Computer does not boot after changing hdd and reverting back

1) I have an existing HDD in my computer that dual boots linux and windows using the traditional bios way.

2) I then took out the existing HDD and swap in a new HDD to install linux on it with uefi. It boots and reboots fine.

3) I took out the new HDD with uefi linux and put back the old HDD with bios dual boot. Old HDD boots fine.

4) I swap the old HDD with the new HDD that has uefi linux on it and it refuses to boot.

Any ideas on what could be the problem and how to solve it?

bootloader is grub for both HDD

shawn

Posted 2015-05-25T10:38:49.260

Reputation: 93

Do you have UEFI enabled when you swap in the HDD with linux? If so have you checked the boot order in bios to see if there is an option to UEFI boot to grub? What exactly happens when you say the computer refuses to boot? – Dan Griffin – 2015-05-28T14:48:38.827

2It sounds like your BIOS/UEFI is modifying its parameters as a function of the boot media and getting confused, Please add screenshots of its boot info after steps 2 and 3. Use your camera if no other choice. – harrymc – 2015-05-28T16:03:16.513

Answers

This sounds like a boot order issue, each time the hard drive is swapped the boot order will have to be changed in bios. UEFI entries in bios are separate from Legacy hard disks in the bios boot order. Each time you disconnect the UEFI disk and replace it with the legacy disk its entry will be deleted from the boot order.

After installing the UEFI disk you should go into the bios settings and set the first boot option not to hard disk 1, but instead to the UEFI bootloader(grub) that is on the EFI partition of hard disk 1. Unfortunately this process varies greatly due to poor UEFI implementations on most motherboards so I cannot provide you specific instructions on how to accomplish this.

Dan Griffin

Posted 2015-05-25T10:38:49.260

Reputation: 333

For some additional background information, see http://superuser.com/questions/771037/two-windows-8-installations-on-separate-hard-drives-failure-to-boot

– Rod Smith – 2015-05-28T20:06:27.813

I agree with this suggestion. I didn't catch that both drives were installed using different UEFI/Legacy settings. They need to be the same if you expect them to boot as you swap them. Otherwise you'll have to swap the BIOS settings every time. Either way there have been comments and questions that you haven't answered. ie: What exactly happens when you boot? (Do you get the GRUB on both? or no?) Submitting a photo of your BIOS settings could get you some specific directions/steps since, almost, every MOBO/BIOS has a different setup. – BiTinerary – 2015-06-01T14:25:02.730

Ok, I believe it is as Dan Griffin said, because if I copy the existing .efi file to EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.efi in the new HDD, it works but I couldn't find a way to add the entry back in the bios. I am using american megatrends uefi firmware. @BiTinerary: I can get grub on the old HDD but not on the new one after the swap/revert is made. Can't get a screenshot at the moment... – shawn – 2015-06-02T06:38:09.100

Good on ya for being informed on UEFI. What version of Windows are you using? Win8 correct?

~ Do you get a GRUB bootloader, at least, on the second new drive?

If yes, you may just need a simple, default, Win startup repair to reevaluate the Windows boot sectors (beginning and ending) after a Linux installation. Additionally, "Linux" doesn't always play well with UEFI nor detect GPT partitioning.

~ ~~When you swapped between the two drives, did you use the same SATA port each time? ie: Port 0,1,2,3 as labelled on the MOBO?~~

BiTinerary

Posted 2015-05-25T10:38:49.260

Reputation: 1 141

Grub is installed on both drives because they are used exclusively(i.e. when 1 is used the other is not).

The problem is not the disk with the windows dual boot installed but the disk with only linux installed.

Exact same sata port is used each time.

Additionally, I suspect that secure boot might play a part in this due to hardware changing and reverting back. – shawn – 2015-05-26T06:12:44.720