[SOLVED] Force Arch ISO to boot 32bit system on EFI machine?

ulke · 2015-02-23 05:22:45

I have an EFI machine that boots a 32bit Linux system using MBR-BIOS. I want to chroot into this system using the Arch ISO. However, when the Arch ISO boots, it detects it's running on an EFI machine and offers only a 64bit system. Is there any way to force it to boot a 32bit system, maybe by tweaking the ISO somehow?

Last edited by ulke (2015-02-24 20:24:53)

djgera · 2015-02-23 12:34:44

From firmware bootmenu, select "legacy-bios" (or something like that) to boot where Arch Linux ISO is located.

ulke · 2015-02-23 19:11:36

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, there is no such option in the BIOS setup or the boot menu. The firmware seems to always boot using EFI if possible.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-02-23 20:45:29

Why not just load up a different (32-bit) live distribution and use a standard chroot technique.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ch … ing_chroot

teateawhy · 2015-02-23 22:25:56

You can remove the UEFI support from the optical media:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Un … ical_Media

ulke · 2015-02-24 09:42:50

Thanks. The machine doesn't have an optical drive, I'm booting from USB, so teateawhy's suggestion sadly does not work.

I guess I'll have to use a different distribution as Head_on_a_Stick suggested. I just wanted to stick with Arch because that's what I'm most comfortable with. And, you know, it's very unusual to have to use a differenct distribution because of a limitation in Arch, usually it's the other way round!

djgera · 2015-02-24 12:31:05

If you are using a usb-drive, then install syslinux and copy arch directory as documentation says.

https://projects.archlinux.org/archiso. … ansfer#n62

ulke · 2015-02-24 13:07:54

Oh sorry djgera, I completely overlooked the official archiso documentation. Will try this as soon as I get home. Thanks!

ulke · 2015-02-24 20:24:31

Ok, it worked, thanks. Marking as solved.

cedeel · 2015-02-24 21:08:57

Solved perhaps, but I'm curious as to your reason for installing 32-bit.
Your PC is obviously able to run the 64-bit version, and these days there really isn't a reason to use 32 bits in that case...

For chrooting, you shouldn't have any problem using a 64-bit "host".

Last edited by cedeel (2015-02-24 21:10:16)

ulke · 2015-02-25 08:53:37

I have 10 year old laptop at home that I use as a home server for music, movies, backups, and lengthy downloads. It's running Arch 32-bit and it's been working ok for years, but now the SSD I put in it is failing (mysterious I/O errors).

Luckily, I was recently given a discarded Cisco thin client machine with (slightly) beefier hardware and lower energy consumption. I want the Cisco machine to replace the old laptop. I don't want to go through the hassle of setting up a new Arch system, so I'll just copy over the 32-bit installation from the laptop. That's one reason for 32-bit. The other is that I want to make best use of the system's limited RAM, and 64-bit means higher memory consumption for the same software -- and less RAM left for buffers, /tmp, etc.

cedeel wrote:

For chrooting, you shouldn't have any problem using a 64-bit "host".

You mean I can chroot into a 32-bit system from a 64-bit host (and run, say, mkinitcpio and grub-mkconfig)? I have to admit I didn't try it, but everything I read suggested it wouldn't work. For example, the Wiki article on Change root lists "Matching architecture environments; i.e. the chroot from and chroot to" as one of the requirements.

Arch Linux

#1 2015-02-23 05:22:45

[SOLVED] Force Arch ISO to boot 32bit system on EFI machine?

#2 2015-02-23 12:34:44

Re: [SOLVED] Force Arch ISO to boot 32bit system on EFI machine?

#3 2015-02-23 19:11:36

Re: [SOLVED] Force Arch ISO to boot 32bit system on EFI machine?

#4 2015-02-23 20:45:29

Re: [SOLVED] Force Arch ISO to boot 32bit system on EFI machine?

#5 2015-02-23 22:25:56

Re: [SOLVED] Force Arch ISO to boot 32bit system on EFI machine?

#6 2015-02-24 09:42:50

Re: [SOLVED] Force Arch ISO to boot 32bit system on EFI machine?

#7 2015-02-24 12:31:05

Re: [SOLVED] Force Arch ISO to boot 32bit system on EFI machine?

#8 2015-02-24 13:07:54

Re: [SOLVED] Force Arch ISO to boot 32bit system on EFI machine?

#9 2015-02-24 20:24:31

Re: [SOLVED] Force Arch ISO to boot 32bit system on EFI machine?

#10 2015-02-24 21:08:57

Re: [SOLVED] Force Arch ISO to boot 32bit system on EFI machine?

#11 2015-02-25 08:53:37

Re: [SOLVED] Force Arch ISO to boot 32bit system on EFI machine?

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