GRUB Configuration for Dual-Boot Arch Linux and Windows 10

This guide explains how to edit and configure GRUB on Arch Linux for a dual-boot setup with Windows 10, ensuring the GRUB menu displays correctly for selecting Arch Linux or Windows.

Prerequisites

• Arch Linux and Windows 10 installed on a UEFI system.


• GRUB bootloader installed (sudo pacman -S grub).


• 
  os-prober installed to detect Windows (sudo pacman -S os-prober).

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Edit GRUB Configuration

The main GRUB configuration file is /etc/default/grub. Edit it to customize boot behavior.

1. 
   Open the Configuration File:
   

   sudo nano /etc/default/grub

1. 
   

   Key Settings to Modify:

   
   
   
   
   
   • 
     Timeout and Menu Display:
     
   
   
   
   

    GRUB_TIMEOUT=5
   
    GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu
   
   

   
   
   

 - `GRUB_TIMEOUT=5`: Shows GRUB menu for 5 seconds.

 - `GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=menu`: Ensures the menu is visible.

• 
  

  Kernel Parameters:
  
  

  
  

   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="loglevel=3"
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  • 
    loglevel=3: Reduces boot verbosity but keeps essential messages.
  
  
  
  
  
  



• 
  
  

  Graphical Resolution:
  
  

  
  
  

   GRUB_GFXMODE=auto
  
   GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=keep
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • 
    GRUB_GFXMODE=auto: Sets GRUB resolution automatically.
  
  
  • 
    GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=keep: Maintains graphical mode for the kernel.
  
  
  
  
  
  



• 
  
  

  Windows Detection:
  
  

  
  
  

   GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=false
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Ensures os-prober detects Windows Boot Manager.
  
  
  
  
  
  



• 
  
  

  Optional GRUB Theme (for a custom GRUB menu look):
  
  

  
  
  

   GRUB_THEME="/usr/share/grub/themes/Vimix/theme.txt"
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  • Install a theme: yay -S grub-theme-vimix.
  
  
  
  
  
  

1. 
   Save Changes:
   
   
   
   
   • In nano, press Ctrl+O, Enter, then Ctrl+X to save and exit.
   
   
   
   

2. Update GRUB Configuration

Regenerate the GRUB configuration to apply changes:

sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

This detects Arch Linux (/boot/vmlinuz-linux, /boot/initramfs-linux.img) and Windows Boot Manager (e.g., on /dev/nvme0n1p2@/efi/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi).

3. (Optional) Reinstall GRUB

If GRUB isn’t displaying or booting correctly:

sudo grub-install

sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Ensure your EFI partition is mounted at /boot/efi before running grub-install.

4. Reboot

Reboot to apply changes:

reboot

You should see the GRUB menu with entries for Arch Linux, Windows Boot Manager, and a UEFI Firmware Settings option.

5. Troubleshooting

• 
  Backup Configuration:
  

  sudo cp /etc/default/grub /etc/default/grub.bak

• 
  Check GRUB Output:
  Run sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg and verify it detects both Arch Linux and Windows.


• 
  Manually Edit at Boot:
  Press e at the GRUB menu to temporarily edit boot parameters.


• 
  Check Logs:
  

  journalctl -b

Look for errors related to GRUB.

• 
  Verify UEFI Mode:
  

  ls /sys/firmware/efi

If the directory exists, you’re in UEFI mode.

Notes

• Your system uses /boot/intel-ucode.img for Intel microcode updates, which is correctly detected.


• Ensure os-prober is installed to detect Windows Boot Manager.


• If the GRUB menu doesn’t display, check your Dell laptop’s BIOS/UEFI settings to ensure UEFI boot is enabled and Secure Boot is disabled if needed.


• For GPU issues (e.g., display glitches), install appropriate drivers:
  

  sudo pacman -S nvidia nvidia-utils  # For NVIDIA

  sudo pacman -S mesa xf86-video-amdgpu  # For AMD

  sudo pacman -S mesa xf86-video-intel  # For Intel