Issues with installing on a secondary NVMe

Hi all,

I intend to install Manjaro KDE onto a second nvme SSD, and keep Windows on the main SSD.There is a problem with my ancient motherboard not recognizing the nvme as an SSD, and so I might not be able to boot directly from it.

The issue I have is where should I install the GRUB - on the drive with Manjaro or Windows?

Thanks,

A

If you cannot boot from the second SSD, then create boot partition on the first one (also a EFI Partition if UEFI) and set the mountpoints correctly while installation. The Root Filesystem can be allocated on the second drive.

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Hi @Andriko, and welcome!

This might help: [root tip] Dual boot Manjaro and Windows

Although, any MB that has an nVME slot should recognize any SSD connected to it. Because, at least AFAIK, nVME is only Solid State and you should be able to boot from it.

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I will check the link - I think the issue with the motherboard is that I have plugged it into a PCIe using an adaptor. Manjaro Live reads it fine, so I assume GRUB will, so I am guessing I will have to boot it from another drive.

Thanks all for the help!

Way back when, when I still had to plug an ISA IDE controller in for hard drives, this wasn’t a problem. So I can only think it won’t be now.

Just keep an eye on it during startup, as it might, I don’t know for sure - I’m guessing here since I’ve never done it, there might be a shortcut to enter into the controller’s settings (amost like your BIOS) where you can change settings like this.

Thanks, I’ll give it a go later installing grub in the new SSD. If it doesn’t work, nothing is broke beyond repairs that way and I’ll take it from there!

Thanks for your speedy responses!

So I think I messed up - I installed manjaro to the new SSD and the bootloader to the old (windows) ssd and now it won’t boot and goes to a command prompt (GRUB recovery I think). From here I don’t seem to be able to get to windows or Manjaro

Hello all, again!

In an endevour to destroy my PC I tried installing Manjaro onto a clean SSD, which lead to my PC booting to GRUB recovery. Seeing now way out, I thought to hell with it and went to install Manjaro on the main SSD and get rid of windows. How ever, it keeps coming up with an error during the install.

Also, it doesn’t give me the same options I have before - ie to replace and do a full install. It just lets me pick a manual partition.

Windows seems to be gone now, so the PC is pretty much dead now untill I can get manjaro on it. It works fine from a live OS though.

Thanks for any help!