[ SOLVED ] NUC Install Issues - nvme pcie drive

[Wirezfree]

Well the NUC install complete.
- Triple Booting LL ~ Linux Mint ~ Win7
- Just need to wait for a BIOS update to solve Infra-red issue in Win7

Will hand it over to my friend, I think he owes me one...
I'm amazed at the boot up speed, I guess the M.2 AHCI disk is a significant part of that.
From the Grub selection to the LL Desktop is about @ 6secs.


Thanks to everybody who helped.

[Wirezfree]

Hi,

To finish this build of for my friend, I now want to clarify something... Before I break it
If I now try to install Linux Mint, with the "something else" option,
Select the relevant / and /home partitions, and then select /dev/sda for bootloader
Will this now also add Mint to Grub..?? or will I end up with just Mint..??
I'm sure I read that LL was different in that respect when you install it,
and it recognised other OS's, and it created/updated the Grub.


Thanks...

[Wirezfree]

So the story do far,

The "NVME" version of the drive was a "no go", friend returned it and got the "AHCI" version, and "Oh NO", this did not work.
At this stage I'm thinking could it possibly be a hardware issue with the M.2 slot on the motherboard..??
So there was one last option, use an M.2 version of a SATA SSD, so I got got one, on a return basis from a local supplier.

Guess what, It also would not work  At this point, it really did look like it was a Hardware issue,

I had one last Google around, and found what was exactly the same issue on the Intel Site,
NUC5i7 trying to install in Legacy Mode, posted 21st Nov.
Quickly read down the thread, the poster tried an older BIOS, and it worked.

I quickly downloaded the older BIOS and flashed the NUC.........
I booted Win7 installer from USB stick, and guess what, I also could install Win7
I then booted my LL USB installer, installed that, and guess what, It ran

So the NUC is now dual booting Win7 & LL2.6 on the M.2 SATA SSD.

Then on the above Intel Thread, an Intel person posted on the 24th Nov.

This issue has been reproduced and the engineering team is working on a fix. For now go back to the earlier BIOS. Thank you for all the information.

So what next..??,
Do I now take a chance on trying it again on the AHCI version,
I can see on the original posters screen shot the model number is the AHCI version, so it should work.?, I've posted the question on the thread.

Also, my friend wanted Linux Mint,
Not sure how to add that now, given I put LL on it first in my rush to see if it would work

So the moral of this story,
Don't give up, and don't assume the latest BIOS is always good ..!!!
.

[gold_finger]

Good job finding the error.  I was in a rush when I typed that out and somehow slipped my mind to put in the "--".  Duh!  (I've typed those instructions sooo many times for people I can't believe I left that off.)  Sorry.

I'm going to have 1 last go at clearing all partition, and installing just LL
If this fails, I will get my friend to RMA/Swap the drive.

If the Win 7 version you have is a 64-bit retail copy (not an OEM version), I believe you can install that in UEFI mode.  You may want to try installing both Windows and LL in UEFI mode instead.  As I'm sure you're already aware of, you'll need to follow m654321's tutorial for the LL install.  Use GParted from live LL to wipe out drive; then create new GPT partition table on it before trying to install anything.  It must be using GPT partitions to install either OS in UEFI mode.  Check Windows 7 forums for info on installing in that mode, but I think once it sees a GPT partition table it may automatically know to install that way.  (That's just a guess, so please confirm on their forums.)

The question is then,
Go for the "AHCI" version of this drive, or just a standard M.2 SATA SSD

I'm pretty clueless when it comes to SSDs -- I don't have one myself and haven't spent any time learning about them.

[Wirezfree]

Hi,

Many thanks for all your effort... very much appreciated...

I figured out the the why the command failed, when looking for the error I found there was a subtle difference in what you had:

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sudo grub-install boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda
vs

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sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda
withe extra -- in front of the boot , it then ran O.K, did the sudo umount /mnt and re-booted
Same error, but with a minor difference.

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"error attempting to Read/Write outside of disk" "HD1"
the "hd changed to 1 from 0

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"error attempting to Read/Write outside of disk" "HD0"


I'm going to have 1 last go at clearing all partition, and installing just LL
If this fails, I will get my friend to RMA/Swap the drive.

The question is then,
Go for the "AHCI" version of this drive, or just a standard M.2 SATA SSD

Thanks again

[gold_finger]

Unfortunately Wirezfree,

You're the second person who's system has me stumped today.  I'm not sure why installing to /dev/sda didn't work and really have no idea where to go from here.  Sorry.

