GRUB Hell: Why Dual-Booting Still Requires a BIOS Nudge and Constant Commands
To force the GRUB menu visibility in dual-boot setups, users must manually set the Linux/GRUB drive as the primary boot device in the BIOS/UEFI and explicitly set a visible timeout, such as 30 seconds.
The community splits sharply on stability versus bleeding-edge performance. Some users, like 'empireOfLove2', insist on LTS versions like Linux Mint for reliability, while others, such as 'Diplomjodler3', champion specialized, rolling releases like Bazzite for gaming. On the mechanics side, users like 'TootSweet' argue that failure to detect an OS demands manual intervention using `sudo grub-install` and `sudo update-grub`. An advanced alternative, noted via 'fozid', bypasses traditional GRUB issues entirely using 'efi stub'. Furthermore, 'EWG' asserts AMD GPUs are superior for Linux gaming due to FOSS driver integration versus NVIDIA's closed ecosystem.
The technical consensus demands manual management: set BIOS boot order, run `update-grub` after every addition, and recognize that OS failure often points to conflicting bootloader installations. The primary fault lines remain: the stable-vs-bleeding-edge build debate and the complexity of managing the bootloader itself.
Key Points
Setting the BIOS boot order to prioritize the Linux drive is mandatory for consistent GRUB visibility.
Explicitly setting the boot order in BIOS/UEFI and increasing the timeout is cited as necessary by 'empireOfLove2'.
Manually running `update-grub` after drive changes is required to index newly installed operating systems.
'TootSweet' provided the specific command sequence (`sudo grub-install <boot_drive>` followed by `sudo update-grub`).
Gaming performance dictates a preference for rolling/specialized distributions over standard LTS releases.
'Diplomjodler3' advocates for Bazzite, while 'empireOfLove2' champions the stability of Mint LTS.
AMD hardware offers a significant driver advantage over NVIDIA in Linux environments.
'EWG' strongly recommended AMD because its drivers are fully FOSS, contrasting it with NVIDIA's closed source.
Separating OS installations onto physically separate drives is a robust anti-failure measure.
'empireOfLove2' noted this prevents one OS update (like Windows) from damaging the other's bootloader.
Source Discussions (3)
This report was synthesized from the following Lemmy discussions, ranked by community score.