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#1 2025-10-13 08:42:41

Enla
Member
Registered: 2024-12-04
Posts: 16

bootctl install not creating a loader.conf file

Hello, I've been trying to replace grub2 with systemd-boot to get something that is simpler to use. I've followed the steps on the wiki, and it tells me to modify the loader.conf file located in esp/loader/loader.conf, which according to bootctl -p is /boot/efi.

However, when I go to this location there is no loader directory. How come ? Can I just create it by hand and call it a day ? Thanks in advance.

Last edited by V1del (2025-10-13 14:28:11)

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#2 2025-10-13 14:31:18

V1del
Forum Moderator
Registered: 2012-10-16
Posts: 24,798

Re: bootctl install not creating a loader.conf file

Yes you normally create those yourself. But note that if your ESP is indeed /boot/efi you will not be able to boot the kernel if it has resided on /boot so far (... and /boot potentially not being a distinct partition) if your ESP is on /boot/efi but your kernel images aren't then systemd-boot won't be able to boot those directly. systemd-boot can only boot from the ESP it resides on itself or specific partitions marked with the XBOOTLDR flag.

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#3 2025-10-13 15:46:24

cryptearth
Member
Registered: 2024-02-03
Posts: 1,722

Re: bootctl install not creating a loader.conf file

Enla wrote:

to get something that is simpler to use.

may i ask in what way?
I've tested several boot options and although I managed to get them all working for me personal grub is still the most straight forward
is there something specific that's simpler with systemd-boot rather than with grub?

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#4 2025-10-13 16:04:25

tekstryder
Member
Registered: 2013-02-14
Posts: 450

Re: bootctl install not creating a loader.conf file

cryptearth wrote:
Enla wrote:

to get something that is simpler to use.

is there something specific that's simpler with systemd-boot rather than with grub?

Being a systemd-boot fanboi here since it was gummiboot...

... I'll just let da llmz field that one:

systemd-boot is simpler than GRUB in several notable ways:

Minimal configuration: systemd-boot uses simple plain-text configuration files in /boot/loader/entries/ with straightforward key-value pairs. Each boot entry is just a few lines specifying the kernel, initramfs, and command line options. GRUB requires more complex configuration scripts and a generation process.

No installation complexity: systemd-boot copies itself as a single EFI binary to the EFI System Partition. There's no complex installation to the boot sector or worry about different boot modes. GRUB has multiple installation methods and can be tricky to set up correctly across different firmware types.

Automatic entry detection: It can automatically discover boot entries by scanning the ESP, making it easier to manage multiple kernels or operating systems without manually regenerating config files.

Smaller codebase: systemd-boot is much smaller and does less - it's essentially just a boot menu that hands off to the Linux kernel. GRUB is a full-featured bootloader with its own scripting language, filesystem drivers, and extensive functionality that most users never need.
UEFI-only: While this limits compatibility, it also simplifies things - systemd-boot only targets modern UEFI systems, so there's no legacy BIOS code path to maintain or configure.

No boot configuration generation: Unlike GRUB where you typically run grub-mkconfig or update-grub to regenerate configuration, systemd-boot just reads simple config files directly. You can edit boot entries by hand without any generation step.

The tradeoff is that systemd-boot is less flexible - it can't boot from as many filesystem types, doesn't support legacy BIOS, and lacks GRUB's advanced features. But for straightforward UEFI Linux systems, that simplicity is often exactly what people want.

This matches my experience of using this bootloader the past 13 years after I abandoned grub for good.

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#5 2025-10-13 16:28:11

NoSavvy
Member
From: Dorchester, Dorset, UK
Registered: 2013-01-23
Posts: 124

Re: bootctl install not creating a loader.conf file

Give Lamine a try. It's quite easy/simple to follow the docs.

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#6 2025-10-14 05:56:34

cryptearth
Member
Registered: 2024-02-03
Posts: 1,722

Re: bootctl install not creating a loader.conf file

tekstryder wrote:
cryptearth wrote:

is there something specific that's simpler with systemd-boot rather than with grub?

Being a systemd-boot fanboi here since it was gummiboot...

... I'll just let da llmz field that one:

...

This matches my experience of using this bootloader the past 13 years after I abandoned grub for good.

I won't start an argue here because it would end up me hijacking this topic - maybe I start one in off-topic - but thank you for your insights

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#7 2025-10-14 09:02:06

Enla
Member
Registered: 2024-12-04
Posts: 16

Re: bootctl install not creating a loader.conf file

V1del wrote:

Yes you normally create those yourself. But note that if your ESP is indeed /boot/efi you will not be able to boot the kernel if it has resided on /boot so far (... and /boot potentially not being a distinct partition) if your ESP is on /boot/efi but your kernel images aren't then systemd-boot won't be able to boot those directly. systemd-boot can only boot from the ESP it resides on itself or specific partitions marked with the XBOOTLDR flag.

I see, how can I fix that ? Do I need to move all my partitions and resize /boot/efi, or is there a better option ?

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