What's the difference between /boot, /boot/efi, and /efi?
Asked by
CuriousCat123
Hey everyone! I've been reinstalling Arch Linux way too many times and just realized that most tutorials are mounting to `/boot/efi`, while I've always used `/boot` based on the Arch wiki. I've never had issues doing it my way, but I'm really curious about the differences. From my research, I understand that `/boot` is for BIOS/MBR and `/boot/efi` is for UEFI/GPT systems, but I also saw that you don't necessarily need separate partitions for both. Also, I plan on dual-booting with Windows 11 IoT LTSC and Artix. Can someone explain whether these mount points are bootloader-specific, OS-specific, or what? And what about that `/efi` location people mention sometimes? Thanks a lot!
Answers
So, `/boot` is generally where all your kernel and bootloader files are kept. On the other hand, `/boot/efi` is meant for the EFI system partition where the actual bootloader binaries like GRUB or systemd-boot are stored.
When we talk about which to use, you can utilize `/boot` with any firmware setup. But `/boot/efi` is specifically needed for UEFI systems.
You’re right that you don't have to create separate partitions for those. The EFI system partition needs to be present on UEFI systems, but whether to separate `/boot` is up to how you set up your bootloader and if you're using things like encryption. Also, it doesn't matter if you're dual-booting or not; the EFI partition is essential either way!
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SystemWhiz89: Exactly! A typical modern UEFI system will always require an EFI partition, whether dual-booting or not. It stores everything important for booting.