[SOLVED]How to install Arch Linux UEFI to dual-boot?

Matteussz · 2015-02-10 23:13:59

Hey,

so I have a Lenovo G50-70 on which I want to have a Windows-Arch dualboot. I followed the Beginner's Guide, installed Arch but ended up with an inaccessible Windows. I could boot into Windows from the BIOS utility, but not from the gummiboot bootloader.
The guide said if I wanted to dual-boot, I must leave windows EFI partition alone, which I did. I have my Windows partitions set up the Windows way, with the system reserved and EFI and recovery partitions, and I have my Windows partition of course and a data partition. After that I have some unallocated space, on which I made the Arch partitions, /dev/sda6 as an ESP partition for the EFI files, /dev/sda7 as root, /dev/sda8 as swap and /dev/sda9 as /home. The install process went without any error, then I made some configurations and installed dosfstools & efibootmgr. After that, I installed gummiboot and ran "gummiboot --path=/boot install". After that I created the configuration files exactly like in the guide, unmounted the partitions, rebooted and saw that there's no (easy) way getting into Windows. So my question is: how can I install Arch to have a working dual-boot system?
Thanks for any help in advance!

Regards, Matteussz

Last edited by Matteussz (2015-02-11 20:41:37)

TheSaint · 2015-02-11 04:57:55

It's best if you give to see your partition scheme and do some research on the forum.
Read them and see how to post the most wanted informations.

Matteussz · 2015-02-11 05:14:14

TheSaint wrote:

It's best if you give to see your partition scheme and do some research on the forum.
Read them and see how to post the most wanted informations.

I'm sorry, but the link you gave me returned no hits.
I did some research before posting here, but with no success.
I think maybe I configured the bootloader wrong or installed it to a wrong place but I just can't figure it out how, I'll give it a new shot later the day.

TheSaint · 2015-02-11 05:43:54

Try this

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-02-11 07:34:57

Matteussz wrote:

I made the Arch partitions, /dev/sda6 as an ESP partition for the EFI files

You should share the Windows-generated ESP with your Arch installation -- gummiboot can only load the Windows bootloader if it is on the same partition.

Mr.Elendig · 2015-02-11 11:52:09

You can only have one esp on the system. Behaviour with more than one is undefined.

mrunion · 2015-02-11 14:00:42

Or use rEFInd, which handles more than one ESP. But one ESP is the better choice.

Whitz · 2015-02-11 19:30:32

Hey,
Writing to you on my working dual-boot with ArchLinux (Windows 8.1 64-Bit, UEFI)

So first step I've done is creating free space of an existing partition in the windows disk management (windows button and r and then type diskmgmt.msc). At this step, you have to record which partition your efi partition is (just take a look at your efi partition and remember the mb of this partition for later)
Then go into the uefi settings (bios) and disable secure boot as well as fast boot, otherwise it could cause data crash.
Boot your Arch Live CD and follow the beginners guide all the way along till you reach the disk management.
If you want to have swap, you can create yours right now, should be a primary partition of about 4gigs.
Next partition is gonna be your home, system partition (I've didn't created two partitions for home and for the system but you could do this as well as just go with one partition) this partition gonna be formatted in ext4
Next step, you have to mount your windows-efi partition in /boot/efi but don't format it dont remeber if it asks you how to use the partition but if so, just use as fat32.
After the disk management go ahead with your arch installation and follow the beginners guide. (Make sure you're using the grub bootloader)
After finishing the installation, restart your system, hopefully you will recognize the opening grub menu. (but dont scare, windows wont show in the grub menu at this time so you have to boot your arch)
Arrived in arch linux type the command

 grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Reboot and your done with your Arch Linux, Windows 8 dual boot, hopefully

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-02-11 20:09:24

Whitz wrote:

Next step, you have to mount your windows-efi partition in /boot/efi but don't format it dont remeber if it asks you how to use the partition but if so, just use as fat32.
After the disk management go ahead with your arch installation and follow the beginners guide. (Make sure you're using the grub bootloader)

Mounting the EFI system partition to /boot/efi will lock you into using GRUB.

In Arch, the general recommendation is to mount /boot at the EFI system partition to allow the use of gummiboot or direct EFISTUB booting -- this can only boot the kernel image & initial ramdisk if they are on the EFI partition.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Be … partitions
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/EFISTUB

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2015-02-11 20:12:04)

Matteussz · 2015-02-11 20:40:37

Many thanks for everyone, using your help and this video I managed to get my systems working! I'm marking this topic as solved.

TheSaint · 2015-02-12 07:05:46

Probably arch's wikis should take in account to add some video

Nowadays no many like to read.

Mr.Elendig · 2015-02-13 16:56:45

mrunion wrote:

Or use rEFInd, which handles more than one ESP. But one ESP is the better choice.

Not really, it is the implementation of uefi on the board that determines the behaviour.

Arch Linux

#1 2015-02-10 23:13:59

[SOLVED]How to install Arch Linux UEFI to dual-boot?

#2 2015-02-11 04:57:55

Re: [SOLVED]How to install Arch Linux UEFI to dual-boot?

#3 2015-02-11 05:14:14

Re: [SOLVED]How to install Arch Linux UEFI to dual-boot?

#4 2015-02-11 05:43:54

Re: [SOLVED]How to install Arch Linux UEFI to dual-boot?

#5 2015-02-11 07:34:57

Re: [SOLVED]How to install Arch Linux UEFI to dual-boot?

#6 2015-02-11 11:52:09

Re: [SOLVED]How to install Arch Linux UEFI to dual-boot?

#7 2015-02-11 14:00:42

Re: [SOLVED]How to install Arch Linux UEFI to dual-boot?

#8 2015-02-11 19:30:32

Re: [SOLVED]How to install Arch Linux UEFI to dual-boot?

#9 2015-02-11 20:09:24

Re: [SOLVED]How to install Arch Linux UEFI to dual-boot?

#10 2015-02-11 20:40:37

Re: [SOLVED]How to install Arch Linux UEFI to dual-boot?

#11 2015-02-12 07:05:46

Re: [SOLVED]How to install Arch Linux UEFI to dual-boot?

#12 2015-02-13 16:56:45

Re: [SOLVED]How to install Arch Linux UEFI to dual-boot?

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