SSD Not Booting in Dual-Boot Linux Installation: No Bootable Device, UEFI Boot Mode

Title: Dual Boot Linux Installation: No Bootable Device, UEFI Boot Mode

Introduction

This article provides a detailed guide on how to install Linux as a second operating system alongside Windows 11, focusing on cases where you encounter issues such as "No Bootable Device" during the Linux installation process, especially when using UEFI boot mode.

Prerequisites

• A system with Windows 11 installed on an SSD
• A new partition created on the same SSD for Linux installation
• UEFI boot mode enabled

Partitioning the Disk

1. Boot from a Linux Live USB or DVD.
2. Open GParted, a popular partitioning tool, and ensure your SSD is correctly identified.
3. Create a new partition for Linux. Ensure it is formatted with a Linux-compatible file system, such as ext4 or swap.

Installing Linux

1. From the Linux Live environment, open a terminal.
2. Identify your SSD. You can use the lsblk command to list all storage devices and partitions.

lsblk

3. Install GRUB, the bootloader, to the EFI system partition. Replace /dev/sda with your SSD's device identifier.

sudo grub-install --force --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=grub_uefi

4. Create a configuration file for GRUB.

sudo nano /boot/efi/EFI/grub_uefi/grub.cfg

5. Add the necessary GRUB entries for your Linux kernel and system.

set timeout=5
menuentry 'Linux' {
    linux /vmlinuz-<kernel version> root=UUID=<UUID of root partition> ro
    initrd /initrd.img-<kernel version>
}

6. Save and close the file.
7. Reboot your system.

Troubleshooting: No Bootable Device

If you encounter the "No Bootable Device" error, it might be due to the boot order in the UEFI settings.

1. Restart your computer and enter the UEFI settings.
2. Look for a boot order or boot priority setting and ensure your SSD is set as the first boot device.
3. Save and exit the UEFI settings.
4. Reboot your system.

References

• GParted
• GRUB Manual
• Linux Installation Guide
• Windows 11 System Requirements