Arch Linux

TakeAChance

Member

Registered: 2025-10-11

Posts: 2

Issues installing arch with Windows UEFI dual boot on Acer Nitro v15

I'm trying to install arch on my Acer Nitro v15 but am having issues with the Acer UEFI BIOS. My partitions are set up as follows:

1. An EFI partition which holds the boot files for Windows and GRUB.

2. A Windows 11 partition.

3. A partition for the arch installation.

The issue occurs after I setup grub, and there are a few different "states" that the system will be in depending on the boot order and which boot menus I attempt to access:

1. The first "state" occurs when I boot the device directly after setting up grub. In this state, the system will boot directly to Windows without issue. I can also use the F12 Boot Menu, and I can boot to grub - and therefore the arch environment.

2. The second "state" occurs whenever I press F2 during boot to enter the UEFI BIOS so I can change the boot order, and also when grub is first in the boot order. In this state, the device boots to the Acer splash screen and gets stuck.

3. Restarting the device after the second "state" results in a third, in which the monitor does not turn on, and nothing appears on the screen.

I have been able to press F12 in the third state to enter the Boot Menu, and then press Enter (while the monitor is still off) to boot into Windows, but it is very inconsistent. More often I have to unplug the battery, wait 30 seconds for the CMOS to drain, then boot again - in which case it returns to the first state.

I'm following the Installation Guide, the Dual boot with Windows info, and Laptop/Acer 2.2 - Firmware Setup became inaccessible after Linux installation.

I have tried the steps from Laptop/Acer Section 2.2 which includes: using `efibootmgr` to remove non-verified entries, trusting `grubx64.efi`, disabling Secure Boot, rebooting to UEFI BIOS (realizing the boot entry was no longer available to set up the appropriate boot order), and recreating the grub boot entry.

Even after all of these steps, I'm faced with the same issue.

I also tried adding `core.efi` and `grub.efi` to the trusted list, but this didn't help either.

Last edited by TakeAChance (2025-10-11 22:26:22)

TakeAChance

Member

Registered: 2025-10-11

Posts: 2

Re: Issues installing arch with Windows UEFI dual boot on Acer Nitro v15

Found an article dealing with the same issue. Marked for merge, not sure if done correctly, please inform if incorrect and how to fix.

EDIT: I have followed the steps in the linked article and it is still not working. It works on the first boot, but when I open the BIOS and try to change the boot order, both the Windows and grub entries appear as a string of weird special characters.

Rebooting the device results in going back to square 1.

Last edited by TakeAChance (2025-10-11 22:29:13)

schard

Forum Moderator

From: Hannover

Registered: 2016-05-06

Posts: 2,419

Website

Re: Issues installing arch with Windows UEFI dual boot on Acer Nitro v15

Mod note: Moving to Laptop Issues as requested.

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