Failing to dual boot on Windows and Arch

IAteNoodles · 2022-01-18 10:13:45

So, I installed arch on my 256GB ssd, and then I installed Windows 10 on another partition.
I tried to fix the grub by myself using boot-repair tool that came along with Linux Mint live disk, my previous distro but instead broke the entire grub.
I then used the live disk and chroot into the arch system and installed grub of arch again.
Tho I can use arch, I can't use Windows.
I am using GRUB, and not EFI.
Output of

 fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 223.57 GiB, 240057409536 bytes, 468862128 sectors
Disk model: CT240BX500SSD1  
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xb2142f48

Device     Boot     Start       End   Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sda1            2048  33556479  33554432    16G 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda2        33556480 243271679 209715200   100G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3  *    243271680 468860927 225589248 107.6G 83 Linux


Disk /dev/sdb: 29.81 GiB, 32010928128 bytes, 62521344 sectors
Disk model: Cruzer Blade    
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: 1A8104FC-47D2-0289-623A-F91D5404AD76

Device        Start      End  Sectors  Size Type
/dev/sdb1      2048 54067159 54065112 25.8G Microsoft basic data
/dev/sdb2  54067160 54132695    65536   32M Microsoft basic data
/dev/sdb3  54132736 62519295  8386560    4G Microsoft basic data

Is way so that I can DB the both?
I don't mind installing windows again, but I don't want to brick the arch so I am playing it safe.
Also, if I need to make a backup, should I use Rsync or Btrfs in this case as I already have a timeshift backup in Rsync.

Lone_Wolf · 2022-01-18 13:06:39

hmm, you have setup archlinux to boot as a bios/MBR system while windows is booting EFI/GPT ?

Most (all ?) EFI based systems determine automatically whether to start in legacy / CSM or EFI mode before bootloaders are started.
I have never heard of a method to switch between bios / efi from a bootloader.

You may have to install windows as boot/mbr also .

I did do such an install with windows 10 2018 april update on hardware with a very unstable and buggy efi mode but excellent reliable bios mode .
That system still boots fine that way and now runs windows 10 2021 H1 .

Microsoft did make it harder to customize during installation*, no idea if a boot/mbr install is still supported.

*
I have not found a way to install without using a microsoft account . Post install you can remove the microsoft account and switch to a local account, but not during.

Last edited by Lone_Wolf (2022-01-18 13:12:41)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2022-01-18 15:11:07

Lone_Wolf wrote:

I have not found a way to install without using a microsoft account

Don't let it connect to the internet when you create the user account.

@OP: did you install os-prober and mount the Windows system partition before generating grub.cfg?

See also https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GRUB#D … ng_systems

I also eat noodles btw.

IAteNoodles · 2022-01-18 18:38:27

Lone_Wolf wrote:

hmm, you have setup archlinux to boot as a bios/MBR system while windows is booting EFI/GPT ?
Most (all ?) EFI based systems determine automatically whether to start in legacy / CSM or EFI mode before bootloaders are started.
I have never heard of a method to switch between bios / efi from a bootloader.
You may have to install windows as boot/mbr also .
I did do such an install with windows 10 2018 april update on hardware with a very unstable and buggy efi mode but excellent reliable bios mode .
That system still boots fine that way and now runs windows 10 2021 H1 .
Microsoft did make it harder to customize during installation*, no idea if a boot/mbr install is still supported.

*
I have not found a way to install without using a microsoft account . Post install you can remove the microsoft account and switch to a local account, but not during.

I don't think that Windows is in EFI as I did MBR partitioning and I remember not even setting up the windows.
I just installed windows and then booted into arch

IAteNoodles · 2022-01-18 18:39:53

Head_on_a_Stick wrote:

Lone_Wolf wrote:
I have not found a way to install without using a microsoft account
Don't let it connect to the internet when you create the user account.
@OP: did you install os-prober and mount the Windows system partition before generating grub.cfg?
See also https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/GRUB#D … ng_systems
I also eat noodles btw.

