ERROR "\EFI\boot\" and "\EFI\ubuntu\" not found

Hi. I'm very new to Linux and Zorin so bare with me please.

Whenever I boot up my system I get like 2 minutes of a black screen with a dash in it then flashes 2 errors about the boot files not being found for like a second before logging into the os.

The files/folders are actually there on "computer/boot/efi/EFI/" so they do in fact exist.

So I don't know what it's happening,
I've tried doing a clean install 2 time already.

General information:

  1. I've only got Zorin os installed, Windows is no longer in my system.
  2. I've setup my installation media through Rufus. (BalenaEtcher didnt wanna work)
  3. I've booted zorin installation media (USB) from bios. [I've read that installing from EFI instead of bios helped but idk what is that]
  4. I've installed zorin selecting the "modern Nvidia drivers" option. (570-Metapack is the one installed from default for my 1050ti)
  5. Related Specs:
    Mobo: Intel DH61CR (has UEFI, doesn't support secure boot).
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As I found out this seems to appear on older machines that support uefi but not secure boot. It should disappear with this commands, but please wait until a moderator confirms this solution, I am not sure.

"sudo grub-install --no-uefi-secure-boot /dev/sda"

"sudo update-grub"

and then reboot. Please replace /dev/sda with your drive with Zorin. This could also be /dev/sdb or /dev/sdc if you have more than one drive or /dev/nvme0n1 if you use a nvme

I have 3 partitions
SDA1 is 1M
SDA2 is 513M and says mountpoints: /boot/efi/
And SDA3 which is 465.3G

So I'm assuming I have to replace it with SDA2.

I must say that I found this while scouring for solutions and tried it with no success but still I will post results after trying.

Thanks for the fast reply

No, not partitions but the entire disk. If you have only one drive in your computer and it is a hdd or normal ssd then set /dev/sda there.

Ok so good news and bad news

Which ones you want first?
...
You there? Hello?

Nah I'm just messing with you trying to lighten the mood for what is coming.

So, good news: I no longer get the boot and EFI not found errors.
Edit: thank you If it weren't for you I wouldn't found that I had to select the entire ssd

Bad news: now I get 3 different errors.

  1. No server is specified
  2. No suitable video mode found
  3. No video mode activated

I'm sorry about that. I advised you to wait until someone more experienced could say something about it. It's better to be careful with grub commands. Unfortunately, I can't help you right now.
I don't want to write something wrong.

Were you able to use your operating system normally earlier and the error message only appeared when booting?

How is it now? Does Zorin start normally after this errors and can you log in? Probably not..

When you create the Zorin bootstick with rufus, it is important to set the partition scheme to GPT if your BIOS is set to UEFI, and to MBR if your BIOS is set to legacy.

Welcome to the Forum!

Based on Your initial Comment, I would ask a couple of Questions:

  • Is Fast Boot in BIOS disabled?
  • Is Your BIOS in UEFI or Legacy Mode (You should find that somewhere in the BIOS)? You wrote that it ''has UEFI'', but does that mean that it runs in UEFI?
  • You used Rufus which is a good Tool. What Partition Sheme Option did You have chosen? For UEFI BIOS GPT would be good, for Legacy BIOS MBR. You can set it up here:
  • Right now I'm not able to boot into bios because it doesn't register my key presses.
  • it has UEFI enabled indeed
  • I don't remember which one I chose but will try that solution

This part confuses me.

Keyboard function at that screen is managed by the BIOS, not by Zorin OS.
The Zorin OS Kernel has not yet loaded at that point. Were it the Zorin OS kernel, the keyboard would work until reaching the GDM Login screen, then stop working.

@Aravisian Is it possible to undo the command with

„sudo grub-install --uefi-secure-boot /dev/sda“
(or only "sudo grub-install /dev/sda")
„sudo update-grub“

But with no BIOS I don't know how. Then a usb live stick with Zorin can't get started and also no boot repair is possible.

As it is not a destructive command, there is no "undo" command for it. Instead, if you need a different manner of install, you would just run that command, instead.

If you installed to the wrong drive; to undo it you would just remove the grub files (However you want to... using the GUI file manager or the terminal...)

Do you know why this happened? I found this solution in many threads and I didn't expect the system to fail as a result. I'm really blaming myself right now.

The command you posted did not break anything.

What I am seeing in this thread points very strongly toward Drive Corruption - Likely Bad Sectors.

Grub was corrupted; which the command you provided solved those specific errors - but now

This shows broken files in root and boot.

@Gnorkq , have you run a S.M.A.R.T. (test) on the drive?

If you get a lot of bad sectors - a Fresh Reinstall of the OS (after backing up files) would be the best way to go.

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Now I'm relieved! But that sounds like a more serious problem...I can't help here.

I just now saw this from the O.P.

Hmmm...
Definitely Test The Drive.

I'm gonna look into the S.M.A.R.T test

And post results

RESULTS
$ sudo smartctl -l selftest /dev/sda
smartctl 7.2 2020-12-30 r5155 [x86_64-linux-6.8.0-64-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-20, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error

1 Extended offline Completed without error 00% 16217 -

2 Short offline Completed without error 00% 16217 -

3 Extended offline Completed without error 00% 16217 -

4 Short offline Completed without error 00% 16217 -

$ sudo smartctl -H /dev/sda
smartctl 7.2 2020-12-30 r5155 [x86_64-linux-6.8.0-64-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-20, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED


Apparently there is nothing wrong with the SSD

The situation right now:

  • I cannot access bios (tried spamming F2 multiple times)
  • Zorin won't boot up (black screen forever) if USB installation media is plugged in
  • (if USB not plugged in) Zorin will boot up after 2 minutes of black screen
  • Same 3 errors mentioned last time still appear

Zorin OS is bare metal install?

I don't know what you mean,

But if you meant that Zorin as is, then yes.
I didn't add of modify anything

Update:
Managed to get in the bios by taking out the CMOS battery.

  1. Fast boot - general optimization was enabled (now disabled)
  2. UEFI Boot - enabled
  3. USB boot - disabled (I think that's only needed if OS is installed directly into the USB stick)
  4. Boot USB first - disabled

Formated the USB and flashed it once again (this time BalenaEtcher worked)

Hopefully this fixes it,
Will post results soon

Ps. Thanks to the both of you for offering your help, stay tuned

UPDATE:
Back to the first set of error.
Could this be GRUB's fault, could I uninstall it/disable it? Either way there is just Zorin os installed, no dual boot whatsoever

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