[Wirezfree]

Hi,

Something with commands..?
1st O.K, then 2nd errors.?

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it@it:~$ sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1p3 /mnt
it@it:~$ sudo grub-install boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda
grub-install: error: More than one install device?.
it@it:~$


[gold_finger]

Yes -- change boot order of drive and run code shown to install to its MBR.  Then reboot and see if grub can boot computer from there.


If we're lucky, LL will finally boot.  If Windows doesn't show as a boot choice, then run "sudo update-grub" once booted into installed LL to add it to the menu.  (Don't run update-grub along with other code in this case because that won't work.)


If computer still won't boot Linux, then change boot priority back to new drive so Windows works again (assuming it doesn't when booting from regular HDD).

[Wirezfree]

Hi,

Many thanks...
So to be clear, go into BIOS, move regular disk to top of list?

Then follow your commands you listed, there is no need to do

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sudo update-grubat any point..??

It will still know where the Win7 install is..??

[Wirezfree]

Hi,

Many Thanks.... Noted on trying Ubuntu Forum.
Here is the output for point 4 , I did 2 variants:

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it@it:~$ ls -l /dev/nvme*n1
brw-rw---- 1 root disk 259, 0 Nov 24 06:47 /dev/nvme0n1

it@it:~$ ls -l /dev/nvme*
crw------- 1 root root  10, 57 Nov 24 06:47 /dev/nvme0
brw-rw---- 1 root disk 259,  0 Nov 24 06:47 /dev/nvme0n1
brw-rw---- 1 root disk 259,  1 Nov 24 06:47 /dev/nvme0n1p1
brw-rw---- 1 root disk 259,  2 Nov 24 06:47 /dev/nvme0n1p2
brw-rw---- 1 root disk 259,  3 Nov 24 06:47 /dev/nvme0n1p3
brw-rw---- 1 root disk 259,  4 Nov 24 06:47 /dev/nvme0n1p4
brw-rw---- 1 root disk 259,  5 Nov 24 06:47 /dev/nvme0n1p5


[gold_finger]

One final thought:

Can you set the boot priority to boot from the standard HDD first instead of the new drive?  If so, maybe try installing grub to MBR on that drive and see if it makes any difference trying to boot from there.

Boot live LL dvd/usb and do following in a terminal:

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sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1p3 /mnt
sudo grub-install boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda
sudo umount /mnt
Reboot without dvd/usb and with boot priority set to regular hard drive in first position.

If doesn't work, undo the edits to /etc/default/grub made according to my prior post, (run "update-grub" after re-edit, while in chroot); then try rebooting again.

If it works then at least you'll have a solution that makes computer usable.  Can keep it like that until find solution to booting with grub on MBR of new drive.  Only thing that's happening is the very initial grub boot stage is on MBR of standard drive and passes boot process on to root partition on new drive after that -- so I doubt whole boot process will be significantly different than if it started from MBR of new drive.

[gold_finger]

It does appear that everything checks out and that there is a kernel driver for it built-in.

Re: #4, use command "ls -l" in place of "ll".  Redhat Linux must have "ll" aliased to "ls -l" and Linux Lite doesn't.


I'm fresh out of ideas, but looks to me like drive should work.  Best bet would be to post question on Ubuntu forums.  Many more users on that forum and more likely that people there have tackled this problem before.

[Wirezfree]

@gold_finger

Thanks for all your help, unfortunately still the same issue. 
I had found the following "Intel nvme page" , and followed the check points, apart from point 4 , it all seemed to check out..??
I did this before your suggestions.
I think the clue maybe in the fact that whilst everything "appears" to checkout..??
If you look in "DISKS", the nvme drive is "not" in the disk section, it appears under "Other devices", see screenshot in an earlier post I dis.


Results from doing the checks on Intel Page:


1.)

