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Manual Boot Stanzas

No manual boot stanzas added yet. Click "Add New Stanza" to create one.

Example Configurations

Basic Arch Linux EFI Stub

Simple manual stanza for Arch Linux with EFI stub loader

menuentry "Arch Linux" { icon /EFI/refind/icons/os_arch.png volume "Arch Linux" loader /boot/vmlinuz-linux initrd /boot/initramfs-linux.img options "root=PARTUUID=XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX rw quiet splash" ostype Linux }

Arch Linux with Submenu

Manual stanza with fallback and recovery options

menuentry "Arch Linux" { icon /EFI/refind/icons/os_arch.png volume "Arch Linux" loader /boot/vmlinuz-linux initrd /boot/initramfs-linux.img options "root=PARTUUID=XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX rw quiet splash" ostype Linux submenuentry "Boot using fallback initramfs" { initrd /boot/initramfs-linux-fallback.img } submenuentry "Boot to terminal" { add_options "systemd.unit=multi-user.target" } }

Btrfs Subvolume

Boot from Btrfs subvolume with proper rootflags

menuentry "Arch Linux (Btrfs)" { icon /EFI/refind/icons/os_arch.png volume "PARTUUID=XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX" loader /@/boot/vmlinuz-linux initrd /@/boot/initramfs-linux.img options "root=UUID=XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX rw rootflags=subvol=@ quiet" ostype Linux }

Windows Boot Manager

Manual entry for Windows

menuentry "Windows 10" { icon /EFI/refind/icons/os_win.png loader /EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi ostype Windows }

Chainload GRUB

Use rEFInd to chainload GRUB

menuentry "Arch Linux (via GRUB)" { icon /EFI/refind/icons/os_arch.png volume "Arch Linux" loader /EFI/grub/grubx64.efi ostype Linux }

Configuration Summary

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Global Options
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Manual Stanzas

Generated Configuration

# rEFInd Configuration File # Generated on: [timestamp] # No configuration yet. Add global settings or manual stanzas to see the generated config.

Installation Instructions

  1. Backup your existing refind.conf file (if any)
  2. Copy the generated configuration to /boot/efi/EFI/refind/refind.conf
  3. Verify that all paths match your system (use blkid to find UUIDs)
  4. Test by rebooting your system
  5. If rEFInd doesn't appear, check UEFI boot order in BIOS

Quick Start Guide

What is rEFInd?

rEFInd is a boot manager for UEFI-based systems. It can automatically detect boot loaders or use manual configuration for precise control.

When to use manual stanzas?

Use manual stanzas when you want full control over boot entries, need to specify kernel parameters, or want to hide/show specific entries.

How to find UUIDs and PARTUUIDs?

Run sudo blkid in your terminal. This will show all partitions with their UUIDs and PARTUUIDs. PARTUUIDs are generally more stable.

Common Kernel Parameters

quiet

Suppresses most boot messages for a cleaner boot experience.

splash

Shows a graphical splash screen during boot.

rw / ro

Mount root filesystem as read-write (rw) or read-only (ro). Most systems use rw.

nomodeset

Disables kernel mode setting. Useful for troubleshooting graphics issues.

systemd.unit=multi-user.target

Boot to console/terminal instead of graphical interface.

Troubleshooting

Entry doesn't appear in rEFInd menu

Check that: 1) scanfor includes "manual", 2) volume specification is correct, 3) loader path exists on the specified volume.

System fails to boot

Verify root= parameter points to correct partition. Use PARTUUID instead of /dev/sdX as device names can change.

Kernel panic or initramfs issues

Ensure initrd path is correct and initramfs file exists. Check if you need to regenerate initramfs after system updates.

Best Practices

✓ Use PARTUUIDs for volume identification

More stable than filesystem labels which can be changed easily.

✓ Always backup before making changes

Keep a copy of your working refind.conf in case you need to revert.

✓ Test new entries before removing old ones

Keep working entries until you've verified new ones boot successfully.

✓ Add comments to your config

This tool adds helpful comments. Keep them to remember your configuration choices.