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Charon795

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 55  

[SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

Hello everyone! I recently finished installing devuan linux and when I restart the system I get the following error: No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine.
I get this error when there is no flash drive
At what point in the installation did I make a mistake? Why does this error occur?

HelenSmith

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 18  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

It is hard to guess the reason.
You need to write down the detail of the steps of installation.

Maybe you did not install the iso in the pc/laptop, you chose to install the iso in the usb?

If you are using a desktop pc, maybe your pc button cell battery is out of power?

fsmithred

Administrator

Registered: 2016-11-25

Posts: 2,486  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

It sounds like you installed the bootloader to the flash drive instead of the internal hard drive or didn't install the bootloader at all.

Boot the system with the flash drive plugged in. Open a terminal and as root (or with sudo) run fdisk -l to see which drive is which. I assume this system uses legacy bios boot. If it's uefi, we need to talk more before you do anything else.

Then you can run grub-install and update-grub. Assuming that fdisk tells you that /dev/sda is your internal hard drive, run the following.

grub-install /dev/sda
update-grub

Change sda to whatever is really your first hard drive if it's not showing drives in the right order. Sometimes booting from usb results in a mis-match between what grub sees and what the kernel sees.

Then you should be able to reboot and start the system without the flash drive.

Charon795

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 55  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

It is hard to guess the reason.
You need to write down the detail of the steps of installation.

Maybe you did not install the iso in the pc/laptop, you chose to install the iso in the usb?

If you are using a desktop pc, maybe your pc button cell battery is out of power?

I downloaded the iso file and created a flash drive using the rufus program.
then I followed the instructions of the site devuan
https://www.devuan.org/os/documentation … s/live-gui

Charon795

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 55  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

It sounds like you installed the bootloader to the flash drive instead of the internal hard drive or didn't install the bootloader at all.

Boot the system with the flash drive plugged in. Open a terminal and as root (or with sudo) run fdisk -l to see which drive is which. I assume this system uses legacy bios boot. If it's uefi, we need to talk more before you do anything else.

Then you can run grub-install and update-grub. Assuming that fdisk tells you that /dev/sda is your internal hard drive, run the following.

grub-install /dev/sda
update-grub

Change sda to whatever is really your first hard drive if it's not showing drives in the right order. Sometimes booting from usb results in a mis-match between what grub sees and what the kernel sees.

Then you should be able to reboot and start the system without the flash drive.

As far as I remember, in gpared I created a 512 MB partition.
It was for the bootloader, as I understand it, that I created this section.
And yes, I did everything in uffi mode

Ps: I created a /dev/sda1 fat32 partition, 512 mb in size, with the boot, esp flag in /dev/sda (223 GB), i.e. not on a flash drive, but on a hard drive

Last edited by Charon795 (2023-08-25 11:53:03)

Andre4freedom

Member

Registered: 2017-11-15

Posts: 174  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

I encountered that problem when installing Daedalus on a UEFI-type computer that also has another linux (Mint) on another partition.
The same message at the first boot after successful installation
I could solve it by booting to linux mint and doing the grub-install and update-grub things from mint. That still has the os-prober enabled.
Afterwards I could boot Daedalus.
I then corrected the update-grub file to allow the os-prober again. All is fine now.

Charon795

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 55  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

I encountered that problem when installing Daedalus on a UEFI-type computer that also has another linux (Mint) on another partition.
The same message at the first boot after successful installation
I could solve it by booting to linux mint and doing the grub-install and update-grub things from mint. That still has the os-prober enabled.
Afterwards I could boot Daedalus.
I then corrected the update-grub file to allow the os-prober again. All is fine now.

I don’t have another OS .. Before that I had windows, but I cleaned all the partitions with it and then re-created 5 other partitions
I really seem to have a UFFI computer and given this factor, I installed devuan according to the instructions for UFFI

HelenSmith

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 18  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

Please try again.
Use another pc or smart phone to see the steps of installation guide, and install the iso again.
Please write down the details of the steps of installation.

I follow the below guide,
https://www.devuan.org/os/documentation … installing

diffrent from yours:
https://www.devuan.org/os/documentation … s/live-gui

You can check the bios, to see if there are any boot system.

Last edited by HelenSmith (2023-08-25 12:07:36)

ralph.ronnquist

Administrator

From: Battery Point, Tasmania, AUS

Registered: 2016-11-30

Posts: 1,251  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

@Charon795, which ISO file did you download? Does it have a filename?

