Arch Linux

SnoopDogg

Member

Registered: 2020-03-18

Posts: 3

dual booting with other linux distro on separate drives

ok so i want to dual-boot arch with my linux mint install. the linux mint install is on a seperate ssd, i have a hard drive in my laptop which has no os which  i dont mind wiping, its just like 5 snes roms or something.

anything i might need to do differently ? (even if it might seem really obvious, i dont want to mess anything up)
hopefully even though they are on seperate drives i can still select both from the grub menu.

also it is a thinkpad x230i

Last edited by SnoopDogg (2020-03-18 20:38:29)

SnoopDogg

Member

Registered: 2020-03-18

Posts: 3

Re: dual booting with other linux distro on separate drives

sorry if im not providing enough info idk where to start so lmk

sevendogs

Member

From: Texas

Registered: 2016-01-24

Posts: 220

Re: dual booting with other linux distro on separate drives

High level: I would just use Mint to figure out what the device name is for the second drive you are putting Arch on,  then do the arch install using that device name. Don't install Grub though: you only need one grub install to control both Linux installs. Mint can use os-prober to detect Arch and add it to the grub menu. I don't dual boot so can't remember how to use os-prober but a quick google should give you an answer.

That's a general idea of what I think would work. Your mileage may vary...

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"Give a man a truth and he will think for a day. Teach a man to reason and he will think for a lifetime"

SnoopDogg

Member

Registered: 2020-03-18

Posts: 3

Re: dual booting with other linux distro on separate drives

i installed grub on arch should i remove it? (i already figured out how to install before u answered btw)

Last edited by SnoopDogg (2020-03-19 15:16:17)

sevendogs

Member

From: Texas

Registered: 2016-01-24

Posts: 220

Re: dual booting with other linux distro on separate drives

It's not going to hurt anything, it's just redundant. For example, grub on Mint may call grub on arch so you'd see grub 2x - not a big deal really, just not needed. Make sense?

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"Give a man a truth and he will think for a day. Teach a man to reason and he will think for a lifetime"