Arch Linux

another_newbie

Member

Registered: 2024-04-21

Posts: 13

I can't access my Arch Linux partition after dual booting with Windows

So, i initally had a dual booted system with my first SSD 512GB as the Windows 10 one, and my 1TB SSD as the one running Arch Linux.

however i found gaming on linux to be very challenging and decided to ''switch'' my operating systems to have more storage for the games.

so what i did was run archinstall on my arch system to format the windows disk, and then after successfully installing arch on the other disk (i wanted a fresh start since my already arch system was very buggy) i switched to it and converted the 1TB SSD to ntfs and installed windows 10 into it.

i was very reticent to do all of this because i faced an issue before when i just started dual booting, with windows not showing up anymore as a boot option, but i thought this time ill know what to do (the issue is very common apparently with Acer laptops)

but the inevitable happened and i found myself locked out of my linux partition, the latter not even showing as a boot option in the BIOS. and yes i have disabled fast boot, and secure boot.

i honestly do not remember at all how i fixed my issue last time as it was 2 years ago and i forgot to document it.

since i used archinstall, my GRUB installation was the default one offered by the script, however grub does not show up when i boot my system, i only get the windows boot manager, and when i plug the live usb that has windows 10 it does show as a boot option. i read somewhere that i should connect the live usb with arch linux and go from there, but i used archinstall to install arch so i have no way of doing that.

i saw around that there was a command to reinstall GRUB from windows admin cmd but i think it relates to Ubuntu:

 bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path \EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi 

i think the fact that i don't have access to linux makes the troubleshooting very hard, and i have all my data on that drive so i don't want to lost it.

thank you in advance for your help.

cryptearth

Member

Registered: 2024-02-03

Posts: 2,185

Re: I can't access my Arch Linux partition after dual booting with Windows

I would recommend you start by familiarize yourself with the regular install guide and read it at least twice - some of the steps will be required for troubleshooting

the archinstall script is by no means something for novice users to replace the manual install but rather a tool for experienced users to speed up deployment on maybe several systems
it's general recommend to not use the archinstall script unless you did the manual install at least several times to familiarize yourself with what the script does in the background

another_newbie

Member

Registered: 2024-04-21

Posts: 13

Re: I can't access my Arch Linux partition after dual booting with Windows

someone suggested i use refind, can you help me understand how that would work for my case?

there's also this link https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Un … boot_order
and i try to set the correct boot path but since i can only access windows, I can't run efibootmgr. can someone help me with the windows alternative to it?

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,638

Re: I can't access my Arch Linux partition after dual booting with Windows

Actually, I would take a different approach.  No boot loader at all.   Assuming your system is uEFI.   Boot from an Arch Linux install media.    Add a boot entry for Arch Linux.  Verify that the current default entry is Windows.

Then, select what you want to start at boot, or use efibootmgr to select the default.  This way you don't have to deal with changing anything having to do with Windows at all.  This is the method I use.  My boot entries include Arch Linux, Arch Linux LTS, Arch Linux without hibernation, EFI Shell, GRUB, USB, and Windows.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/EFISTUB

uEFI implementations have been improving over the years.  IMHO, this is a rational approach on modern systems

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another_newbie

Member

Registered: 2024-04-21

Posts: 13

Re: I can't access my Arch Linux partition after dual booting with Windows

by "boot from an arch linux install media" you mean a usb drive with arch on it right? since i used archinstall, im gonna have to install arch on a usb drive.

and wouldn't that wipe the already installed arch system? although we can't see it in the boot options (it does show in the bios that it EXISTS as a drive, but not a bootable option to chose over windows)

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,638

Re: I can't access my Arch Linux partition after dual booting with Windows

Arch install is included in the install media.  One does not have to run it.  In my humble opinion, one should not.   You certainly are not going to run it this time.

Boot the install media and run lsblk and you should see all your disks.  If you run efibootmgr -u you should see your boot entries.  I'd be interested in the output from both of those commands.

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Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
The shortest way to ruin a country is to give power to demagogues.— Dionysius of Halicarnassus
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How to Ask Questions the Smart Way

cryptearth

Member

Registered: 2024-02-03

Posts: 2,185

Re: I can't access my Arch Linux partition after dual booting with Windows

@ewaller
Although I do agree with you that boot "managers" should be a thing of the past since modern OS and uefi are meant to play nice together so the uefi becomes the boot manager - from the replies and the lack of excperience from them about OP I see using something like grub or refind fit better here until OP gathered the required knowledge and experience.

@OP
Please get the archinstall script out of your had - at least for now - it won't help you here in any way - likely will make the situation even worse.
By an arch install media we do NOT refer to an arch system "installed" onto a thumbdrive (although this is possible, too, but at least for now I see out of your skill) but rather an arch install image extracted onto one. Please refer to the wiki how to create a install thimbdrive from an image on windows.
When you got there we sure can help you to set up refind - but first we have to make sure you can get there without wrecking what's left currently.
Again: I highly recommend you to read the install guide and try to understand it and then read it again - parts of it will be required to get your system back up running without a complete fresh install.