Installing Manjaro Linux on a dedicated disk ensures a clean, independent setup without interfering with other operating systems. This guide walks you through the process step by step.
Step 1: Understand the Setup
Separate Disk means Manjaro will be installed on its own disk, which will be formatted. Standalone means no other operating system will be connected during installation. If you already have Windows installed, disconnect its disk before starting. After installation, reconnect it to switch between systems via BIOS, UEFI, or the boot menu. This ensures the GRUB boot loader is installed only on the Manjaro disk.
Step 2: Prepare Installation Media
Create a Manjaro bootable USB drive. Tools like Rufus can help with this process. Insert the USB drive into your computer once ready.
Step 3: Configure BIOS or UEFI
Restart your PC and access BIOS or UEFI settings. Adjust the boot priority to start from the USB drive, or use the boot menu directly. Since Manjaro does not support Secure Boot by default, disable Secure Boot before proceeding.
Step 4: Boot the Installation Media
When booting from the USB, choose either Boot with open source drivers or Boot with proprietary drivers. At the welcome screen, click Launch Installer or select the Install Manjaro Linux icon.
Step 5: Configure Basic Settings
Select your installer language, time zone, and keyboard layout. Click Next after each choice.
Step 6: Select the Disk
Manjaro identifies disks as sda, sdb, or nvme0n1, with partitions labeled accordingly. Choose the target disk, check Erase disk, select swap type or none, choose the file system, and click Next. Manjaro will partition automatically, or you can opt for Manual Partitioning.
Step 7: Manual Partitioning (Optional)
If using manual partitioning:
- Delete existing partitions if the disk is used.
- Create a new partition table (GPT recommended for UEFI, MBR for BIOS).
- On GPT disks, add an EFI partition; on BIOS, add a BIOS Boot partition.
- Create partitions:
- EFI System Partition (ESP): 500 MB–1 GB, FAT32, mount point
/boot/efi, boot flag. - System Partition: ext4, mount point
/, maximum size minus swap if applicable. - Swap Partition: Linux swap, size equal to RAM (or double if RAM is low).
- EFI System Partition (ESP): 500 MB–1 GB, FAT32, mount point
Note: Swap is optional; you can configure a swap file later if preferred.
Step 8: Finalize Installation
Enter your full name, username, computer name, and password. Confirm the password and select options for automatic login and administrator password use. Choose whether to install FreeOffice, LibreOffice, or no office suite. Review your settings, click Install, confirm with Install Now, and wait for the process to finish.
Step 9: Restart
Once installation completes, restart your computer to begin using Manjaro Linux.
Installing Manjaro Linux on a separate disk ensures a clean, reliable setup. With this method, you maintain full control over your system while keeping other operating systems untouched.