Arch Linux

endless

Member

Registered: 2025-09-06

Posts: 16

one ESP with unsuffisant space for arch

I have one hard disk with an ESP that was originally for windows with 100MB of storage, I installed mint 2 months ago and i used the same ESP for it.Yesterday i wanted to install Arch then deleting mint but when i read the wiki it said that i need at least 300MB of storage , and some videos suggested to create another EFi partition just for arch and that they tried it without a hint of problem.So I ask you -The veteran of arch (btw)- to please help me take the safest path.

Last edited by endless (2025-09-06 09:54:52)

Head_on_a_Stick

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From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,999

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Re: one ESP with unsuffisant space for arch

when i read the wiki it said that i need at least 300MB of storage

That is not correct. If you use GRUB and don't mount the ESP under /boot/ then you should only need a few hundred KiB extra for Arch. And if you use Mint's bootloader instead Arch doesn't need to occupy any space at all on the ESP.

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Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

endless

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Registered: 2025-09-06

Posts: 16

Re: one ESP with unsuffisant space for arch

wich means i need to  do what exactly?

Last edited by endless (2025-09-06 10:04:22)

Head_on_a_Stick

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From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,999

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Re: one ESP with unsuffisant space for arch

Install Arch without using a bootloader or the ESP at all then boot into Mint and update their GRUB configuration to add a menuentry for Arch.

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Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

endless

Member

Registered: 2025-09-06

Posts: 16

Re: one ESP with unsuffisant space for arch

Then i'll need to create just the root partition and the swap while skiping the ESP one ?

Head_on_a_Stick

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From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,999

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Re: one ESP with unsuffisant space for arch

Yes, that's right.

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Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

endless

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Registered: 2025-09-06

Posts: 16

Re: one ESP with unsuffisant space for arch

and if i want to delete mint afterwards?

Head_on_a_Stick

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From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,999

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Re: one ESP with unsuffisant space for arch

You would have to install and configure a bootloader from Arch. If you have limited space on the ESP I would recommend using GRUB with the ESP mounted under /efi/ (use the --efi-directory option for the grub-install command).

---

Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

endless

Member

Registered: 2025-09-06

Posts: 16

Re: one ESP with unsuffisant space for arch

If I understood correctly then i can delete mint before installing arch, and while installing the latter i need to mount the ESP and download grub so i can boot to arch, if this is fine i'll go with it cuz my problem was the storage in the first place. I mean if 100MB is enough

endless

Member

Registered: 2025-09-06

Posts: 16

Re: one ESP with unsuffisant space for arch

If I mounted the ESP in /efi after I created it using mkdir,  will a folder named arch be created alongside Windows' one or not?

V1del

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Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 24,802

Re: one ESP with unsuffisant space for arch

If you pass ---bootloader-id arch to the grub-install command

nl6720

The Evil Wiki Admin

Registered: 2016-07-02

Posts: 707

Re: one ESP with unsuffisant space for arch

i read the wiki it said that i need at least 300MB of storage

The wiki has a more detailed explanation than that.