How to Set Up Dual Booting with a Second SSD?
Asked by
CoolWanderer42
I recently added a second SSD to my PC and I'm planning to set up a dual boot configuration with Windows and Arch Linux. My question is whether I need to install a bootloader on the second SSD, or is the bootloader that was automatically set up with Windows sufficient for this?
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It's actually best practice to install the bootloader on your new SSD. During the installation process, I recommend temporarily disconnecting the Windows drive to avoid any mistakes with bootloader installation. After you set up the Arch bootloader, you can reconnect your Windows drive, though it might require setting up OSprober to detect it. Also, avoid installing the bootloader on the Windows partition because it can fill up quickly; a size around 500-1000MB is ideal.
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You'll need to install a Linux bootloader—like GRUB or systemd-boot—on the second SSD in order to boot into your Linux installation. The Windows bootloader won't recognize the Linux system, so it's important to use a dedicated Linux bootloader for dual booting.
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So, just to clarify, I need to install the bootloader on the second drive, right?
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