Dual boot doesn't show Manjaro in grub screen

Support
1

On my pc with MX installed on EXT4 formatted ssd I tried to install manjaro-cinnamon-25.0.3-250609-linux612.iso That was on a BTRFS partition. Both are non- encrypted. Install and updates went as should. After reboot only MX appears in the grub. sudo update-grub didn’t change that. In Gparted one can see the Manjaro os. flags: boot,esp. MX has flag: legacy boot
When live boot manjaro-cinnamon-25.0.3 can’t open the manjaro partition, only the MX partitions.
How to proceed?

2

This suggests that you installed MX in legacy BIOS mode and Manjaro in native UEFI mode.

You cannot use both boot methods together on the same drive. You will have to reinstall MX in native UEFI mode — which is recommended — or reinstall Manjaro in legacy BIOS mode.

If you’re going to go with the former (and recommended) method, then make sure legacy BIOS emulation — also called CSM (“compatibility support module”) — is disabled in the UEFI firmware setup, and that UEFI-only boot is set.

2 Likes
3

Alternatively, if you don’t want to reinstall and don’t switch that often between the 2 os, you can just change the bios settings as described above. That will unhide manjaro and hide mx. Efectively a single boot system according to which setting is toggled.
In the future keep it on uefi and install only in this mode.

1 Like
4

There’s something else which I think is worth pointing out: It seems that some other distros’ bootloaders have issues booting Manjaro.

In this case, it’s likely better to install MX without a bootloader, then os-prober run from Manjaro should pick up the GRUB entries, assuming it’s enabled.

In /etc/default/grub check for this:

# Uncomment this option to enable os-prober execution in the grub-mkconfig command
GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=false
1 Like
5

As far as i know, manjaro grub is customized, so indeed if dual booting with another linux one has to use the manjaro grub to boot both systems, the opposite might not work (or stop working at some point)

1 Like
6

I have Kali Linux on an external USB SSD, and Kali doesn’t recognize Manjaro either—it never has.

1 Like
7

the device is about 15 years old. It has no uefi bios, nothing to switch there.
I;ve made some screenshots during install but how to access them. Even liveboot manjaro doesn’t mount the partition.

8

It will be useful to provide the output of the following:

sudo parted -l

… so we can see how your disk is set up. :wink:

9

Well, you could try the following… :backhand_index_pointing_down:

  • Boot up from a Manjaro live USB, open up a terminal window, and issue the following command… :backhand_index_pointing_down:

     sudo -i

  • Now run the following command… :backhand_index_pointing_down:

    manjaro-chroot -a

    If it doesn’t work, follow the instructions for chrooting in this tutorial.

  • Once you are chroot’ed, check whether os-prober is enabled in /etc/default/grub. If it’s not, edit the file with nano, enable it, and save the file.

  • Now run the following commands… :backhand_index_pointing_down:

    pacman -S install-grub && install-grub
update-grub
1 Like
10

This is what i’ve got

[manjaro@manjaro-cinnamon ~]$ sudo -i
[manjaro-cinnamon ~]# manjaro-chroot -a
==> Mounting (MX) [/dev/sda2]
 --> mount: [/mnt]
 --> mount: [/mnt/home]
root@manjaro-cinnamon:~#

root@manjaro-cinnamon:~# sudo parted -l
Model: (filter)
Disk /dev/sda: 128GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags: 

Number  Start   End     Size    File system  Name     Flags
 1      1049kB  2097kB  1049kB               primary  bios_grub
 2      2097kB  32.0GB  32.0GB  ext4         primary  legacy_boot
 3      32.0GB  49.2GB  17.2GB  ext4         primary
 4      49.2GB  128GB   78.8GB  btrfs        root     boot, esp
root@manjaro-cinnamon

root@manjaro-cinnamon:~# mount -t btrfs -o subvol=@ /dev/sda4/ mnt/
mount: mnt/: mount point is not a directory.
       dmesg(1) may have more information after failed mount system call.
root@manjaro-cinnamon:~#

dmesg brings an awful long list, not sure what could be of any importance.

11

This at least confirms one OS is installed in legacy mode.
Note: one of my installations is set up in this sort of hybrid Legacy + GPT mode, with that bios_grub partition, but it’s single-boot.

So, you will need to either convert MX into (U)EFI boot, or reinstall it (with my above recommendation re. bootloader, or @Aragorn’s with the install-grub script).

EDIT: Note that my above recommendations will only work if your machine actually is (U)EFI-capable. Your inxi report should help to determine this.

12

Note that manjaro-chroot -a, the automatic option, actually chrooted you in the MX, because it doesn’t recognize btrfs. It didn’t matter for parted, but it will matter for grub (it will install mx grub).
You will have to manually chroot the manjaro install.
Not that it matter at this point - you will have to reinstall or convert mx first.

1 Like
13

Please provide your system details: :point_down:

[Mini-HowTo] Provide System Information

Basic details provided by *-fetch type apps might give enough information for someone wishing to buy a computer, however, for Support purposes it’s best to ask your system directly.

Output of the inxi command will generate more useful and detailed information for those who may wish to help:

Suggested inxi command (use either):
inxi -zv8 (short-form)
inxi --filter --verbosity=8 (long-form)

Command output should be presented as pre-formatted text in accordance with forum guidelines. :eyes:

Running inxi within a chroot environment

  • Add --color=0 to the long-form command, or…
  • Change the short-form command to inxi -zv8c0

Your privacy is respected

Using manjaro-chroot -a seems to only land you in the MX / (root) – you will need to enter a chroot environment manually (manjaro-chroot does not support btrfs).

Once you have successfully mounted the Manjaro / (root) you can continue to reinstall and update the configuration of Manjaro’s Grub, as needed.

If it’s not a UEFI capable system – as the OP suggests – that’s not a likely outcome, is it? :slight_smile: That said, there is a possibility that the OP may simply be unaware of UEFI capability; after having only installed as Legacy.

(the inxi output will put that to rest, either way).

Just noting that UEFI capability is not a requirement to use a GUID Partition Table (GPT) with a protective MBR (the hybid boot you mention).

14

BIOS: Insyde v: F.66
date: 01/24/2013

Please explain how.

15

Please provide your system information, as requested.

This may be helpful:

Edit:-

Then, post all of it;
no doubt someone else might see something of interest.

16

Without knowing anything of your system I see at least two ways, both requiring a full backup:

  • either with rsync
  • or with the good ol’ tar command.

If the machine’s disk still has enough free space, you might create a dedicated partition as a temporary backup space. Or, better, you can also use an external disk drive, that would make a good backup drive.

17

Indeed, /dev/sda4/ does not exist. It’s /dev/sda4, without the trailing slash, because it’s a device special file.

18

OMG! Good catch. I had to squint on that one, the entire command being shaded.

1 Like
19

Aaaand mnt/ should be /mnt :wink:

2 Likes
20

Well, it depends on the working directory. If the working directory is /, then not putting a slash in front of mnt is okay, as it is a directory in the working directory.

If on the other hand the working directory is not /, then it wouldn’t work. :wink:

1 Like