Arch Linux

Captain Athelas

Member

Registered: 2020-05-15

Posts: 33

[SOLVED] Partitioning issues with dual boot Windows 10 and Arch

Hi,

I bought a new computer with two 1TB NVMe SSDs and I would like to have a dual boot with Windows 10 and Arch. I've had this setup on my old computer as well.

I installed Windows first because I didn't want it to mess up my Linux boot. However, I am unsure how to continue.

Windows seems to be installed on nvme1n1p1 in one large partition. There's also this 579MB partition on nvme0n1 which I assume is where Windows installed the EFI partition. However, this is formatted as NTFS instead of FAT32 and of type Microsoft Reserved Partition (MSR).

`blkid` output:

/dev/nvme0n1p1: LABEL="System Reserved" BLOCK_SIZE="512" UUID="E84074C940749FCC" TYPE="ntfs" PARTUUID="41dd4331-01"
/dev/nvme1n1p1: BLOCK_SIZE="512" UUID="28907CAE907C845A" TYPE="ntfs" PARTUUID="41dd4329-01"
/dev/sda1: LABEL="ARCH_202005" UUID="30F5-AA66" BLOCK_SIZE="512" TYPE="vfat" PARTUUID="0503ab52-01"
/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"

`lsblk` output:

NAME        MAJ:MIN RM    SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
loop0         7:0    0    535M  1 loop /run/archiso/sfs/airootfs
sda           8:0    1   14.3G  0 disk
|-sda1        8:1    1   14.3G  0 part /run/archiso/bootmnt
nvme0n1     259:0    0  931.5G  0 disk
|-nvme0n1p1 259:1    0   579MB  0 part
nvme1n1     259:2    0  931.5G  0 disk
|-nvme1n1p1 259:4    0  931.5G  0 part

How do I continue? I want do setup a full disk encryption on the Arch SSD. Do I need to copy the files on that 579MB partition, delete it, create a new EFI as FAT32, restore Windows EFI files and then continue as normal?

Last edited by Captain Athelas (2020-05-16 19:44:16)

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 21,722

Re: [SOLVED] Partitioning issues with dual boot Windows 10 and Arch

This sounds like you didn't install Windows in UEFI mode. But yes given I didn't want to completely install again I'd try manually creating the ESP parititon and then restoring the Windows EFI files that should be able to boot the real Windows partition.

Captain Athelas

Member

Registered: 2020-05-15

Posts: 33

Re: [SOLVED] Partitioning issues with dual boot Windows 10 and Arch

Hmm, that's strange. I wonder why it didn't... What would be the recommend approach? I don't mind reinstalling Windows since it's just new anyway.

If I would reinstall Windows, any idea how can I then make sure it installs in UEFI mode? Do I keep installing Windows first?

Otherwise, how exactly would I temporary backup those files while running the Arch installation on an USB drive?

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 21,722

Re: [SOLVED] Partitioning issues with dual boot Windows 10 and Arch

You need to ensure that your BIOS/UEFI is configured to boot the disc/or USB or whatever in UEFI mode. There are likely to either be settings to enforce that or during the boot device selection many firmwares will denote an UEFI based boot entry with [UEFI] or so

Captain Athelas

Member

Registered: 2020-05-15

Posts: 33

Re: [SOLVED] Partitioning issues with dual boot Windows 10 and Arch

Thanks, I reinstalled Windows properly and everything went well now.