Arch Linux

Greenstuff

Member

From: Israel

Registered: 2009-06-30

Posts: 64

Newbie question about duel booting

Hello,
I am an experienced Linux user who wants to give your distro a try. I want to duel boot it with my Windows XP like I have done with other Linux distros I tried. I looked the the wiki and have a question I'd like answered before installing: The wiki said i should install GRUB in /root (I do not plan to use a separate /boot partition) and NOT in /dev/sda. My first question is why? in my other Linux set ups I always installed GRUB on /dev/sda and in fact don't think my original master boot record is even around, I'm happy with GRUB booting both my Linux and the windows Bootloader. Why is it any different in Arch? My second question is, if I do choose to install GRUB in /root how do I do that? I looked at installation guides and didn't understand when am I presented the option to choose /root instead of /dev/sda.

I will appreciate the help,
Greenstuff

Last edited by Greenstuff (2009-06-30 10:21:28)

.:B:.

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2006-11-26

Posts: 5,819

Website

Re: Newbie question about duel booting

In fact by default GRUB will ask you to install on /dev/sda. I have no clue what that /root option is about, to me, frankly, it sounds like bollocks .

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madalu

Member

Registered: 2009-05-05

Posts: 217

Re: Newbie question about duel booting

Hmmm... I've never heard of installing grub on the boot (or root)
partition for a Windows dual boot. And yet this wiki page suggests
that this is necessary:

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Win … _Dual_Boot

For installs on dual boot with MacOS, I have to install grub on /boot
because of the GPT partition scheme. But now I'm wondering whether
I've been setting up my Windows dual boot incorrectly. Other distros
I've used install grub to /dev/sda.

Last edited by madalu (2009-06-30 12:16:53)

Greenstuff

Member

From: Israel

Registered: 2009-06-30

Posts: 64

Re: Newbie question about duel booting

Every other distro I used installed GRUB on sda. My question was if Arch does things different, it seems not. I'll post back my findings after the install, thanks.