GRUB

install 

sudo pacman -S grub efibootmgr
  • Assume EFI system partition already mounted to /boot
  • Install GRUB
grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --bootloader-id=GRUB
  • Configuration file at /etc/default/grub
  • Need to run grub-mkconfig!
  • Use grub-mkconfig to generate /boot/grub/grub.cfg 
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
  • Or can edit /boot/grub/grub.cfg directly without /etc/default/grub

microcode 

pacman -S amd-ucode
  • update GRUB, automatically adds microcode to startup
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
  • check amd-ucode.img before initramfs-linux.img in /boot/grub/grub.cfg

    initrd /boot/amd-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-linux.img

  • check kernel messages for early loading of microcode
journalctl -k --grep=microcode

image background, styling, theming

  • ubuntu - grub
  • option 1: set GRUB_BACKGROUND in /etc/default/grub
    • problem: filesystem encrypted, image not accessible by grub!
  • option 2: copy an image file to /boot/grub
    • solution: /boot isn't encrypted
  • colors: set "black" for transparent, full list here
  • set GRUB_COLOR_NORMAL (default) and GRUB_COLOR_HIGHLIGHT (selected)

fix rescue shell before menu

  • fix initially entering shell instead of menu
    • but still works with exit command
  • re-order UEFI entries
    • UEFI NVME Drive BBS Priorities set first to GRUB instead of ubuntu