Z170X Gaming 7 can't boot uefi linux

[memory_leak]

I have tryed to install linux on this motherboard for two days, and no matter what I try it refuses to find uefi loader. I have installed Arch on two 950 Pros (nvme drives) without problems, only problem it to boot :-). I dont' use bios-raid (fakeraid), and my /boot  ESP partition is just ordinary partition on one of nvme drives (not in any kind of raid). Partition is fat32 with ESP and boot flag on, as it should be, and I did install uefi boot both manually and with provided installer scripts, but both methods fail. I am quite sure I did everything correct. Seems like it does not matter what I do, the motherboard refuses to recognize uefi partition.

I thought that I maybe did something wrong, and just for good measure installed CentOS with all the default options, and it failed as well. It installed everything but it did not boot, and that was an automated install.

"Windows 8.1 features" (secureboot) is of course disabled, it is set on "Other OS" in Bios, and boot options for drives are on UEFI Only. Sata is on AHCI not on raid and both m.2 drives are recognized and mounted by kernel and diverse tools.

I have even installed uefi entry with uefibootmgr and I can see it in the list, along with some other Linux entries which are probably set by automated installer, but motherboard does not see uefi partition.

No other drives are attached but two m.2 drives.

Another question is about fake-raid, as I understand if I was to use raid option in motherboard, it would disable 5 sata ports out of 8? As I understand top m.2 slot takes on two sata ports + two extra if raid is used (slot 0 to 4), and lower m.2 slot uses 1 extra (slot 5) if raid is used?

[ElectroStingz]

Hello,

Did you try changing the BOOT type to Win8/10 WHQL instead of other OS?
A lot of the newer Linux boot loaders work with this option due to multiple OS installations.

I also count 5 in RAID mode with a reduction to the top slot.

• M.2 PCI-E X4, 5 slots = 0,1,2,3,5 <Will run at x2 speed
• M.2 PCI-E X4, 1 slot = 5

[memory_leak]

Thanks for the input. I just tryed since you suggested it, but not it didn't give any difference. Strange, it allowas me to but Arch from USB, which certainly is not signed. But not from the nvme drive.

Can you boot into linux? What is your efi path if you don't mind and what loader do you use? Latest Arch uses goomiboo. I didn't try to install Grub, but since I am using uefi boot, I suppose the result would be same since bios has to call bootloader from the disk which can be anything, grub or whatever else.

[ElectroStingz]

I don't have one installed atm but I can use a LiveCD, Xubuntu which works fine with the UEFI option.
When disabled it uses a legacy boot loader, black screen without any GUI. (Grub2)

When changing the option you would probably need to reinstall for the boot loader to adjust?

[memory_leak]

Yeah, I can also boot from live CD, I have booted both Arch and CentOS and installed them without problems. It is nvme drive I can't boot from . Everything should be installed properly, but it does not seem to recognize uefi boot on nvme drive. It did worked with windows though.

I think I am returning it back and taking another brand instead. It is a little bit dissapointing that nvme drives goes only on 2xpcie lanes when both are used.

[Megahertz]

I have a Z170-HD3P and as you, I set OS to Other, and boot options and other drives are on UEFI Only.
I have a Samsung 128G 951 AHCI M.2 drive. I partitioned the drive for Windows (EFI, MS reserved and for C:) and left two other partitions for Lubuntu (EXT4 and Swap). I did install Windows 7 after loading SATA, AHCI and USB 3 chipset drives and it worked.
When I tried to install Lubuntu using a USB UEFI pendrive it couldn't "see" my 951 AHCI M.2 drive.
So I tried another approach. I've set boot options and other drives to Legacy Only or disabled. After booting Lubuntu using the USB UEFI pendrive it could "see" my 951 AHCI M.2 drive and I've install Lubuntu without problems.
The main problem now is that it requires two EFI BIOS profiles.
To boot Windows I need boot options and other drives on UEFI Only. If I try to boot Lubuntu, It loads GRUB 2 but it doesn't go further, i guess because GRUB doesn't see my 951 AHCI M.2 drive.
To boot Lubuntu I need boot options and other drives on Legacy Only. If I try to boot Windows, It loads the Boot Loader but it doesn't go further.

The difference between my my 951 AHCI M.2 and your 950 Pro M.2 is that the 950 Pro M.2 is MVMe and it my require a drive.

My suggestion is to try boot options and other drives on Legacy Only.
I've once installed CentOS 6 and think it used old GRUB, and I think old GRUB only work on MBR. (Legacy).

My older MB boot options and other drives had two options: UEFI first and Legacy first. It was good I had the two kinds.
Now I have UEFI Only, Legacy Only, and Disable. Can someone explain me what kind of boot we have with Disable option?

Have a look on http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2326622&highlight=z170