Talk:Install Arch Linux on a removable medium

Before creating the initial RAM disk (mkinitcpio)

The correct custom configuration of the initial RAM disk is a step that very few users of arch need to do so is a thing that needs to be highlighted for this use case. Also the placement of this information in Installation tweaks makes it appear that is optional so i think that it will be better if the information is moved to configuration.

Monty programador (talk) 22:15, 22 November 2017 (UTC)

I/O errors

I am experiencing serius I/O errors after suspending / resuming with arch on a usb key. These issues have been described in several bugreports: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=30912

I tried following the steps in https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/driver-api/usb/persist.html

but to no avail. The usb persist feature was already activated on my USB deve but I/O errors kept coming on resume

I also found this post in ubuntuforums

http://askubuntu.com/questions/505779/suspending-with-root-on-usb

which explains the issue as follows

"...during resume there will be a race between the USB system on one hand trying to detect media and syslog on the other hand trying to write log messages from suspend and resume to disk.

If syslog happens to attempt a write before the USB device has been detected ext4 gets an error, which for some reason isn't handled cleanly and eventually the file system will need fsck to be run manually."

The author suggest patching the kernel to give kernel threads a head start on resume. Intuitively, I feel there must be an easier way!

—This unsigned comment is by A1runa (talk) 20:37, 30 November 2015‎. Please sign your posts with ~~~~!

Boot Both BIOS and UEFI

Creating a USB flash drive that boots both BIOS on UEFI takes a very specific boot layout that's described here: https://mags.zone/help/arch-usb.html#partition

Should we add a section for this like they have in the Partitioning wiki or do step by step like the guide?

Slacka (talk) 00:58, 25 October 2019 (UTC)

Compatibility for BIOS systems

Since this setup will be run on multiple machines which might also include BIOS only systems and if you are a type of a person who work with non-UEFI computers, consider enabling compatibility for both UEFI GPT and BIOS GPT/MBR systems. See Partitioning#Tricking old BIOS into booting from GPT and Multiboot USB drive#Hybrid UEFI GPT + BIOS GPT/MBR boot Omeringen (talk) 09:07, 1 September 2024 (UTC)

I have added this section but it's removed, still can't understand the reason. This paragraph isn't a general recommendation, says that users should decide for their use case. Omeringen (talk) 09:13, 1 September 2024 (UTC)

Minimizing disk access

Shouldn't F2FS be mentioned?

—This unsigned comment is by Arrrlin (talk) 10:31, 12 July 2025 (UTC). Please sign your posts with ~~~~!

F2FS is designed especially for these devices but I have had issues after unexpected power loses and I see there are others(F2FS#fsck failures). Also I am personally experiencing better performance(responsibility and boot times) with XFS; you might not notice it if you have fast drive(like nvme enclosure) but it makes huge difference on slow USB sticks. ~~~~ Omeringen (talk) 08:08, 14 July 2025 (UTC)

Ok, but the current recommendation for minimizing disk access is to use ext4 without journaling - which would also suffer some data loss on power failure (correct me if I'm wrong).

F2FS is specifically designed to minimize disk access, so I feel it should at least be mentioned, even if it is not recommended (with an explanation of its pros and cons). Would it be suitable for installing Arch to a USB drive that will only be used on a laptop with a battery (meaning very low chance of power loss)?

You also mention XFS which I know very little about, but if it is useful for slow USB drives shouldn't it also be mentioned? Arrrlin (talk) 11:41, 17 July 2025 (UTC)

Well, yeah might be worth to mention. I am not admin/mod. There are lots of things worth to mention and leave user to decide, like "hybrid boot usb drive" which i already added and someone decided to remove the entry (without even reading it i guess). Then i left contributing. ~~~ Omeringen (talk) 15:15, 20 July 2025 (UTC)