Hi, I would like to ask how I could add Windows 11 installed on an nvme ssd to the syslinux boot list in unraid.

Is there any other method to be able to manage a dual boot of Windows and Unraid without having to access the bios boot order? 

Thank you very much in advance.

I would use the bios boot menu for this... usual hitting esc key or f10 and bios boot override...

I know that people have made syslinx menu before in the past.... I would acutly set windows to be the defualt boot menu and use bcd edit comand to add a ubs boot option.

First try editing unraid usb syslinus:
you would have to find and eidt the syslix file. most likley in the /boot/config folder...
not sure where the file is to be edited...


you will need to fid this nvme that windows is on:
lsblk or fdisk -l

 

Step 2: Edit Syslinux Configuration

Syslinux in Unraid has a configuration file (syslinux.cfg) that you can modify to add custom boot entries. This file is typically located at /boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg on the Unraid flash drive.

Access the Flash Drive from the Unraid web interface:

Go to Main > Flash.

Click on Flash Device > Flash > syslinux.cfg to edit the Syslinux boot configuration directly.

Add a Boot Entry for Windows: Add the following configuration block to the bottom of syslinux.cfg:

 

LABEL windows
    MENU LABEL Windows 11
    COM32 chain.c32
    APPEND hd0 1

*:Note: This approach assumes that Windows is installed on the first partition of the primary NVMe SSD. If the SSD is not hd0, try hd1 or hd2 based on the drive order from lsblk or fdisk. Alternatively, you might need to adjust to use /dev/nvme0n1p1 (the first partition of the NVMe device).

Otherwise:

 

Step 1: Set Windows as the Default Boot Option in BIOS

Enter BIOS/UEFI Settings: Reboot your computer and enter the BIOS/UEFI menu (usually by pressing F2, F12, Del, or Esc during startup).

Set Windows Boot Manager as the Primary Boot Device: In the boot order or boot priority section, set the Windows Boot Manager (located on the NVMe SSD) as the first boot option. Save and exit BIOS.

 

Step 2: Install and Configure EasyBCD (Third-Party Boot Manager)

Using EasyBCD, a tool that manages Windows boot entries, you can add Unraid on the flash drive as an option in the Windows Boot Manager.

Download and Install EasyBCD:

Download EasyBCD from NeoSmart Technologies....
https://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/
Install it in Windows and open the application.

Add a Boot Entry for Unraid:

In EasyBCD, go to Add New Entry.

Select the Portable/External Media tab.

Choose BIOS Extender or Linux/GRUB from the dropdown list.

Name the entry as "Unraid" or "Unraid Flash Drive" for easy identification.

Point to the Unraid Flash Drive: Make sure the device points to the correct USB drive for Unraid.

Click Add Entry and then save.

Set the Boot Order (Optional):

Go to Edit Boot Menu in EasyBCD.

Here, you can set Windows as the default boot option and place Unraid lower on the list.

You can also adjust the timeout for the boot menu if you want it to automatically select Windows after a certain period.

Restart and Test:

Restart your computer, and you should now see a Windows Boot Manager screen with options for both Windows 11 and Unraid.

Selecting "Unraid" should boot into the Unraid OS from the flash drive, while the default selection will be Windows.

or use windos powershell/cmd comands:
 

Alternative: Manual Boot Entry (Advanced)

If you prefer to avoid third-party tools, you can manually configure the Windows Boot Manager to recognize Unraid by using bcdedit commands:

Open Command Prompt as Administrator in Windows.

Add an Unraid Boot Entry:
 

bcdedit /copy {current} /d "Unraid"

Configure the New Entry: Use the identifier returned from the previous command (e.g., {guid}) and point it to the Unraid flash drive:
(fix path to match the usb...

bcdedit /set {guid} device partition=X:
bcdedit /set {guid} path \syslinux\syslinux.cfg

Replace X: with the drive letter of the Unraid flash drive.

Set Timeout and Default Boot Entry: You can adjust the timeout for the boot menu (in seconds) and confirm Windows as the default:
 

bcdedit /timeout 10
bcdedit /default {current}

This setup allows Windows to boot first by default, with Unraid accessible as an option within the Windows Boot Manager, and avoids any need to access the BIOS for boot changes....

Sorry for the late reply, I just saw the reply.

As soon as I can I read carefully in case of doubt I will post here, but first of all thank you.