possible to boot in it - nice & as expected.

Then i ran the software profiler, opted vor "Basic" and at the end i could see, that it did a "grub-update" in the messages.
After another reboot i noticed:
- it did an update to Q4OS 4.13
- and the Grub-entry for Windows is away.

Did a sudo update-grub manually:

me@flex7:~/Schreibtisch$ sudo update-grub
[sudo] Passwort für me:
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.10.0-33-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.10.0-33-amd64
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.10.0-22-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.10.0-22-amd64
Warning: os-prober will be executed to detect other bootable partitions.
Its output will be used to detect bootable binaries on them and create new boot entries.
done

it does not find the Windows on sda1 any more!!

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,501

Website

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

Is it a EFI machine ?
Please run in terminal:
$ dpkg -l | grep os-prober
and post the output. In addition attach the log files .$HOME/.appsetup2/log/.dskprofiler*

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,501

Website

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

What iso media did you install from ?

FlexQ4

Member

Registered: 2017-02-19

Posts: 170

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

Thank you.
It was the 4.12 live 64bit from usb - like the first time.
Tbh i don't know wheather it's EFI or UEFI, but i didn't change anything since the successful install half a year ago.
The two .dskprofiler_ files are attached...

In the first i found:

Generating grub configuration file ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.10.0-33-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.10.0-33-amd64
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.10.0-22-amd64
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.10.0-22-amd64
Warning: os-prober will be executed to detect other bootable partitions.

---

Attachments:
dskprofiler_me_2024-10-14-14-04-23_install.log, Size: 138.29 KiB, Downloads: 25

FlexQ4

Member

Registered: 2017-02-19

Posts: 170

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

And the second

---

Attachments:
dskprofiler_me_packages.log, Size: 1.31 KiB, Downloads: 28

FlexQ4

Member

Registered: 2017-02-19

Posts: 170

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

and the os-prober info:

me@flex7:~\> dpkg -l | grep os-prober
ii  os-prober                                     1.79             
            amd64        utility to detect other OSes on a set of drives

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,501

Website

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

We have proceeded Q4OS 4 Gemini installation from the Trinity live media q4os-4.13-x64-tde.r1.iso along with a Win7 partition, applied the basic profile to try reproduce the issue reported. However everything works fine, os-prober detects Win7 even with update-grub command. We weren't able to reproduce the issue anyhow, so we would conclude hardware dependent or even hardware related problem.

What is output of:
$ sudo os-prober
?

Why didn't you install from the more recent q4os-4.13-x64-tde.r1.iso , but from the old one ?
What desktop profile did you choose to apply in the Calamares profile selection dialog ?

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,501

Website

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

In addition, what is the output:
$ sudo os-prober
if you boot up from the live usb ?

FlexQ4

Member

Registered: 2017-02-19

Posts: 170

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

What is output of:
$ sudo os-prober

on 4.13 empty:

me@flex7:~\> sudo os-prober
[sudo] Passwort für me:
me@flex7:~\>

on 4.12 live media:

adminq@debian:~$ sudo os-prober
/dev/sda1:Windows 7:Windows:chain
/dev/sda3:Debian GNU/Linux 11 (bullseye):Debian:linux
adminq@debian:~$

correct!!

Why didn't you install from the more recent q4os-4.13-x64-tde.r1.iso , but from the old one ?
What desktop profile did you choose to apply in the Calamares profile selection dialog ?

a) because i have a 4.12 on the stick and because it workel well last time!
b) during installation process i selected the same "Basic" profile.

Thank you for bothering about this!

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,501

Website

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

The updated system doesn't detect Win7 installation for some reason. We assume it's a Debian issue, because no Q4OS native components are involved in such a detection.

This issue is somewhat specific to your system, we are not able to reproduce this bug, detection works fine on our testing system, even updated. For that reason it's difficult to investigate so we would need the following info about your system.
- Provide /var/log/live_inst/q4hook3.log file
- Boot the old stable Q4OS 4 Gemini live media q4os-4.13-x64-tde.r1.iso and post output of:
  $ sudo os-prober
- Boot the old stable Debian 11 Bullseye live media https://cdimage.debian.org/mirror/cdima … 64-kde.iso and post output of:
  $ sudo os-prober

In anyway, we recommend you to use the new Q4OS 5 Aquarius edition instead of the old stable Q4OS 4 Gemini.

FlexQ4

Member

Registered: 2017-02-19

Posts: 170

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

The updated system doesn't detect Win7 installation for some reason. We assume it's a Debian issue, because no Q4OS native components are involved in such a detection.

Yes, i would agree 100%.

But the system worked well before that update to 4.13 (as it works well with the old disk)!
What is rather confusing for me: i didn't wont to update to another os version at all - i only did start the desktop profiler!
And it's name and description suggests, that it adds a certain set of software to an installation (https://www.q4os.org/dqa016.html):

Desktop profiler is a powerful tool that allows an easy installation and configuration of pre-defined set of applications and packages at once. In short sense a Profile actually means a list of applications to install.

But in addition it updates to another OS version and hence generates a new grub configuration file too!

I feel myself rather lucky, that i - incidentally - added some extra seconds to the GRUB_TIMEOUT in /etc/default/grub and did a update-grub, so i detected that error imediately.

