Arch in laptop with two SSDs

palozano · 2020-05-07 13:12:11

Hello.

I have a laptop which currently runs Ubuntu 20. The laptop has two SSDs and Ubuntu is installed in one of them, the other one was only meant for storage. Because I have more than enough with the first disk, I won't use the second SSD for storage.

I was wondering if it's too complicated to install Arch in the second SSD, leaving the first one untouched.

I'm not new to Linux but I'm new to Arch: I installed in a VM several times, so I know the process, more or less.
I thought installing Arch in the second disk wouldn't matter for the first SSD, but I might be wrong and want advice first.

Trilby · 2020-05-07 13:27:13

Disks are, mostly, irrelevant. You create new partitions for the new install - whether these are on the same disk, a different disk, or spread across multiple disks doesn't change the process (except for the partitioning steps).

pete_mav_mitchell · 2020-05-08 02:26:51

I did this some years back on my Toshiba laptop.

The laptop came with Windows 8. Down the track I upgraded it to Windows 10.
Further down the track I got into Arch, then further further down the track I decided to buy another SSD and install Arch on it. This (2nd) ssd was installed in the optical disk bay.
(Showing the age of the laptop).

Then I had a ton of problems getting past the firmware to launch Arch - vendor specific firmware tied to Microsoft.
Finally with the help from users on this forum, reading up on boot loader stuff, and reading up on rEFInd... all worked out - dual boot Win 10 and Arch Linux, each OS on separate disks.

Now when I mention 'a ton of problems', this was due me not having Windows/Linux boot loader and firmware knowledge at the time.

So to answer your questions:
1. Not complicated if your read and understand the wiki, especially the finer details.
2. First SSD (i.e. Ubuntu) should be safe, depending on how careful your are with the process and how you use certain tools, e.g. like fdisk, dd... (use at your own risk)

One problem I encountered was that Arch ran slowly on my second SSD (via the optical bay). It was an aging laptop as well.
Something to consider, if you're going down this path, i.e. SSD in the optical bay.

[Edit - wording and spelling fix]

Last edited by pete_mav_mitchell (2020-05-08 02:59:39)

d_fajardo · 2020-05-08 10:21:53

Installing is fairly straightforward but the complication will be in your EFI partition (I assume you're in EFI and not BIOS) and bootloader since Ubuntu should already have both of these setup. It's a matter of how to share this EFI partition and bootloader with the new Arch but again this assumes you're in EFI.

Trilby · 2020-05-08 12:43:05

d_fajardo wrote:

It's a matter of how to share this EFI partition and bootloader ...

True, but the fact that there are two disks invovled does not impact this in any way. Which is why I'm not sure what the point of this thread is as it ammounts to asking "Is it possible to install arch linux to dual boot along side Ubuntu?"

Phrased that way, it's not much of a question as there are wiki pages devoted specifically to that topic (and even those are overkill if you ask me as there's nothing really special here - one still just follows the Installation Guide).

You can install two OSs on two disks, or two OSs on one disk, or even one OS on two disks, or three on one two or three, four on ... etc, etc. It really doesn't matter and we don't need special case documentation for each one of these as it's all the same process.

Last edited by Trilby (2020-05-08 12:45:04)

adamc83 · 2020-05-09 04:03:22

It should be fine, as mentioned. You'll just need to mount the UEFI System partition from the first drive (where Ubuntu has its kernels and bootloader) to /boot during your Arch install so they can share the same boot partition. You'll probably want to have at least 128MB or so free space in that partition for Arch to put its kernels.

Figure out which bootloader Ubuntu uses and read its documentation on how to add new entries pointing to the Arch stuff. You wont install a bootloader on the Arch side.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2020-05-09 14:48:44

d_fajardo wrote:

It's a matter of how to share this EFI partition and bootloader with the new Arch but again this assumes you're in EFI.

adamc83 wrote:

You'll just need to mount the UEFI System partition from the first drive (where Ubuntu has its kernels and bootloader) to /boot during your Arch install so they can share the same boot partition.

There's no need to share the ESP, Ubuntu doesn't keep it's kernels there and /boot only needs to be mounted on the ESP for systemd-boot (which the OP shouldn't use because it wouldn't be able to boot Ubuntu unless the kernels from that system are copied to the ESP).

@OP: I would recommend keeping Arch entirely on the second SSD and not installing any sort of bootloader at all, just boot back into Ubuntu after installing Arch and run 'update-grub' to create a new boot entry for Arch.

Arch Linux

#1 2020-05-07 13:12:11

Arch in laptop with two SSDs

#2 2020-05-07 13:27:13

Re: Arch in laptop with two SSDs

#3 2020-05-08 02:26:51

Re: Arch in laptop with two SSDs

#4 2020-05-08 10:21:53

Re: Arch in laptop with two SSDs

#5 2020-05-08 12:43:05

Re: Arch in laptop with two SSDs

#6 2020-05-09 04:03:22

Re: Arch in laptop with two SSDs

#7 2020-05-09 14:48:44

Re: Arch in laptop with two SSDs

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