Andre4freedom

Member

Registered: 2017-11-15

Posts: 174  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

One note concerning OS booting:
when you had a Windows on the system before installing linux, chances are high in your UEFI settings the "Secure Boot" option is enabled.
I suggest to disable Secure Boot. I only had the worst of all experiences with Secure Boot. (Thank you, Microsoft, grrmbllh!)

Charon795

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 55  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

One note concerning OS booting:
when you had a Windows on the system before installing linux, chances are high in your UEFI settings the "Secure Boot" option is enabled.
I suggest to disable Secure Boot. I only had the worst of all experiences with Secure Boot. (Thank you, Microsoft, grrmbllh!)

security boot disabled.

Charon795

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 55  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

@Charon795, which ISO file did you download? Does it have a filename?

Devuan_daedalus_5.0.0_amd64_dekstop-live

Last edited by Charon795 (2023-08-25 12:59:28)

Camtaf

Member

Registered: 2019-11-19

Posts: 436  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

Can't remember for sure, but one of the installations I did needed to be connected to the internet for the grub files to download & be installed - it may have been this one, but wouldn't harm trying.

Charon795

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 55  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

Please try again.
Use another pc or smart phone to see the steps of installation guide, and install the iso again.
Please write down the details of the steps of installation.

I follow the below guide,
https://www.devuan.org/os/documentation … installing

diffrent from yours:
https://www.devuan.org/os/documentation … s/live-gui

You can check the bios, to see if there are any boot system.

the link with the instruction that you threw off implies the installation of devuan linux through the "netinstaller" and "server" disks
I tried to install linux with them earlier, but nothing worked. I just didn't even get the installation screen

how i installed os:
1) I created a bootable flash drive using rufus
2) Started the computer via a flash drive in live mode.
3) ran the install devuan shortcut and got the following message:
the dekstop file "refractainstaller.dekstop" is in an insecure location and not marked as executable
pressed launch anyway.
4) the terminal opened, the message "this utility will install live usb to your had drive" appeared
5) a message appeared: EFi partition found at /dev/sda1
6) installation options: check boxes 1,3,5
7) started gparted. created 5 partitions /dev/sda. (top right is /devsda (223 GiB))
8) installed OS to /dev/sda5 (142 GiB)
9) chose another partition for /home
10) chose another partition for swap
11) SUMMARY:
retelling of points 5), 8), 9)
dekstop autologin will be disabled, console autologin will be disabled, UUIDS willl be used crypttab, /dev/mapped/name will be used fstab
pre-install scripts are enabled
post install scripts are enabled.
clicked on the button processed with the installation
12) Next, I entered geographic area, locales, Set the keyboard type, keyboard layout, Set special keys, Set an encryption passphrase,
13) Confirm the installation partition.
14) system installation started
15) Install bootloader.
  install otloader and finish the installation.
chroot: will be open an xtem in the chrooted installation for custom work.
/dev/sda1 should already be mounted to target/boot/efi/
continue: will proceed whether or not you have installed a bootloader. if not, you will need to have another way to boot this installation
abort: will exit the installer and abort the installation.
clicked install botloader.
  - setting up grub botloader.. please wait .
16) configure hostname and username
17) Refracta UFFI/BIOS installer.
installation comlete.
you may now reboot into new system.
remember to remove your installation media

Charon795

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 55  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

Can't remember for sure, but one of the installations I did needed to be connected to the internet for the grub files to download & be installed - it may have been this one, but wouldn't harm trying.

Connected the Internet, reinstalled OS - did not help.

Segfault

Member

Registered: 2017-02-10

Posts: 14  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

There is one step what may be failing, after UEFI GRUB is installed its EFI binary must be "introduced" to the EFI BIOS. If this step fails then you get this error. Presuming there are no other EFI binaries.
I'd boot from an external media and check if GRUB binary is present somewhere in ../boot/efi/. If it is then copying it to ../boot/efi/bootx64.efi will make your system bootable, this is the default location by UEFI standard and the executable there is found without registering it with UEFI BIOS beforehand.

