Temporarily Forcing EFI Unbootable Restore in Linux on Windows Server
In some cases, you may need to restore a Windows Server's boot disk using an exact sector copy of the boot disk to another disk. However, if the server's BIOS or UEFI settings are not configured correctly, you may encounter issues booting the server. This article will cover the steps to temporarily force EFI unbootable restore in Linux on a Windows Server.
Prerequisites
- A Linux distribution installed on a separate disk or USB drive
- Access to the Windows Server's BIOS or UEFI settings
- An exact sector copy of the boot disk
Steps to Temporarily Force EFI Unbootable Restore
The following steps will guide you through the process of temporarily forcing EFI unbootable restore in Linux on a Windows Server:
- Boot the Linux distribution and open the terminal.
- Identify the disk containing the exact sector copy of the boot disk. You can use the
lsblkcommand to list all available disks:
```bash
$ lsblk
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda 8:0 0 931.5G 0 disk
├─sda1 8:1 0 500M 0 part /boot/efi
├─sda2 8:2 0 16G 0 part [SWAP]
└─sda3 8:3 0 915G 0 part /
sdb 8:16 0 931.5G 0 disk
└─sdb1 8:17 0 931.5G 0 part
sdc 8:32 1 29.8G 0 disk
└─sdc1 8:33 1 29.8G 0 part /mnt
```
- In this example, the exact sector copy of the boot disk is located on
/dev/sdband the target disk is/dev/sdc. - Before proceeding, ensure that you have a backup of any important data on the target disk.
- Use the
ddcommand to perform the exact sector copy:
```bash
$ sudo dd if=/dev/sdb of=/dev/sdc bs=4M status=progress oflag=sync
```
- Once the copy is complete, reboot the server and access the BIOS or UEFI settings.
- Change the boot order to boot from the target disk (
/dev/sdcin this example). - Save the changes and exit the BIOS or UEFI settings.
- The server should now boot from the target disk with the exact sector copy of the boot disk.
References
- dd man page
- How to Access Your Firmware Settings and Change the Boot Order on Any Computer
- How to create an exact disk image with dd
Note: The above references are provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered an endorsement of any product or service.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional advice or guidance. Always consult with a qualified professional before performing any critical operations on a Windows Server.