[SOLVED] How Do You Create an EFI File System

[alphagenius]

I am installing Kubuntu 19.10 to a Macbook Pro. I want to completely replace macOS with Kubuntu. I have booted from a DVD in which I burned the ISO. I go through the installer, and get to the part where I am to decide about the partitions. I select the option to use the entire disk. When I click on install now, I get a message box that says the following:

No EFI System Partition was found. This system will likely no be able to boot successfully and the installation process may fail. Please go back and add an EFI System Partition or continue at your own risk.

When I click on go back, I go to a screen where I am able to prepare partitions. I am not sure what to do at this point. I normally let the installer do this part automatically but I do not have that option this time. I could really use some help so that I do not screw anything up. I do not just want to guess or experiment with option to see what will finally work. The screen that I am on, shows my current partitions. I have the following partitions:

/dev/sda

free space 1 MB

/dev/sda1 biosgrub 1 MB

/dev/sda2 ext4 320 GB

free space 0 MB

Also,not sure if this matters, but under where it says boot loader, the setting for “device for boot loader installations” is set to“/dev/sda.

[Don B. Cilly]

Filesystem for EFI is FAT32.
So make three partitions.
- 1, FAT32, some 100 MB - or less, but these days, 100 MB...
- 2, EXT4 or whatever you prefer, like BTRFS, for Kubuntu.
- 3. Linux Swap, for the swap. Being a laptop, you need it to hibernate (it's winter ;·)

The swap one, about the size of your RAM + 10-20% tip.
The Kubuntu one, whatever space is left.

/dev/sda seems to be the only disk you have, so it' just fine.

If the installer complains about the EFI partition not having the ESP (EFI System Partition, not Extra Sensorial Perception ;·) flag, you can
- Ignore it. It should be fine.
- Get gparted and set it. (KDE partition manager didn't have that option last time I checked).

[jglen490]

This is why I prefer to always use "Something else"! Once you are at the screen, your disk(s) should be displayed with whatever filesystem may be present. On a clean, first install (not a re-install or upgrade) of a drive (new or old), I'll wipe any partitions that currently exist. If you want to go to EFI, click in the drive and select for a new partition table - use GPT. Then start making your partitions and their respective filesystems. If you are going EFI, make the first partition (sda1, probably) no more than 500MB (in most cases 100MB is overkill, and select EFI (or ESP) as the filesystem. This will automatically set the boot flags, the fat32 filesystem, and all the other stuff needed to make an ESP (EFI partition). Then you build you other partitions for /, /home. etc. Typically as ext4 with sizes appropriate for your system. Often, /will be about 20 - 30GB, /Home 75 - 100GB, then if you want a SWAP partition about equal to your RAM. There are many here who are in love with BTRFS, and that's fine - I won't take up for or fight that battle anymore.

The actual sizes will depend on how big your disk is and what you intended to do with your system once it's running.

The big deal here is where to put Grub boot files. With an ESP (i.e., /dev/sda1), tell the installer to put them in the ESP (i.e., /dev/sda1). The default is /dev/sda, which is the MBR. The MBR is not a problem, but it defeats the whole idea of having an EFI partition and making use of the great flexibility of the GPT partitioning table. So do not accept the default.

[oshunluvr]

The specific answer to the question in the post title is:

0. Create a GPT partition table on the blank drive.
1. Create a partition at the beginning of the hard drive (partition 1) of a size of 100mb.
2. Set the partition type as "EF00".
3. Format the partition as FAT32.

To do the above, you will need to be running from a bootable LiveUSB. Then run the installer and it will find and use the EFI partition.

It's been awhile since I've done a full bare-metal install, but I think if you have a non-partitioned new drive, the installer still defaults to MBR and won't use EFI by default, at least that's how it works in VirtualBox.

EDIT: It appears "Guided" install will wipe the drive and use MBR by default. You would have to use "Manual" set up in the installer and set the EFI partition as "Reserved Boot Area" or something like that.

[jglen490]

If you use the "Something else" install option, there is no need to pre-setup partitioning before starting the installer. Selecting an EFI partition only requires the selection of size. The installer takes care of correct flags, filesystem, etc. At least that's the way it was in 16.04LTS and 18.04LTS.

I have not used the "guided option" in a very long time. To me it's, not very intuitive and tends to take the user in a direction that may not be best for the user, but may be O.K. for the OS, and is at best an uncomfortable compromise.

[GreyGeek]

It also might be worth your time to wait until Focal 20.04 (LTS) comes out, or install it now using the alpha release. It is, on my Acer, very stable, fast and beautiful.

[oshunluvr]

If you use the "Something else" install option, there is no need to pre-setup partitioning before starting the installer. Selecting an EFI partition only requires the selection of size. The installer takes care of correct flags, filesystem, etc. At least that's the way it was in 16.04LTS and 18.04LTS.

I have not used the "guided option" in a very long time. To me it's, not very intuitive and tends to take the user in a direction that may not be best for the user, but may be O.K. for the OS, and is at best an uncomfortable compromise.

Fair advice. I stopped letting Ubiquity attempt partitioning years ago because it always seemed to crash. I'm sure it's better now...

[jglen490]

"At any given time ..." stuff can happen

But the installer has gotten better, in my experience on Kubuntu, and on others of the Ubuntu-related distros (I play with Mint from time to time on my playground laptop).

[sithlord48]

I've never let the installer make partitions unless I am installing in a VM. I'm pretty sure most of us do this because the default doesn't create a /home partition.

[claydoh]

I believe I may have never NOT used the built-in partitioning tool, at least not for a number of years.
tbh, for my last install (Neon), I cannot remember if I had to set up gpt on my new nvme drive before running the installer. I had to jump through a couple of bios and grub hoops before the drive/controller would even be recognized and usable, so I did lose some of my remaining hair that day.

[alphagenius]

I created the partitions as was suggested, although I did change the amount allocated for them, but otherwise, Kubuntu installed and is working great. Thank you everyone for your help.

[jglen490]

You took advice, made decisions on what you believe works for you, adapted, and you have a working Kubuntu. That, sir, is success!