Arch Linux

FlaminMad

Member

Registered: 2016-03-30

Posts: 3

[SOLVED] Bootloader Vs. BIOS Troubles

Afternoon all!

My very first post here so apologies if its a little bit on the novice side!

So I decided to install Arch on my desktop PC for the first time yesterday. Previously ive kept it up on an old laptop for 3 years so have some experience.

Day 1:
As the motherboard I have (Asus M5A97 Pro) supports UEFI, I prompted to go down the route of installing with said support (GPT partition table, etc). Post installation it booted up fine no problems using the systemd-boot.
However, on a separate hard drive I have windows 7 64 bit installed and wish to add an entry for it. Unfortunately I couldnt sus out how to do this as none of the search tools would find it and only UEFI is supported.
So in an attempt to rectify the situation I replaced systemd-boot with grub, to my dismay to find that it also would not find windows or let me add an option for it. Bedtime

Day 2:
All the issues seemed to be arising from the UEFI so I started again, this time installing without UEFI support (msdos partition table) and using the grub bootloader. Bingo! Finds windows and linux, champion!
However, a bigger issue is that my BIOS is detecting the harddrive as grub (UEFI) and hence when it tries to boot it, fails. I have to manually select the option from a boot menu which is far from ideal.
So, still no joy

My question therefore is:
1. Should I be using a UEFI install and if so can I add windows 7 to the menu?
2. Or should I be using the install I have at current with some kind of workaround?

Any help is appreciated!

Many thanks,
Alex

Edit: I should note that I have spent quite a while trawling through the wiki and other people's posts but either got confused or not found the fix

Last edited by FlaminMad (2016-03-31 21:06:45)

Lone_Wolf

Member

From: Netherlands, Europe

Registered: 2005-10-04

Posts: 11,911

Re: [SOLVED] Bootloader Vs. BIOS Troubles

Is your windows 7 64 bit installation an MBR or UEFI/GPT install ?

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Disliking systemd intensely, but not satisfied with alternatives so focusing on taming systemd.

(A works at time B)  && (time C > time B ) ≠  (A works at time C)

FlaminMad

Member

Registered: 2016-03-30

Posts: 3

Re: [SOLVED] Bootloader Vs. BIOS Troubles

Is your windows 7 64 bit installation an MBR or UEFI/GPT install ?

Its an MBR install

Docbroke

Member

From: India

Registered: 2015-06-13

Posts: 1,433

Re: [SOLVED] Bootloader Vs. BIOS Troubles

Have you checked your bios setup, for default boot option, if it is there change it to legacy from uefi.

Last edited by Docbroke (2016-03-31 14:07:53)

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Arch is home!
https://github.com/Docbroke

FlaminMad

Member

Registered: 2016-03-30

Posts: 3

Re: [SOLVED] Bootloader Vs. BIOS Troubles

Got it sussed!

Although there is no option to change from UEFI to Legacy only boot on the motherboard (ASUS M5A97) that I can find, there is a legacy boot order list.
Using this and putting the hard-drive with grub installed on it to the top allows it to be selected as the primary boot device, essentially overriding the so called 'UEFI grub' (That doesn't exist!)

Thanks Docbroke for leading me to have another good dig about in the BIOS!