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Boot Manager Configuration

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tagsnote/cachyos

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Part of CachyOS Wiki Notes. From the official CachyOS wiki (last updated 2026-05-22). Where each bootloader’s settings actually live. See also CachyOS Boot Managers for choosing one.

systemd-boot

Two kinds of config file: systemd-boot itself in /boot/loader/loader.conf, and one file per kernel entry in /boot/loader/entry. Loader config sets the default entry and timeout:

/boot/loader/loader.conf
default @saved
timeout 5
#console-mode keep # This option configures the resolution of the console.

Kernel command line: CachyOS provides sdboot-manage, configured in /etc/sdboot-manage.conf. Edit LINUX_OPTIONS=:

LINUX_OPTIONS="zswap.enabled=0 nowatchdog quiet splash"

Then regenerate every entry:

sudo sdboot-manage gen

rEFInd

Two config files: refind.conf in boot/efi/EFI/refind (behaviour; extensively commented) and /boot/refind_linux.conf (boot options). Kernel parameters go in “Boot using default options”:

/boot/refind_linux.conf
"Boot using default options"     "root=PARTUUID=1cb353ec-7f03-4820-8b4b-03baf53a208f rw zswap.enabled=0 nowatchdog quiet splash"

Changes to both files take effect immediately — nothing to regenerate.

GRUB

One config file: /etc/default/grub.

  • Hide the boot menu:

    /etc/default/grub
GRUB_TIMEOUT='0'
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=hidden

    Press ESC at boot for the GRUB prompt; run normal or exit to get back to the menu.

  • Kernel command line — edit GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT:

    /etc/default/grub
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT='nowatchdog zswap.enabled=0 quiet splash'

  • Every change requires:

    sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

  • Bootable BTRFS snapshots: enabled by default since the August release. For older installs:

    sudo pacman -S grub-btrfs-support

    which installs scripts and hooks so snapshots appear in the GRUB menu. See Btrfs Snapshots.

Limine

Menu settings live in /boot/limine.conf (sometimes on the EFI system partition); kernel parameters in /etc/default/limine. limine.conf changes take effect as soon as you save.

  • Menu: timeout: 5 sets the autoboot wait; default_entry: 2 # Boot the second entry by default picks the default (entries are numbered from 1; unset = 1). If default_entry points at a directory (e.g. /+CachyOS), autoboot is disabled — it must point at a specific entry number.

  • Entry example uses protocol: linux, kernel_path: boot():/vmlinuz-linux-cachyos, cmdline: quiet splash root=UUID=... rw, module_path: boot():/initramfs-linux-cachyos.img; boot():/ is the root of the boot drive.

  • Theming: wallpaper: (BMP, PNG, JPEG) plus wallpaper_style: (stretched, tiled, centered) and backdrop: (RRGGBB) when centered; term_font: (custom font file) and term_font_scale: 2x2; term_background: (AARRGGBB).

  • Kernel entries are automatically managed: limine-mkinitcpio-hook uses limine-entry-tool in the background as kernels are installed/removed. Parameters are set with KERNEL_CMDLINE variables in /etc/default/limine, per default / per kernel name / for fallbacks:

    /etc/default/limine
# Default parameters for most kernels
KERNEL_CMDLINE[default]="quiet splash rd.udev.log_priority=3"

# Specific parameters for the 'linux-cachyos' kernel
KERNEL_CMDLINE["linux-cachyos"]="quiet splash mitigations=off"

# Parameters for fallback entries (if generated)
# KERNEL_CMDLINE[fallback]="..."

    Apply with:

    sudo limine-mkinitcpio

    which triggers mkinitcpio including limine-mkinitcpio-hook, landing the changes in /boot/limine.conf.

Related: Secure Boot Setup, Btrfs Snapshots, CachyOS FAQ and Troubleshooting.

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