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03:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd Device a802 (rev 01)


it@it:~$ lsblk
NAME        MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda           8:0    0 931.5G  0 disk
├─sda1        8:1    0    50G  0 part
├─sda2        8:2    0    20G  0 part
├─sda3        8:3    0    20G  0 part
├─sda4        8:4    0     1K  0 part
└─sda5        8:5    0   820G  0 part
sdb               8:16   1   7.5G  0 disk
└─sdb1        8:17   1   7.5G  0 part /cdrom
loop0            7:0    0 747.6M  1 loop /rofs
nvme0n1     259:0    0 119.2G  0 disk
├─nvme0n1p1 259:1    0    50G  0 part
├─nvme0n1p2 259:2    0    20G  0 part
├─nvme0n1p3 259:3    0    20G  0 part
├─nvme0n1p4 259:4    0       1K  0 part
└─nvme0n1p5 259:5    0    17G  0 part
it@it:~$

2.)

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it@it:~$ modinfo nvme
filename:         /lib/modules/3.13.0-62-generic/kernel/drivers/block/nvme.ko
version:           0.8
license:            GPL
author:            Matthew Wilcox <[email protected]>
srcversion:     56D1A65BFAFAC90F460C031
alias:                 pci:v*d*sv*sd*bc01sc08i02*
depends:       
intree:               Y
vermagic:         3.13.0-62-generic SMP mod_unload modversions
signer:               Magrathea: Glacier signing key
sig_key:              E0:7C:FC:BE:E8:34:59:BA:45:54:3D:39:B2:C2:A5:78:75:74:50:01
sig_hashalgo:  sha512
parm:                 shutdown_timeout:timeout in seconds for controller shutdown (byte)
parm:                 nvme_major:int
parm:                 use_threaded_interrupts:int
it@it:~$

3.)

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it@it:~$  lsmod | grep nvm
nvme                   58970  0
it@it:~$

4.)

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$ ll /dev/nvme*n1
>> command not found

5.)

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it@it:~$ sudo hdparm -tT --direct /dev/nvme0n1
/dev/nvme0n1:
 Timing O_DIRECT cached reads:     2118 MB in  2.00 seconds = 1058.31 MB/sec
 Timing O_DIRECT disk reads:         3736 MB in  3.00 seconds = 1244.85 MB/sec
it@it:~$

[gold_finger]

So if I understand correctly the grub.conf is pointing by UUID to the partition /dev/nvme0n1p3
The thread firenice03 and myself found seem to imply that pointing directly to the root boot device,
where the grub is /dev/nvme0n1 instead of the UUID for the LL partition is, may solve it..??

I doubt that will help.  That's the MBR of the disk, so just like pointing to /dev/sda if it were regular disk.  On boot-up (in Legacy mode on MBR disks), the MBR of drive only holds first stage boot loader which then points to rest of boot code on root partition (in this case) to finish booting process.  The boot code on root partition is what needs to be specified in grub.conf.

Having exhausted all my options, a final google led me to this: NVM Express Disk Driver
It's in a Ubuntu 14.04 Man page, but seems to be linked to BSD.
Not sure if it's valid, or usable..??

I have absolutely no idea how to compile a kernel 

But there is also a "load the driver as module at boot time",, however,
I don't seem to be able to find the loader.conf file , should I have one..??
or is there another way to do this with LL..??

any advice greatly received

I'm not sure if this will work, but might as well give it a try.

Boot with live LL dvd/usb and open a terminal.

Mount the root partition on installed disk to live environment

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sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1p3 /mnt
for i in /dev /dev/pts /proc /sys; do sudo mount -B $i /mnt$i; done
Chroot into installed system

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sudo chroot /mnt
Open grub file with nano.  (When chrooted into system you're operating as root, so no need to precede commands with "sudo".  Just enter commands as written below.)

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nano /etc/default/grub
Use arrow keys to navigate to this line

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GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
Change it to read as

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GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nvme_load=YES nvd_load=YES"
Hit Ctrl+O to "Write Out"/(Save changes); then Ctrl+X to exit nano and get back to terminal prompt.

Now update grub

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update-grub
Exit out of chroot

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exit
Unmount everything

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for i in /sys /proc /dev/pts /dev; do sudo umount /mnt$i; done
sudo umount /mnt
Reboot (without live dvd/usb), cross your fingers and hopefully that worked.

[Wirezfree]

@Jerry

Having exhausted all my options, a final google led me to this: NVM Express Disk Driver
It's in a Ubuntu 14.04 Man page, but seems to be linked to BSD.
Not sure if it's valid, or usable..??

I have absolutely no idea how to compile a kernel 

But there is also a "load the driver as module at boot time",, however,
I don't seem to be able to find the loader.conf file , should I have one..??
or is there another way to do this with LL..??

any advice greatly received