How to Properly Set Up Dual Booting with Two SSDs?
Asked by
CuriousCat42
I just added a second SSD to my PC and I'm looking to set up a dual boot with Windows and Arch Linux. I'm curious if I need to install a bootloader on the new SSD, or will the one that comes with Windows work okay?
Answers
It's actually best to install the bootloader on the new drive. For the smoothest experience, it's a good idea to disconnect the Windows drive during the installation. This helps avoid mistakes or issues with the bootloader defaulting to Windows. I suggest using GRUB. Once installed, reconnect the Windows drive, but be aware that it might not show up in GRUB at first. You may need to set up OSprober or use rEFInd to detect it. Also, keep in mind that Windows' boot partition is pretty small, so installing the bootloader there can cause issues later on.
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So I just install the bootloader on the second drive?
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The Windows bootloader won't let you boot into your Linux installation, so you'll need to install a Linux bootloader like GRUB, systemd-boot, rEFInd, or Limine to choose which OS to start.
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