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FAQ

Did you ever encounter problems you could not solve, you could not find solutions working for you, not even on StackOverflow?
Then this page might be interesting for you. It contains references to problems and solutions I either encountered myself or included for further explanation of other questions. It may help you as well.

First of all a disk is a physical device which allows to store data in a structured way. The most well known examples are HDDs and SSDs.
Each disk can be divided into sections. If a disk is physically divided each section is called partition. If a disk is logically divided each section is called volume. In contrast to partitions volumes may span over multiple partitions or even disks.
However, both partitions and volumes can have their own drive letter.

Reference: https://www.techjunkie.com/volume-vs-partition/

On Windows
Download the MediaCreationTool from https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/software-download/windows10
Accept Microsoft license
Select create installation medium
Select any Windows version and your desired language
Select the option USB stick
Choose your desired USB stick
Install Windows on it
On Linux
Download a Windows ISO from https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/software-download/windows10ISO
Download WoeUSB as described at https://wiki.ubuntuusers.de/WoeUSB/
WARNING! Do not use LinuxLive USB Creator. It's outdated.
INFO! balena etcher won't work. Even the program itself suggests to use WoeUSB.
Install Windows ISO on a stick via WoeUSB
NOTE! This method does not work with UEFI.
INFO! Neither WoeUSB nor Balena etcher worked for me to create a bootable Arch Linux USB Stick.
On Linux
Download a current Arch Linux ISO from https://www.archlinux.de/download
Plugin the stick you're going to use. I assume it is listed as /dev/sdb.
WARNING! Make sure the stick is not mounted. Otherwise this method may fail.
Clear the stick you're going to use with dd count=1 if/dev/zero of=/dev/sdb status="progress"
NOTE! The argument for of referenes a complete disk and not a partition. So your argument should be like /dev/sdX and not /dev/sdX1.
Copy Arch ISO onto the stick with dd bs=4M if=/path/to/arch.iso of=/dev/sdb status="progress".

Reference: https://wiki.archlinux.de/title/Installation_von_einem_USB-Stick#Unter_GNU.2FLinux

  1. I have an UEFI dual boot with Windows and some Linux distribution
  2. I've been able to start both Windows and Linux via grub
  3. I deleted the Linux partitions (to install another Linux distribution)
  4. I rebooted
  5. I encountered grub rescue stating grub error: no such device
  1. Create bootable Windows medium (See other FAQ entry)
  2. Boot Windows stick
  3. Select your Windows version and language
  4. On the Install now screen see the small entry Repair computer
  5. Navigate to troubleshooting ➞ advanced options ➞ command prompt
  6. Enter diskpart.
    1. List all your disks with list disk
    2. Determine which disk contains your Windows installation.
      HELP! If you are unsure which one is the right one continue with the next step and consecutively select any disk until you find the one which has the expected layout.
      I assume Windows is installed on disk 0.
    3. Select the disk with sel disk 0
    4. List all volumes (also called partitions) with list vol
    5. Determine the EFI partition. Typically there are two partitions.
      The EFI partition
      It's formatted with FAT32
      It's maybe around 100M to 260M
      It has no letter assigned
      It's typically marked as hidden
      The Windows partition
      It's formatted with NTFS
      It spans the remaining space of your disk
      It has usually the letter C
      I assume its on volume 1.
    6. Select the volume with sel vol 1
    7. Assign an yet unused letter (I assume N is unused) to it with assign letter=N:
    8. Format the EFI partition with format FS=FAT32.
      BE CAREFUL! This erases the partition completely. Whatever has been on that partition it can not be restored except you were clever and used some backup software beforehand.
    9. exit diskpart
  7. Repair the bootloader with bcdboot C:\Windows /s N: /f UEFI
  1. I installed a Windows Bootloader on a volume
  2. I did not have the difference between partitions and volumes (See other FAQ entry ) in mind at that moment
  3. I recognized the volume which is associated with the disk that contains the Windows installation is physically on another disk. On the one hand this works but on the other hand it requires you to always have both disks plugged in to be able to boot Windows.
  1. Boot Windows as usual (still with the Bootloader at the wrong place)
  2. Open a run dialog with Windows+R
  3. Enter diskpart
  4. List all volumes with list vol
  5. Determine the volume which contains your C drive. I assume its volume 1.
  6. Select the volume with sel vol 1
  7. Shrink it by the desired size of the new UEFI partition (which should be around 260M) with shrink desired=260.
    BE CAREFUL! Make sure your C drive has enough free space. Otherwise you may loose data.
  8. Create a new partition with create partition primary.
    NOTE! This partition will automatically span the full free space and create a new volume entry which represents the new partition.
  9. List all volumes with list vol
  10. Determine the number of the new volume. I assume its volume 3.
  11. Select the volume with sel vol 3
  12. Format the volume (and eventually give it a name/label) with format fs=fat32 label="Windows ESP"
  13. Assign an yet unused drive letter to the volume (I assume N is unused) with assign letter=N
  14. exit diskpart
  15. Open a run dialog with Windows+R
  16. Associate the new UEFI partition with bcdboot C:\Windows /s N: /f UEFI