If your laptop can’t boot into the operating system, you can use a **bootable recovery USB drive** to repair the boot loader.

>

> 🛈 **Note:**
> You can follow [this guide](https://support.starlabs.systems/hc/star-labs/articles/creating-a-bootable-usb-stick-on-linux) to create a bootable USB drive.

---

### 1. When You Can’t Boot

If you can’t access your operating system or its recovery menu, it can often be repaired from a bootable USB drive.

1. Insert the USB drive.

2. Turn on your laptop and repeatedly press `F7` to open the boot menu in AMI or **`F2`/Down Arrow** for coreboot.

![Boot Menu](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2059/5897/files/54b33f3d86-22b41e048932a9738576.png?v=1613648547)

---

### 2. Boot from the Recovery USB

Use the **arrow keys** to select your USB drive and press `Enter` to boot from it.
You’ll need to use the **live mode** of the USB — this is typically labelled **Live**, **Try**, or **Start**.

For Ubuntu, select **Try Ubuntu**.

![Live USB Menu](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2059/5897/files/6e5edbd58c-bf8a1be51c530261aacf.png?v=1613648662)

---

### 3. Check the Disk Path

Open the GNOME Launcher and start **Terminal**.

![Open Terminal](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2059/5897/files/32fed0109d-3a78ae40641427ec9004.png?v=1613648729)

Then enter:

`sudo fdisk -l | grep 'nvme\|sda'
`

---

### 4. Identify the Correct Partition

This command lists your storage devices — usually either `sda` or `nvme`.
Locate the main system partition (typically ending with a `p2`).

![Partitions](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2059/5897/files/3320ce8f36-842732d71149151164a4.png?v=1613648760)

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### 5. Mount the Partitions

Most systems have two partitions: one for the main system and one for EFI.
Mount them by running:

```bash
sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1p2 /mnt
sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /mnt/boot/efi
sudo mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev
sudo mount --bind /dev/pts /mnt/dev/pts
sudo mount --bind /proc /mnt/proc
```
`sudo mount --bind /sys /mnt/sys
`

---

### 6. Enable Networking (Optional)

If you need internet access while in recovery, run:

`sudo cp /etc/resolv.conf /mnt/etc/resolv.conf
`

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### 7. Connect to the Installation

Next, connect to your system installation with:

`sudo chroot /mnt /bin/bash
`

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### 8. You’re Now Connected

You are now in a root terminal running from your system’s internal drive.
![Chroot Session](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2059/5897/files/c8424358e6-a50290c3cfe81338dfe1.png?v=1613648798)

---

### 9. Run Diagnostics and Repairs

From here, you can perform various repair tasks:

- `fsck` – Check the file system

**GRUB Repair** – Update the boot loader

- `dpkg` – Fix broken packages

If your issue was caused by an interrupted update (often leaving the system stuck at a GRUB prompt), try:

`sudo dpkg --configure -a
sudo apt -f install
`

You can find additional help in our guide on [Booting into recovery mode](https://support.starlabs.systems/hc/star-labs/articles/booting-into-recovery-mode).