Systemd-boot vs Grub Bootloader; Calamares

General system Newbie
1

Hello,
I had always used the first option that comes by default in the Calamares installer (Systemd-boot) and always ended up with an unstable system and various difficulties, regardless of the machine I used.
Yesterday in my frustration I decided to try one more time – I said to myself, for the last time,
and I checked the next option, Grub Bootloader!!!.
Now I get a stable, robust system, without generating problems in the compilations, whether they are the ones I make or the ones that come out of AUR etc.
To be more objective and to be understood, I copy here the description that the installer has in that step/option:
“A longstanding bootloader for Linux. It is the best choice for individuals waiting to boot off of btrfs snapshots, or need to use a smaller EFI partition”.
For a regular user the best choice is always the one that works for him. I won’t say more about this, just that I would like to know your opinion and why, if it gives better results, it is not considered as a better choice, by default… (perhaps the ‘default one’ should be marked as ‘for advanced users’?).
I know the topic has been discussed before on the forum … but apparently nothing has changed, and we are entering 2025!.
Any different opinion? – I was about to not consider this distro anymore, as I’m not an expert, nothing moved me before to try ‘the following option’ … so, groping around like a blind man …

Thanks for your comments,

Best regards

2

That is almost guaranteed to be a coincidence.

The bootloader has no real impact on the stability or performance of the system.

5 Likes
3

I’ve been using Grub for 20 years now & am very comfortable with working with it…As is said, “If it’s not broken…”

I’m kind’a comfortable with Grub, so it is my goto choose…as is said “your mileage may vary”

1 Like
4

Yep. There could be a number of different factors causing instability. Without knowing the system configuration, it’s hard to pin that down.

5

I have been using systemd whole time I have been using EOS, and have never had any stability or performance related issues that could be traced to it.

As it has been said before, there can be multiple reasons for instability and performance related issue and it is going to be hard to pinpoint reasons for this without proper information.

It’s good that your system is working now, but I also highly doubt that systemd is problem here. Anyway, welcome to the Purple side! :enos:

3 Likes
6

I also used grub before hopping to EOS and I have to say I like it a lot. Systemd was new thing for me, but I like it’s simplicity and since I don’t have any other OS in my machine I find it good choice for me. :computer:

7

Yes—I multi-boot & have been around Grub long enough that tweaking it is not a problem.

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8

For what it’s worth I set up systemd-boot and dracut and removed grub about a year ago (I think!). The system is perfectly stable (X11/XFCE) with no issues. The only change is that the system boots literally 10 times faster (at least) using systemd-boot and dracut. I did have to install plymouth with a theme to give myself a splash screen but that has been fine. :smile:

1 Like
9

Yes—I use Grub with dracut & even with everything I have in my system (4 NVME drives & 1 SATA SSD) & 4 operating systems…the boot time is under 30 sec.