If you run a dual boot setup with Windows and Bazzite, a major Windows update can sometimes break your Linux boot configuration. The good news is that the Bazzite installation itself is usually still intact and the problem is just with the bootloader or EFI configuration. So follow along as we show you how to quickly and easily solve this problem.
Takeaways:
- Learn how to fix Windows updates breaking Bazzite installation.
- Bazzite boot broken because of Windows Updates
Table of Contents
Common Dual Boot Problems
- Windows becomes the default boot option
- Windows updates may change the boot order.
- Bad shim signature error, you will see the message: "Bad shim signature, you need to load the kernel first". (Read this guide)
How to Repair a Bazzite Installation After a Windows Update (Dual Boot)
Start by downloading the Bazzite Live ISO from the official website.
- Go to the Bazzite download page.
- Click Download Bazzite.
- Select the version that matches your hardware.
- Scroll below the standard download link.
- Choose the Live ISO option.
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Important:
- The Live ISO includes recovery tools.
- These builds are currently labeled as beta.
Create a Bootable USB Drive
After downloading the ISO file, you need to create a bootable USB drive.
- Open your preferred USB imaging tool (Rufus is best)
- Select the downloaded Bazzite Live ISO.
- Choose your USB drive.
- Start the write process.
When the process finishes:
- Close the USB tool.
- Safely eject the USB drive before removing it.
Boot Into the Bazzite Live Environment via the USB Drive
Insert the USB drive into the computer with the broken Bazzite installation.
- Restart the computer.
- Open the boot menu or BIOS.
- Select the USB drive as the boot device.
Your system will start into the Bazzite Live environment. This temporary system allows you to access repair tools without affecting your existing installation.
- Once the live system loads open the application search.
- Look for Bazzite Bootloader Restoring Tool.
- Launch the tool.
- The tool will ask you to choose the drive that contains your Bazzite installation.
Typical drive names include:
nvme drives
sda drives
- Select the correct drive.
- Double click it to continue.
- Next, the tool will ask for the boot partition.
- Most systems will show only one option.
- Partition size around 1 GB to 2 GB
- Labeled as the EFI partition
- Double click the partition. Confirm your selection.
Restore the Bootloader
After selecting the partition, the tool will rebuild the Bazzite bootloader automatically.
- When the process completes you will see a confirmation message stating that the bootloader was restored successfully.
- Click OK to finish.
Restart Your System
Now complete the recovery process.
- Shut down the live system.
- Remove the USB drive.
- Start your computer normally.
- Your BIOS should now show the Bazzite boot entry again, and it should appear as the default boot option.
- Select Bazzite and confirm that the system loads normally.
Because Windows updates are quite often crap and this thing can and will happen quite often it's a good idea to keep the USB stick handy for the next time that this happens. Though if it has been a while you will probably want to fire up Rufus and update the version of Bazzite that you are using.
