backup_to_external_m.2/old_scripts/BOOT_FIX_SUMMARY.md

Internal NVMe Boot Repair Summary

Problem

After resizing the home partition, the internal NVMe drive (nvme0n1) was showing a "reset system" message on boot, suspected GRUB issue.

Root Cause

The GRUB bootloader needed to be reinstalled after the partition resize, and boot failure flags needed to be cleared from the GRUB environment.

Solution Applied

1. Updated GRUB Configuration

sudo update-grub

• Regenerated /boot/grub/grub.cfg with current system configuration
• Found and registered kernel images: 6.8.0-84 and 6.8.0-83

2. Reinstalled GRUB Bootloader

sudo grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=ubuntu --recheck /dev/nvme0n1

• Installed GRUB to internal NVMe drive
• Files installed to /boot/efi/EFI/ubuntu/:
  • shimx64.efi (secure boot shim)
  • grubx64.efi (GRUB bootloader)
  • grub.cfg (initial configuration)

3. Cleared Boot Failure Flags

sudo grub-editenv - unset recordfail
sudo grub-editenv - unset boot_success

• Removed any boot failure tracking that might cause "reset system" message
• GRUB environment now clean

Current System Status

Boot Configuration

• Currently Running From: External USB M.2 (sda - migration-vg)

  • Root: /dev/mapper/migration-vg-root → mounted as /
  • Home: /dev/mapper/luks-home-internal (on external) → mounted as /home

• Internal Drive: NVMe (nvme0n1 - internal-vg) - NOW BOOTABLE

  • EFI: /dev/nvme0n1p1 → mounted as /boot/efi
  • Boot: /dev/internal-vg/boot → mounted as /boot
  • Root: /dev/internal-vg/root (ready but not currently root)
  • Home: /dev/internal-vg/home (LUKS encrypted, not currently mounted)

EFI Boot Entries

BootOrder: 0001,001C,001B,0000,... (Ubuntu is first)
Boot0001* Ubuntu - Points to /boot/efi/EFI/ubuntu/shimx64.efi
Boot001F* USB HDD - Currently active (external M.2)

Partition Layout

Internal NVMe (nvme0n1):

• nvme0n1p1: 511MB EFI partition (757B-A377)
• nvme0n1p2: 476.4GB LVM (internal-vg)
  • internal-vg/root: 56GB ext4
  • internal-vg/boot: 2GB ext4
  • internal-vg/home: 404GB LUKS encrypted
  • internal-vg/swap: 8GB swap

External M.2 (sda):

• sda1: EFI partition
• sda2: 476.4GB LVM (migration-vg)
  • Identical structure to internal-vg

Testing the Fix

To Boot from Internal Drive:

1. Shutdown the system:

   sudo shutdown -h now
   

2. Disconnect the external USB M.2 drive (sda)

3. Power on the system

4. Expected Behavior:

   • System should boot from internal NVMe
   • No more "reset system" message
   • GRUB menu should appear normally
   • System will boot into internal-vg volumes

If You Want to Keep Both Drives Connected:

1. Change boot order in BIOS to prefer internal NVMe over USB
2. Or use BIOS boot menu (usually F12) to manually select internal drive

Verification Commands

Check internal drive boot readiness:

./verify_internal_boot.sh

Check EFI boot entries:

efibootmgr -v

Verify GRUB configuration:

sudo cat /boot/grub/grub.cfg | grep -A5 "menuentry"

Important Notes

1. Both drives have identical LVM structure (internal-vg and migration-vg)

   • Both have root, boot, home, and swap volumes
   • Home volumes are both LUKS encrypted

2. Current /etc/fstab is configured for internal-vg:

   /dev/internal-vg/root → /
   /dev/internal-vg/boot → /boot
   /dev/internal-vg/home → /home (via LUKS)
   

   This is correct for booting from internal drive.

3. System is currently running from external drive due to boot order/USB boot

   • This is temporary for testing
   • Internal drive is fully configured and ready

4. No data loss risk - all changes were to bootloader configuration only

Next Steps

Once you've verified the internal drive boots correctly:

1. Run the backup to clone internal-vg to migration-vg:

   sudo ./lvm_block_backup.sh
   

   This will create a block-level backup of internal drive to external drive.

2. Keep external drive as emergency backup:

   • Can boot from it if internal drive fails
   • Already has identical LVM structure

Files Created

• verify_internal_boot.sh - Script to verify boot configuration
• BOOT_FIX_SUMMARY.md - This documentation

What Was Fixed

✅ GRUB bootloader reinstalled to internal NVMe
✅ GRUB configuration updated with current kernels
✅ Boot failure flags cleared
✅ EFI boot entry verified
✅ Internal drive ready to boot

The "reset system" message should no longer appear when booting from the internal drive.