P. S. You absolutely sure your computer has UEFI BIOS?

Last edited by Segfault (2023-08-25 13:50:53)

Charon795

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 55  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

There is one step what may be failing, after UEFI GRUB is installed its EFI binary must be "introduced" to the EFI BIOS. If this step fails then you get this error. Presuming there are no other EFI binaries.
I'd boot from an external media and check if GRUB binary is present somewhere in ../boot/efi/. If it is then copying it to ../boot/efi/bootx64.efi will make your system bootable, this is the default location by UEFI standard and the executable there is found without registering it with UEFI BIOS beforehand.

P. S. You absolutely sure your computer has UEFI BIOS?

Yes. even in the bios itself it is indicated

HelenSmith

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 18  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

Only guess:
Bios,
F2->General->Boot Sequence->Boot List Option->UEFI->save.

If there is a Windows OS in the pc/laptop, and you choose install only one system,
when install the linux iso, please choose erase the old windows system. (Back up all your files.)

I installed devuan_4.0.0_amd64_desktop.iso, and chose "All files in one partition".

P.S.
Using torrent file can quickly download the iso, and can choose the only one iso, you want to download.

Charon795

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 55  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

Only guess:
Bios,
F2->General->Boot Sequence->Boot List Option->UEFI->save.

If there is a Windows OS in the pc/laptop, and you choose install only one system,
when install the linux iso, please choose erase the old windows system. (Back up all your files.)

I installed devuan_4.0.0_amd64_desktop.iso, and chose "All files in one partition".

P.S.
Using torrent file can quickly download the iso, and can choose the only one iso, you want to download.

I checked. indicated by uffi.
windows is gone. I erased it with its sections.
I'll try to install via devuan_4.0.0_amd64_desktop.iso you mentioned
Can you please tell me with what program you used to create a bootable flash drive? If in rufus, did you specify the image recording through iso or did you specify dd?

HelenSmith

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 18  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

No,

please choose devuan_daedalus_5.0.0_amd64_desktop.iso.

I only say I installed devuan_4.0 years ago.

Rufus can work normally to create a bootable usb.
Now I use dd(linux) to create a bootable usb.

I do not know how to partition, so I choose  "All files in one partition".

Last edited by HelenSmith (2023-08-25 14:43:26)

Andre4freedom

Member

Registered: 2017-11-15

Posts: 174  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

Suggestion:
download the iso HelenSmith indicated
download the checksums and verify your downloaded iso
(sha256sum devuan_daedalus_5.0.0_amd64_desktop.iso)
then:
sudo dd if=devuan_daedalus_5.0.0_amd64_desktop.iso of=/dev/sdb ### (if that is your USB drive, verify it with lsblk, make sure its unmounted.)
be patient
reboot
follow the simplest procedure to install (select 1)
be sure which partition you want to use
as an example:
  - /dev/sda1 EFI (don't touch if its already there)
  - /dev/sda2 ext4, format it , it becomes root (/)
  - /dev/sda3 SWAP (twice memory size 8GB memory, make it 8-16 GB)
  - /dev/sda4 ext4, don't format it if you want to reuse userdata, (/home)
  - /dev/sda5 ext4, format it, could become /srv (/srv)

If you are sure of your choices, write the layout down to disk and continue your installation.

If it's to become a server, you can always remove unwanted software like libreoffice and whatever later, apt and synaptic do a very good job.
You might want to choose:
-  Devuan Destop environment
-  XFCE
-  web server
-  console productivity
-  ssh server
-  standard system utilities.

This shouldn't be that hard, the mentioned documentation is quite good.
The only critical thing may be the grub-install.
I mentioned it before, but if the new Devuan is the only OS ion your system, it should work, hopefully.
Good luck.

Andre4freedom

Member

Registered: 2017-11-15

Posts: 174  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

In the worst case you have to factory-reset your mainboard, redo the UEFI setup (disable secure boot), wipe the disks and install anew, from scratch. That almost always works.

Charon795

Member

Registered: 2023-08-25

Posts: 55  

Re: [SOLVED] No boot device. Press any key to reboot machine

good evening everyone.
in general, I tried to install devuan again, but not through live.iso, but through server iso.
As I wrote above, I had problems with server.iso, it gave an error about the absence of configuration files and then nothing happened
I decided to wait a while and to my surprise the error then disappeared and then the devuan installation window appeared!
I managed to install devuan as a result, only without a desktop (I did it on purpose)
Unfortunately, the original problem was never solved - it was not possible to install devuan through the "live" image, for unknown reasons.
Many thanks to everyone who responded so quickly and tried to help

Last edited by Charon795 (2023-08-25 15:37:32)