# SOS = just can't install StartOS on Optiplex 7040 - systematic "No Bootable Devices found" error 

**URL:** https://community.start9.com/t/sos-just-cant-install-startos-on-optiplex-7040-systematic-no-bootable-devices-found-error/3664
**Category:** StartOS Support
**Created:** [July 13, 2025, 12:07pm UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/sos-just-cant-install-startos-on-optiplex-7040-systematic-no-bootable-devices-found-error/3664 "2025-07-13T12:07:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 8

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![BlissHodl](https://community.start9.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@BlissHodl](https://community.start9.com/u/BlissHodl)
#### Post date: [July 16, 2025, 10:21am UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/sos-just-cant-install-startos-on-optiplex-7040-systematic-no-bootable-devices-found-error/3664/8 "2025-07-16T10:21:26Z")

</div>

**update to my problem**.

Thanks to @ [paulscode] ([Profile - paulscode - Start9 Community](https://community.start9.com/u/paulscode)) (you rock !!!) I adapted his solution to the Dell Optiplex 7040 , and StartOS is finally installed and booting easily.

Gratitude (🙂

here is the version of the procedure adapted to DELL machines for people who will encounter the same issue :

Based on the provided information about your OptiPlex partitions, here is an adapted version of the tutorial with the bash commands separated.

### **Adapted Tutorial for Your OptiPlex**

**Please note:** This tutorial assumes your OptiPlex has a similar boot issue where it doesn’t recognize the bootloader after installation. The key difference in your setup is the split EFI System Partition ( **`/dev/sda1`** ) and a separate boot partition ( **`/dev/sda2`** ). This tutorial will focus on the EFI partition, as that’s where the bootloader files need to be.

You’ll need a keyboard, mouse, and monitor temporarily, along with a bootable Linux USB thumb drive (like Ubuntu).

**Step 1:**

Complete the initial StartOS installation process. When the OptiPlex reboots, it won’t launch StartOS. We’ll fix this in the following steps.

**Step 2:**

Attach the keyboard, mouse, and monitor, insert the Linux USB drive, and power on the OptiPlex. Boot from the USB drive.

**Step 3:**

Open a terminal and enter the following commands one by one. **Adjust the device paths if your partitions are different than `/dev/sda1` and `/dev/sda2`**.

```bash
# Mount the EFI System Partition (/dev/sda1)
sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

```

```bash
# Make a folder under EFI called "BOOT"
sudo mkdir /mnt/EFI/BOOT

```

```bash
# Copy shimx64.efi as BOOTX64.EFI
sudo cp /mnt/EFI/startos/shimx64.efi /mnt/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI

```

```bash
# Copy mmx64.efi
sudo cp /mnt/EFI/startos/mmx64.efi /mnt/EFI/BOOT/

```

```bash
# Copy grubx64.efi
sudo cp /mnt/EFI/startos/grubx64.efi /mnt/EFI/BOOT/

```

```bash
# Create grub.cfg
sudo nano /mnt/EFI/BOOT/grub.cfg

```

Enter just the following two lines into the `nano` editor:

```auto
search --no-floppy --file /EFI/startos/grub.cfg --set=esp
configfile ($esp)/EFI/startos/grub.cfg

```

Then save the file by pressing **Ctrl+X** , then **Y** , and then **Enter**.

```bash
# Make sure writes are finished
sync

```

```bash
# Unmount the EFI partition
sudo umount /mnt

```

**Step 4:**

Reboot the computer. StartOS should now launch.

---

_[View the full topic](https://community.start9.com/t/sos-just-cant-install-startos-on-optiplex-7040-systematic-no-bootable-devices-found-error/3664)._