- You don’t need two separate hard drives to dual boot Windows and Linux. However, Linux requires a dedicated partition on an existing hard drive with at least 25GB of space (but more is better).
- Dual booting doesn’t interfere with system files on any of the corresponding operating systems, but you’ll need to disable BitLocker if you’re starting with Windows and have turned it on.
- After installing, you can modify the GRUB_DEFAULT option within the /etc/default/grub file if you want the boot menu to make Windows the “primary” system.
- Alternatively, you can virtualize a Linux workspace, but this prevents it from accessing the PC’s hardware directly and slows down both the primary and the virtual system since they run concurrently.
If you’re still on the fence about upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 due to the increased number of apps that constantly track and share your information, you might be wondering if Linux is a better fit for your needs. This open-source operating system receives a steady stream of updates, with the most recent versions of Ubuntu being fairly simple to use. However, before you dive into using Linux on its own, you can install Linux on Windows PCs for a dual boot as a way to test it out. After all, it’s completely free to begin with.
Linux with Windows Dual Boot – Preparing Your Existing System
While unlikely, there is a chance that installing a new system overwrites some of the existing data, including Windows-specific files. That’s why you should set up system recovery to ensure you have something to fall back on if things go south when you use a Linux with Windows dual boot.
Step 1. Go to the search bar and type “Recovery Drive.” Select the first option that appears.
Step 2. Insert a large, empty USB drive. It will store all your Windows system files that can be recovered later.
Step 3. In the dialog box, make sure the checkbox is selected, then click “Next” and follow the instructions. The copy process can take a while.
Note that this USB drive will effectively be “spent,” so make sure it’s empty.
Step 4. Go to your BIOS/UEFI settings and make sure that the first device you’re booting from is a USB drive. You can directly enter UEFI by going to Settings, then to “System,” “Recovery,” and clicking on “Advanced startup,” then selecting the UEFI settings in “Advanced start.”
Linux With Windows Dual Boot – Downloading and Mounting the Bootable USB
Linux is available in a variety of versions, with different levels of control and duration of support. You can browse Linux’s official website to decide which to pick, but the latest long-term support or LTS version is an excellent starting point.
Step 1. Go to the Linux desktop download page and select the version you want to install (in this case, the most recent Ubuntu LTS).
Step 2. Download the ISO file to your device, then insert a blank USB drive with enough storage space.
Step 3. Go to Rufus and download the latest stable version. Linux also recommends using balenaEtcher .
Step 4. In Rufus, mount the ISO file you downloaded to the USB drive. In most cases, the process should be straightforward and the optimal configuration automatically selected.
Install Linux on Windows
With the USB still inserted and the system booting from a USB drive before all else, you can start the installation.
Step 1. Restart the PC. If the boot order is set up correctly, you’ll get a prompt to install Linux.
Step 2. You should get a window called “GRUB loader.” Select “Try or Install Ubuntu.”
Step 3. Follow the setup instructions.
It’s recommended to use automatic settings whenever available, and Ubuntu can self-allocate a partition if you don’t have a spare one. In most cases, choose the option to install additional software, as the “base” version of Ubuntu doesn’t have dedicated drivers or extensive file format support. Additionally, check the option to install the Windows Boot Manager, which will prompt you to choose which operating system to load whenever you start your PC and can be useful while dual booting.
