Arch Linux

patresko

Member

Registered: 2018-10-19

Posts: 24

[Solved] pacstrap error: vmlinuz-linux exists in filesystem

I'm installing fresh Arch alongside my existing one (yeah, dualbooting two Arch-linuxes).

Boot mode is EFI, partition scheme as follows:

sda1 -    EFI partition (on which conflicting vmlinuz-linux resides)
sda2 -    SWAP
sda3 -    root of already installed Arch
sda4 -    /home
sda5 -    root of Arch I'm trying to install 

I've mounted sda1 to /mnt/boot and sda5 to /mnt, tried to pacstrap the new system, however pacman wont install it as it encounters conflicting vmlinuz.
I don't feel like removing the existing installation, that's the reason I'm attempting dual boot.

What do? Is there a way around? Perhpas two EFI partitions (not ideal) or renaming the existing vmlinuz (I believe this would render GRUB unable to find the kernel)?
Or can I somehow force the pacstrapping?

Thank you, fellers.

Last edited by patresko (2019-09-08 21:52:14)

WorMzy

Administrator

From: Scotland

Registered: 2010-06-16

Posts: 12,619

Website

Re: [Solved] pacstrap error: vmlinuz-linux exists in filesystem

Rather than mounting the ESP to /boot, mount it to /efi and use bind mounts to have dedicated directories for one or more of your Arch installations:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/EF … _partition
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/EF … bind_mount

Alternatively, just use a different kernel on each installation, .e.g. linux on one, linux-lts on the other.

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patresko

Member

Registered: 2018-10-19

Posts: 24

Re: [Solved] pacstrap error: vmlinuz-linux exists in filesystem

Thank you, WorMzy, for your interest in my issue.

I tried to apply information from both links you've provided, which, combined with my all-or-nothing approach, resulted in a system broken beyond repair.

However, here I am, sporting a fresh install, now natively mounting ESP to /efi. For now I don't feel like dual-booting.

Thank you.

jasonwryan

Anarchist

From: .nz

Registered: 2009-05-09

Posts: 30,426

Website

Re: [Solved] pacstrap error: vmlinuz-linux exists in filesystem

Please remember to mark your thread as [Solved] by editing your first post and prepending it to the title.

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V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 24,076

Re: [Solved] pacstrap error: vmlinuz-linux exists in filesystem

You could've also just used a boot loader that can read linux filesystems (like GRUB or refind) and setup /boot independent from the ESP