# You cannot start an Arch-based distribution from Ubuntu grub **URL:** \ **Category:** General system\ **Created:** [July 30, 2020, 11:35pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328 "2020-07-30T23:35:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![zoli62](https://forum.endeavouros.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/4bbf92/32.png) [@zoli62](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/zoli62)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 11:35pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/1 "2020-07-30T23:35:50Z")
I know this is a known and old issue and there are several topics related to this in the Manjaro forum for example. Nevertheless, I wonder who knows what can cause this error. ---
**Author:** ![jonathon](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/jonathon/32/18722_2.png) [@jonathon](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/jonathon)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 11:48pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/2 "2020-07-30T23:48:56Z")
From what I remember, it’s down to the way that microcode is loaded by GRUB - Arch does it one way, Ubuntu etc. do it another way, but they are not compatible. ---
**Author:** ![anon53396576](https://forum.endeavouros.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/a698b9/32.png) [@anon53396576](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/anon53396576)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2020, 11:52pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/3 "2020-07-30T23:52:58Z")
It’s not an issue it’s a _ **feature** _ 🤗 ---
**Author:** ![freebird54](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/freebird54/32/83106_2.png) [@freebird54](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/freebird54)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 12:02am UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/4 "2020-07-31T00:02:31Z")
Lots of grubs don’t recognize how to boot an Arch-type distro. Quick explanation is that Arch use 2 initrd loads (ucode and initramfs), and no-one else seems to. This results in grub trying to load the microcode **instead** of the initramfs… EOS has tools to bypass this weakness in grub/os-prober… ---
**Author:** ![Pudge](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/pudge/32/17155_2.png) [@Pudge](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/Pudge)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 12:04am UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/5 "2020-07-31T00:04:22Z")
> [@freebird54](#): > > EOS has tools to bypass this weakness in grub/os-prober… Weakness? There ain’t no stinkin’ weakness in EOS! Pudge ---
**Author:** ![freebird54](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/freebird54/32/83106_2.png) [@freebird54](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/freebird54)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 12:05am UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/6 "2020-07-31T00:05:36Z")
It’s not EOS with the weakness! We have the cure… and our grubs work for a living… ---
**Author:** ![zoli62](https://forum.endeavouros.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/4bbf92/32.png) [@zoli62](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/zoli62)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 1:04am UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/7 "2020-07-31T01:04:27Z")
Arch grub seems to be more flexible in this respect. For this reason, it is better to use Arch grub for Ubuntu and Arch dual boot. The same is true for Debian and Arch. ---
**Author:** ![jbMacAZ](https://forum.endeavouros.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@jbMacAZ](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/jbMacAZ)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 1:44am UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/8 "2020-07-31T01:44:56Z")
I think grub 2.04 works fine to boot Arch style distros, but many other distros still use grub 2.03 or even 2.02 especially of the Debian family. But MX-Linux (19.2 at least) can boot Manjaro and EOS. I think Debian (and Ubuntu) loads the microcode after the kernel is already running rather than as part of booting. ---
**Author:** ![manuel](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/manuel/32/396_2.png) [@manuel](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/manuel)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 7:23am UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/9 "2020-07-31T07:23:45Z")
This is a problem with packages **grub** _and_ **os-prober**. It is explained in our wiki (but now the wiki is not yet working). EndeavourOS has a pacman hook that fixes those packages every time you upgrade them. Note that the problem exists also in the Arch packages because Arch devs have not made a fix to those upstream packages. As mentioned in other comments here, the problem is in the generation of the _initrd_ line. Ubuntu (and many other distros) generate only _one_ parameter (which in Arch distros is the microcode) there by e.g. update-grub. Arch based distros require _two_ parameters, microcode and initramfs. So it is a very simple generation mistake, and is causing a lot of issues for Arch users. This has been reported many years ago to the upstream, but they have so far done nothing about it. ---
**Author:** ![zoli62](https://forum.endeavouros.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/4bbf92/32.png) [@zoli62](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/zoli62)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 3:03pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/10 "2020-07-31T15:03:25Z")
> [@manuel](#): > > So it is a very simple generation mistake, and is causing a lot of issues for Arch users. This has been reported many years ago to the upstream, but they have so far done nothing about it. Then, according to them, we have to live with this for a long time. ---
**Author:** ![manuel](https://forum.endeavouros.com/user_avatar/forum.endeavouros.com/manuel/32/396_2.png) [@manuel](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/manuel)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 3:07pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/11 "2020-07-31T15:07:07Z")
Well… If EndeavourOS is in charge of booting with grub, then we’re already covered! 😄 EDIT: and by upstream I meant grub/os-prober devs, not Arch devs. ---
**Author:** ![zoli62](https://forum.endeavouros.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/4bbf92/32.png) [@zoli62](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/zoli62)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 3:07pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/12 "2020-07-31T15:07:35Z")
> [@jbMacAZ](#): > > I think Debian (and Ubuntu) loads the microcode after the kernel is already running rather than as part of booting. Then I think this could be the cause of the problem. ---
**Author:** ![zoli62](https://forum.endeavouros.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/4bbf92/32.png) [@zoli62](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/zoli62)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/14 "2020-07-31T15:38:43Z")
> [@manuel](#): > > Well… If EndeavourOS is in charge of booting with grub, then we’re already covered! 😄 Yes, the EOS starts all systems well with grub, I have three different ones, each starting normally. > [@manuel](#): > > EDIT: and by upstream I meant grub/os-prober devs, not Arch devs. The os-prober is really a useful tool. Note in parentheses. Manjaro also starts each operating system well with grub, which is also my own experience. ---
**Author:** ![garybean](https://forum.endeavouros.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/48db29/32.png) [@garybean](https://forum.endeavouros.com/u/garybean)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2020, 4:11pm UTC](https://forum.endeavouros.com/t/you-cannot-start-an-arch-based-distribution-from-ubuntu-grub/6328/15 "2020-07-31T16:11:31Z")
another well-known (but by me) issue that I tripped over enough times until I learned to boot from an Arch-based distro. (I guess this reveals Linux users that multi-boot) Seemed to me, when as a beginning Linux user, that the preponderance of search links that led back to Ubuntu/Debian gave rise to wanting to try their flavors.