Debian – How to build a live Debian CD/USB in Windows, bootable in EFI mode

debianlivecdsystem-installationuefiwindows

I tried to install the latest stable Debian release (Debian 7.0 "Wheezy") using the Debian Multi-arch netinstall (AMD64) "debian-7.0.0-amd64-i386-netinst.iso" on my laptop. My laptop has a SecureCore Tianoâ„¢ firmware set to "UEFI only".

Due to specific requirements:

  • EFI only installation
  • GPT partition table
  • Encrypted LVMs

I encountered an issue/bug during the bootloader install step in expert mode: GRUB/default Debian installer bootloader installation failed.

I need to boot on a Debian live CD/USB in order to update/install GRUB EFI and repair the installed Debian system on the laptop (which currently miss a bootloader).

I build a Debian 7.0 Live CD with the "AMD64 rescue+non free" ISO but the live CD won't boot in UEFI only mode (where the regular Debian DVD install does).

Problem is: My second PC runs Windows 7 and I need to build a Live EFI friendly Debian CD/USB on that platform.

I used Pendrive Linux "Universal USB Installer" which can't build "EFI enabled" bootable USB (I experienced this issue previously with the Debian 7.0 "Wheezy" installer: no UEFI only boot).

I need to create a Debian Live on USB bootable in EFI mode, what tool/settings should I consider?

Best Answer

What do you want from that LiveCD? Maybe a DVD that boots for you is fine for that if it lends you a shell (try Ctrl-Alt-F2/F3/...) and provides the tools needed.

Try getting to the console, chrooting into the system installed (but lacking the bootloader) and running grub-install (with no additional arguments) by hand to see the error message. Did you mount ESP into /boot/efi/?

Rod's books page on the topic is also highly recommended.

How exactly did you write the ISO to the pendrive? dd(1) or a win32 equivalent like SUSE Image Writer should do fine.

Shameless plug: I have implemented UEFI support in ALT Linux, and if our regular builds work for you then I can probably translate/explain the relevant bits of mkimage-profiles documentation so you can prepare the derivative needed (or use it to prepare a bootable root so that you can work on your Debian installation with comfort). Didn't get around to testing wheezy's release UEFI behaviour but d-i beta4 had some troubles with bootloader installation as well.

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