Problems installing Grub2

micaldas · n00b Joined: 12 Mar 2018 Posts: 37

Hi,

I'm installing gentoo amd64, no multilib, in Virtualbox vm.
As I was trying to install gentoo with an EFI system, as I try to install (emerge --ask --update --newuse --verbose sys-boot/grub:2), I got the this error message:

grub2-install: error: /boot doesn't look like an EFI partition.

As i Looked in the internet for an answer I found this forum post with the same problem as I did (https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-1031686-start-0.html), that suggested creating a /boot/efi folder to solve the problem. I created one, as per suggestion, but got the same results.

Then I changed my /dev/sda2 partition (my /boot partition), to a fat file system, but now I gent this error message:

EFI variables are supported in this system.

Again I looked to the internet for answers and saw a post that suggested that the efivar kernel module might not be loaded. I installed the sys-libs/efivar package, but it didn't make a difference.

If anyone could tell me what I am doing wrong that would be greatly appreciated.
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John R. Graham · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 11:38 am Post subject:

I have not yet worked through an install on an EFI system but it looks like there needs to be kernel support for the EFI variable filesystem. Try ensuring that the following items are set in your kernel .config

CONFIG_EFI
CONFIG_EFIVAR_FS (probably as a module)

and rebuild your kernel. It's the latter item that your second research post is referring to.

- John
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micaldas · n00b Joined: 12 Mar 2018 Posts: 37

Hi John,

Thank you for answering, but I am unsure on how to proceed regarding your advice.
I went to /usr/src/linux-4.9.76-gentoo-r1/.config and saw that "CONFIG_EFI" is already enabled but "CONFIG_EFIVAR_FS" isn't.
How can I enable CONFIG_EFIVAR_FS? Should I manually configure the kernel through pciutils? And if so, where should I look to configure it? I imagine I shouldn't alter the kernel.config file as it explicitly says so inside.

Thanks for all the help

skellr · Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2018 6:56 pm Post subject:

It's in the kernel config it's just in another area.
→ File systems → Pseudo filesystems → EFI Variable filesystem

micaldas · n00b Joined: 12 Mar 2018 Posts: 37

Thank you Skellr, I eventually found it.
I'm rebuilding now the kernel, will update when it's over.

djentoo · n00b Joined: 17 Oct 2017 Posts: 37

FAT is what you want for EFI. The output is telling you that the EFI stuff isn't in the boot location. From personal trial and error, I'd guess that you missed a step or followed the incorrect step for EFI. Try this: