Tried everything, install won't work if it installs at all

[tzwcfq]

@SteveC

Before I get to your last post, I spotted this in one of your lists of directions. I strongly suspect that that last file name should be bootx64.cfg not boox64.cfg.

You’re right, it should be bootx64.cfg, I’ve copy-pasted and didn’t recheck.

@SteveC

Is there a particular reason to be renaming the grub files to boot files? Could we just tell the boot manager to use the grub files?

Check the link to stackexchange from this post:

Install whole system to an external SSD

I think you can use UEFI fallback bootloader path EFI\boot\bootx64.efi: By copying files from qubes to boot directory and renaming them.

@SteveC

i tried relabeling some of the entries in the efi boot manager, but relabeling wouldn’t take for some reason (unless you do something else other than "efibootmgr -v -b 000C -L Ubuntu [just to get ubuntu capitalized].

I think you can only set label when you create entry and can’t change it after this. You can delete old entry and create same entry with new label.

@SteveC

OK to recap: Once the DD is done, I’ll try putting the SSD into the efibootmgr list, making it second in the order. I’ll increase the delay, too (I already have). If it works, great…I boot into it and move those files. If I understand correctly that should be a permanent fix. If it doesn’t work I’ll experiment with recovering the old installation though it’s too doggone big to move permanently (so maybe it’s just as well it went non-bootable).

Yes, these should be the right steps.

@SteveC

Part of the reason I have been so frustrated with this menu is two totally different options are both labeled UEFI OS and only the latter of the two apparently would actually DO something. Ideally the one named Ubuntu would be called Ubuntu Grub (meaning it presents a menu) and the second one named UEFI OS would be labeled Ubuntu. But I can’t figure out how to change the labels, -b 000C -L doesn’t change it.

You can try to first create new entry the same as “ubuntu” but with changed label to “Ubuntu Grub” for example and check if it works. If it works then delete old entry.