I didn't mount the windows disk, but isntalled os-prober which gave me some warning tho that I was too lazy to read.
Should have known it would hit me hard.

ordinary.schreiber · 2022-01-19 09:22:14

I was recentrly able to install arch and dual boot with windows.

Although, first I installed Windows (in Legacy BIOS boot) leaving an empty partition on the same disk where Windows is installed.

Then I booted form Arch live usb and proceeded partitioning that empty space following Legacy BIOS partition instructions, which also include a particular partitioning in order to install GRUB successfully.

Are you actually installing Windows on the same drive where Arch was installed? If yes, are you sure you are booting windows with MBR partition scheme?

This wasn't clear from your output.

ordinary.schreiber · 2022-01-19 09:23:29

If you were willing to reinstall both Windows and Arch, I would be able to help.

Lone_Wolf · 2022-01-19 14:15:25

Disklabel type: gpt

Your windows drive is formatted as gpt , not MBR .
However there's no sign of an EFI partition so your firmware may support gpt partioning with MBR boot .

Normally windows uses 4 partitions with one (small one) marked as SYSTEM or system reserved where windows bootmgr resides.
Your setup does have a small partition but it's not marked as such .

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Dual_b … imitations may be helpful .

Last edited by Lone_Wolf (2022-01-19 14:15:45)

IAteNoodles · 2022-01-19 14:22:16

ordinary.schreiber wrote:

I was recentrly able to install arch and dual boot with windows.
Although, first I installed Windows (in Legacy BIOS boot) leaving an empty partition on the same disk where Windows is installed.
Then I booted form Arch live usb and proceeded partitioning that empty space following Legacy BIOS partition instructions, which also include a particular partitioning in order to install GRUB successfully.
Are you actually installing Windows on the same drive where Arch was installed? If yes, are you sure you are booting windows with MBR partition scheme?
This wasn't clear from your output.

I fixed it using grub-customizer, lol
Here's a somewhat of a map:
I formatted my ssd to gpt and failed to install arch on it
I formatted it again to mbr, installed arch
I tinkered around and then installed windows on the same ssd, but on different partition.

To anyone who had this problem, this is what I did.
As guided earlier, I needed to mount the windows drive, but since I didn't (couldn't) mount it as I didn't know where to mount it, I did this:
Installed windows, and set it up
Then check if the windows is working and reboot just to make sure it boots directly into windows.
Once I confirmed windows was done, I booted into my live arch iso

cfdisk

Then I went in and made my arch partition bootable.

mount /dev/sda3 /mnt #My arch partition

arch-chroot /mnt

startx #Login to your arch system

Now go to grub-customizer and make sure that everything is as you want it to be.

Now save the changes and reboot and see if this works.
Hope it works, worked for me tho

IAteNoodles · 2022-01-19 14:23:45

Lone_Wolf wrote:

Disklabel type: gpt
Your windows drive is formatted as gpt , not MBR .
However there's no sign of an EFI partition so your firmware may support gpt partioning with MBR boot .
Normally windows uses 4 partitions with one (small one) marked as SYSTEM or system reserved where windows bootmgr resides.
Your setup does have a small partition but it's not marked as such .
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Dual_b … imitations may be helpful .

Ahh!!! that's my pen drive on which I had the iso
I use ventoy, and used gpt there

Arch Linux

#1 2022-01-18 10:13:45

Failing to dual boot on Windows and Arch

#2 2022-01-18 13:06:39

Re: Failing to dual boot on Windows and Arch

#3 2022-01-18 15:11:07

Re: Failing to dual boot on Windows and Arch

#4 2022-01-18 18:38:27

Re: Failing to dual boot on Windows and Arch

#5 2022-01-18 18:39:53

Re: Failing to dual boot on Windows and Arch

#6 2022-01-19 09:22:14

Re: Failing to dual boot on Windows and Arch

#7 2022-01-19 09:23:29

Re: Failing to dual boot on Windows and Arch

#8 2022-01-19 14:15:25

Re: Failing to dual boot on Windows and Arch

#9 2022-01-19 14:22:16

Re: Failing to dual boot on Windows and Arch

#10 2022-01-19 14:23:45

Re: Failing to dual boot on Windows and Arch

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