At this point i have two important questions:
1) Is it possible to cleanly revert to the working original version 4.12 (5.10.0-22)? And if so: how?
2) Is thare a complete list of the software set of profile "Basic" that i could achieve the configuration manually (with Synaptic)?

Thank you!

In anyway, we recommend you to use the new Q4OS 5 Aquarius edition instead of the old stable Q4OS 4 Gemini.

Not an option - i did work months for configuring and tuning an appropriate working and developing system... That would mean to start at the very beginning again.

Last edited by FlexQ4 (2024-10-15 13:50)

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,501

Website

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

ad1. No, it's not possible to revert common Q4OS system to something like a status "snapshot" as it was before. Nonetheless, you may utilize S4-snapshot application what clones the running system and saves it as a live iso with an installation option. So you get a fixed point you can anytime revert to. S4-snapshot install info https://www.q4os.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3624

ad2. Open desktop profiler > right click on a profile > Profile info

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,501

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Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

... it's not possible to revert common Q4OS system to something like a status "snapshot" as it was before ...

However, you can boot the previous kernel and see, if os-prober detects Win7 now. You can boot a previous kernels if you select advanced options in the grub boot menu.

FlexQ4

Member

Registered: 2017-02-19

Posts: 170

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

Many thanks for your helpful replies, @q4osteam!

However, you can boot the previous kernel and see, if os-prober detects Win7 now. You can boot a previous kernels if you select advanced options in the grub boot menu.

I did try this before, but even with original 5.10.0-22 kernel the os-prober didn't detect the win7 partition.
Hence i conclude, that the "Generating grub configuration file" (within first ,profiling') did harm something irreversibly.

ad2. Open desktop profiler > right click on a profile > Profile info

Excellent!
So it is either possible to to shape a profile manually or to quickly write a simple script which does the task automatically:

#!/bin/sh
sudo apt-get install alsa-utils
sudo apt-get install avahi-autoipd
sudo apt-get install avahi-daemon
sudo apt-get install bluetooth
...

and run it in a terminal?
Btw: i noticed (at least) two entries of the ,Basic set' that were not marked as installed in Synaptic: cifs-utils and cups-pk-helper.

Nonetheless, you may utilize S4-snapshot application what clones the running system and saves it as a live iso with an installation option. So you get a fixed point you can anytime revert to. S4-snapshot install info https://www.q4os.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3624

That's a good idea! i will clone the system to an iso when i've done a new installation with my ,own' profiler and finished the first configurations...

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,501

Website

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

Hence i conclude, that the "Generating grub configuration file" (within first ,profiling') did harm something irreversibly.

It's reversible, if you have "os-prober" version what detects Win7. Then run update-grub again to record Win7 entry.

ad2. You can also install packages in a simpler way:

sudo apt install alsa-utils avahi-autoipd avahi-daemon ...

Note, some packages may still require upgrade because of Apt version dependencies.
However we would recommend you another way to install the profile, in case you want to proceed installation, but no full Apt upgrade. Run profiler in terminal this way:
$ NO_UGRADE=1 swprofiler.exu
and apply a profile. The variable is exactly "NO_UGRADE", not a typo.

i noticed (at least) two entries of the ,Basic set' that were not marked as installed in Synaptic: cifs-utils and cups-pk-helper

Yes, they are because of desktop-profiler-data has updated too.
.

FlexQ4

Member

Registered: 2017-02-19

Posts: 170

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

Many thanks again for your explanaitions.

It's reversible, if you have "os-prober" version what detects Win7. Then run update-grub again to record Win7 entry.

But the os-prober versions of 4.12 system and new 4.13 system are identical ?!

me@flex7:~\> which os-prober
/usr/bin/os-prober
me@flex7:~\> ll /usr/bin/os-prober
8 -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 4551 19. Jan 2017  /usr/bin/os-prober
me@flex7:~\> ll /media/me/609...25e/usr/bin/os-prober
8 -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 4551 19. Jan 2017  /media/me/609...25e/usr/bin/os-prober

and cannot be the culprit imo.

However we would recommend you another way to install the profile, in case you want to proceed installation, but no full Apt upgrade. Run profiler in terminal this way:
$ NO_UGRADE=1 swprofiler.exu
and apply a profile. The variable is exactly "NO_UGRADE", not a typo.

i'll try that way tonight/tomorrow and will report!
(It would be very good and useful imo, to have for choise this option in the profiler dialog too)

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,501

Website

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

Os-prober output depends on another system components, so if os-prober output shows Win entry, then you can run grub-install to install the entry.

FlexQ4

Member

Registered: 2017-02-19

Posts: 170

Re: Grub Entry for Windows away after installing "Basic" package

i'll try that way tonight/tomorrow and will report!

The re-installation utilizing "NO_UGRADE=1 swprofiler.exu" went flawlessly!

Please let me emphasize again, that this option imo should reside in the standard dialog as well - as things can go wrong sometimes with an upgrade (even in rock-stable Debian .

Please let me emphasize too, that your support was really excellent!
And with the S4-snapshot ISO i will be able to check if this particuler issue persits in a (possible) new version of Debian Bullseye/Gemini.
Thank you!