[solved]how to add arch to the grub menu in an acer UEFI bios machine?

Lav_div · 2026-02-02 21:22:11

system :
acer aspiere e5 575g i5 7200u , gt940mx 8gb ram

installing linux in this machine requires steps of flacky boot

read the wiki couldnt find a section about dual booting in this case ,
im trying to set up a dual boot with both arch and getoo in the same drive , i installed gentoo with grub as a bootloader , then installed arch with no bootloader since gentoo already has one

python -m archinstall -skip-boot

output of lsblk :

aymen@gentoo ~ $ lsblk
NAME   MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINTS
sda      8:0    0 238.5G  0 disk
├─sda1   8:1    0     1G  0 part /efi
├─sda2   8:2    0     4G  0 part [SWAP]
├─sda3   8:3    0    50G  0 part /
├─sda4   8:4    0   1.1G  0 part
├─sda5   8:5    0    50G  0 part
└─sda6   8:6    0 132.4G  0 part

i used a diffrent uefi boot partition i dont have a reason why ,

i used os-prober so i can identify and add an entry to grub
output of grub-mkconfig is showing that it did recognize arch but it is not showing in the grub menu

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  load_env
fi
if [ "${next_entry}" ] ; then
   set default="${next_entry}"
   set next_entry=
   save_env next_entry
   set boot_once=true
else
   set default="0"
fi

if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
  menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
  menuentry_id_option=""
fi

export menuentry_id_option

if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}

function load_video {
  if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
    insmod all_video
  else
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod ieee1275_fb
    insmod vbe
    insmod vga
    insmod video_bochs
    insmod video_cirrus
  fi
}

if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod part_gpt
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,gpt3'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt3 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt3 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt3  e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989
fi
    font="/usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi

if loadfont $font ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
  set lang=en_US
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_gpt
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,gpt3'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt3 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt3 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt3  e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989
fi
insmod gfxmenu
loadfont ($root)/boot/grub/themes/gentoo_glass/unifont-regular-16.pf2
insmod png
set theme=($root)/boot/grub/themes/gentoo_glass/theme.txt
export theme
if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ] ; then
  set timeout_style=menu
  set timeout=5
# Fallback normal timeout code in case the timeout_style feature is
# unavailable.
else
  set timeout=5
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Gentoo GNU/Linux' --class gentoo --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989' {
	load_video
	if [ "x$grub_platform" = xefi ]; then
		set gfxpayload=keep
	fi
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_gpt
	insmod ext2
	set root='hd0,gpt3'
	if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt3 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt3 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt3  e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989
	else
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989
	fi
	echo	'Loading Linux 6.12.63-gentoo-dist ...'
	linux	/boot/vmlinuz-6.12.63-gentoo-dist root=UUID=e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989 ro  
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	/boot/amd-uc.img /boot/initramfs-6.12.63-gentoo-dist.img
}
submenu 'Advanced options for Gentoo GNU/Linux' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989' {
	menuentry 'Gentoo GNU/Linux, with Linux 6.12.63-gentoo-dist' --class gentoo --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-6.12.63-gentoo-dist-advanced-e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989' {
		load_video
		if [ "x$grub_platform" = xefi ]; then
			set gfxpayload=keep
		fi
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_gpt
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,gpt3'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt3 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt3 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt3  e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 6.12.63-gentoo-dist ...'
		linux	/boot/vmlinuz-6.12.63-gentoo-dist root=UUID=e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989 ro  
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/boot/amd-uc.img /boot/initramfs-6.12.63-gentoo-dist.img
	}
	menuentry 'Gentoo GNU/Linux, with Linux 6.12.63-gentoo-dist (recovery mode)' --class gentoo --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-6.12.63-gentoo-dist-recovery-e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989' {
		load_video
		if [ "x$grub_platform" = xefi ]; then
			set gfxpayload=keep
		fi
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_gpt
		insmod ext2
		set root='hd0,gpt3'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt3 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt3 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt3  e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux 6.12.63-gentoo-dist ...'
		linux	/boot/vmlinuz-6.12.63-gentoo-dist root=UUID=e4bbc7bf-3c0c-4179-998f-9963b1b8b989 ro single 
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	/boot/amd-uc.img /boot/initramfs-6.12.63-gentoo-dist.img
	}
}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/25_bli ###
if [ "$grub_platform" = "efi" ]; then
  insmod bli
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/25_bli ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry 'Arch Linux (on /dev/sda5)' --class arch --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-simple-c58ac29b-57da-4866-8ae7-0dd7cf76e265' {
	insmod part_gpt
	insmod fat
	set root='hd0,gpt4'
	if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt4 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt4 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt4  D7D9-A0A1
	else
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root D7D9-A0A1
	fi
	linux /vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/sda5
	initrd /initramfs-linux.img
}
submenu 'Advanced options for Arch Linux (on /dev/sda5)' $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-advanced-c58ac29b-57da-4866-8ae7-0dd7cf76e265' {
	menuentry 'Arch Linux (on /dev/sda5)' --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'osprober-gnulinux-/vmlinuz-linux--c58ac29b-57da-4866-8ae7-0dd7cf76e265' {
		insmod part_gpt
		insmod fat
		set root='hd0,gpt4'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt4 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt4 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt4  D7D9-A0A1
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root D7D9-A0A1
		fi
		linux /vmlinuz-linux root=/dev/sda5
		initrd /initramfs-linux.img
	}
}

### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
if [ "$grub_platform" = "efi" ]; then
	menuentry 'UEFI Firmware Settings' $menuentry_id_option 'uefi-firmware' {
		fwsetup
	}
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
  source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg
fi

Last edited by Lav_div (2026-02-02 21:54:24)

V1del · 2026-02-02 21:34:37

You're either not launching a grub that's setup to read this config or you're not booting the GRUB you think you're booting.

You did write this config into /boot/grub/grub.cfg? And you ran which command to install grub? Also using root=/dev/sda5 will run you into trouble sooner rather than later replace that with an UUID identifier -- fairly certain os-prober should be able to do that, otherwise just edit something in manually.

Technically this is a gentoo question since the configurable parts here come from gentoo, but let's see where this goes.

Lav_div · 2026-02-02 21:52:25

thank you very much !! as you said i didnt write the mkconfig to the grub.cfg
i forgot to grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
and again thank you very much for the help !!
marking this thread as solved

Arch Linux

#1 2026-02-02 21:22:11

[solved]how to add arch to the grub menu in an acer UEFI bios machine?

#2 2026-02-02 21:34:37

Re: [solved]how to add arch to the grub menu in an acer UEFI bios machine?

#3 2026-02-02 21:52:25

Re: [solved]how to add arch to the grub menu in an acer UEFI bios machine?

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