Re: transferring boot
On Thu, 31 Jul 2025 13:18:07 -0400
Eben King <eben@gmx.us> wrote:
> I recently got some SSDs, and decided to use one of them (a 256G
> model) to boot from. I want the change to be undetectable, in that
> from a user perspective, nothing seems different, just faster.
>
> I currently have a 2T HD, partitioned with GPT but booting by MBR.
> Yes, that's probably weird. When I installed Debian I was unaware
> that the installer would only install grub to boot using the method
> that the installer booted. My BIOS/firmware will boot using either
> method, but defaults to MBR if both methods work. You can force it
> to use UEFI on a one-time basis. I want the SSD to boot using UEFI.
> Is that possible, and if so, what's the best method to go about it?
>
> My ideas are:
> 1. dd / onto the SSD, then modify it to boot UEFI. This sounds hard.
> 2. Install Debian (the same version I run) onto the SSD, then modify
> /etc and whatever else so stuff works. This sounds error-prone.
> 3. Wait until I upgrade to Trixie, then let the installer hash it out.
>
I suggest you install trixie, as the Debian installer seems to be more
robust than that for bookworm.
I would try switching to UEFI when you go to boot the installer. That
should give you a system that will boot to UEFI.
I would do a new installion on the SSD. Get that running as you want it.
This may include copying over configuration files from the old /etc, or
diffing them, or similar. Copy over some or all of the old /home.
If you let the installer partition the drive for you, you will get /,
/boot. /boot/efi partitions.
I would then add the rest manually after the installation.
--
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