Arch Linux

nlehmann

Member

Registered: 2015-05-24

Posts: 3

Dual boot with two arch installations and gummiboot

Hi,

I found similar topics regarding this matter, but they couldn't resolve my doubts, so I ask once again.

I currently have an EFI partition with gummiboot and will like to add a new arch installation (to have different configurations, packages versions and repositories. I came to the conclusion that this is the cleanest way to achieve what I want). I think I could use the same partition but if I mount it on /boot there will be problems when I upgrade the kernel because it will override the image in the partition when running mkinitcpio. Maybe if I maintain both installations in sync everything would be fine, but on the long run I think this could cause problems.

I considered to edit /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux.preset in one of the installations to change the name of the image, thus both images could cohabit in the same partition, but I don't know if there are some cleaner way to achieve what I want.

Thanks.

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,778

Website

Re: Dual boot with two arch installations and gummiboot

You could bind mount your second system's /boot partition folder to a sub-directory in the EFI system partition, thus keeping the two kernel images in different directories.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/EF … bind_mount

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2015-05-24 21:44:27)

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Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

TheSaint

Member

From: my computer

Registered: 2007-08-19

Posts: 1,532

Re: Dual boot with two arch installations and gummiboot

You may set up in the same /boot directory, but you should arrange a different kernel name in mkinitcpio for one of the two installations. So there won't be overwriting.

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do it good first, it will be faster than do it twice the saint

nlehmann

Member

Registered: 2015-05-24

Posts: 3

Re: Dual boot with two arch installations and gummiboot

Oh thanks @Head_on_a_Stick, I tought it was possible to do something like this but I didn't know how to do it.

So, if I understand it correctly the binaries and configuration files of gummiboot will be on $esp as always and images of different installations could be in $esp/inst1 and $esp/inst2. I this correct?

Last edited by nlehmann (2015-05-24 22:14:20)

TheSaint

Member

From: my computer

Registered: 2007-08-19

Posts: 1,532

Re: Dual boot with two arch installations and gummiboot

Yes, it is. Then you need to configure gummiboot to find the right kernel. It'll be necessary to configure mkinitcpio to address the correct path in order that the future kernel updates will go to ther right place.
See this for details.

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do it good first, it will be faster than do it twice the saint

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,778

Website

Re: Dual boot with two arch installations and gummiboot

It'll be necessary to configure mkinitcpio to address the correct path in order that the future kernel updates will go to ther right place.
See this for details.

I don't think so -- the use of a bind mount means that the kernel image can go in the standard location, that's the whole point of it.

@OP: Yes, just make sure to call the path to the respective kernel images relative to $ESP

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Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

TheSaint

Member

From: my computer

Registered: 2007-08-19

Posts: 1,532

Re: Dual boot with two arch installations and gummiboot

@ Head_on_a_Stick
You're right, I missed to read that detail. That's a different method to achieve a very same result. So I guess that each installation /ect/fstab will point the sub-directory as /boot and the kernel will go in there.

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do it good first, it will be faster than do it twice the saint