Installer cannot detect EFI partition in systemd-boot mode

General system EndeavourOS installation
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Hi everyone. I’m currently attempting to install EndeavourOS as a dual boot with Windows. I’ve already installed Windows, leaving a space for the Endeavour partition, and Windows has installed its EFI partition. Running EndeavourOS from a live USB I can see this EFI partition as /dev/nvmxxxx and mount it to /boot/efi.

When I run the installer though, I select systemd-boot as the bootloader and get shown a list of partitions to install the OS to. In the EFI partition dropdown, the only device available to install the partition to is the USB stick. If I select GRUB as the bootloader, the EFI partition appears in the dropdown at /dev/nvmxxxx.

Am I missing a step with the systemd-boot setup? Or am I stuck with GRUB for now?

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When choosing systemd-boot, the ESP needs to be mounted at /efi and flagged as boot.

Also, using systemd-boot, the ESP is where the kernel images will be stored.

Since Windows ESP is too small for this, you will need to create a new ESP of the size 1GB, FAT32, flagged as boot and mounted at /efi.

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Brilliant, thanks. I’m comfortable moving and resizing partitions, but do you know if Windows 11 will mind me messing with its ESP to that extent? I’ll stick to GRUB if not.

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More conveniently, you could create a new ESP as mentioned above.

No need to resize and move around partitions.

This would have the beneficial side-effect of Windows leaving alone your Linux ESP and won’t be writing into it.

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I did think of that first time, and leave it up to the UEFI boot menu to pick which OS to boot to, but I read in a few places online that having multiple ESPs is frowned upon?

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It works quite fine.

This would be how the automatic installation of EnOS would handle this as well when you choose systemd-boot and the already existent ESP on the drive is too small.

Also, you don’t need to use the UEFI boot menu to choose which system to boot.

A boot entry for Windows will be created and you will have an entry for that on systemd-boot menu.
This happens automatically when the two systems are on the same disk as in your case. If they are on different disks, some extra step will be needed.

I have personally created quadruple-boot system, each systems with its own ESP. No issues.

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This is what the installer itself does if you don’t use manual partitioning.

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I think this is where most users are getting into trouble.

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What you linked is tangential to what we are discussing here.

Lets try to keep this on-topic to the person requesting help and not get sidetracked.

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OK, I’m all installed correctly. Systemd-boot, selected New for the ESP and replaced the existing blank space with EOS. Systemd-boot recognises and boots my Windows installation too.

I’ve marked @pebcak 's initial answer as the correct answer to the question that I asked, even though it wasn’t the thing I ended up needing to do. Thanks all!

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You mean @pebcak :wink:

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Glad you got your system installed!

Enjoy your EnOS and welcome to the community @ricklinux … err … I mean @MorayM :wink: :smile:

:enos: :handshake:t5:

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Thanks! Despite years of admin-ing RHEL and CentOS servers I’ve never had a proper Linux daily driver. I figured EnOS + i3 would be a suitably deep end to jump in at - wish me luck…

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Nice choice!
There are many i3 users around in the forum. Don’t hesitate to ask any questions if you doubt about something or encounter any issues.

Good luck!

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