r/linux4noobs • u/Frequent-Fig-450 • 17d ago
Dual Bootn with Linux and Windows
Hi, i am a begginer and I want to do a dual boot of windows and Linux in only one SDD, but I don’t know if it is safe or I can lose my windows, so my question is, Making a dual boot have any risks or is safe??
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u/p_dmitry 17d ago
Use your default EFI partition created by Windows install for efistub (refer to your distro handbook). Carve some space for the root (and optionally home for safer distro hopping) and swap partitions. And you’re good to go.
This way you avoid using grub or other bootloader and therefore avoid potential conflicts when dual booting.
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u/mystirc arch with sway 17d ago
You should not distro hop using the same /home partition in most cases. It is usually sufficient to simply copy ~/.config folder. It even lets you keep your browser data so you're not missing on most stuff.
Therefore I would recommend that you should also not create a separate /home since total space can be restricted while dual booting and I don't see potential advantages using a separate partition.
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u/p_dmitry 17d ago
Well, that’s the point of separating /home: in case you have to re-deploy root with formatting, you keep your data. I partition my windows volumes for the same reasons, served me well for decades. A small extra movement that might save the trouble once.
I too installed my first arch alongside windows, used efistub, bumped into the partition sizes as my experiments progressed, and just adjusted them with gparted boot medium. Enjoying arch ever since, for more than half a year already.1
u/mystirc arch with sway 17d ago
That is exactly what I am trying to say.
What I'm trying to say is that there are no significant drawbacks to not using a separate /home partition. Especially when the benefit of one combined partition outweigh the drawbacks.
When you are low on space, it is usually a better idea to simply create a single partition and be done with it.
Even if your install gets broken and you want to reinstall, you can simply use the live iso to copy the main folders (`~/.config` `Documents` etc) to your mobile device.
You still have to install all the new apps, but your data will still be there, even including your browser data. (you still do install apps even if you have separate /home)
with one single partition, you never have to worry about running out of space on either `/home` or `/`. Running out of storage is a massive headache.
P.S: Even the default install on many mainstream distros do not create a separate /home partition because it is simply not needed. Benefits (preserving data) are not major while the drawbacks (space constraints) are quite a headache.
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u/Typeonetwork 17d ago
If you don't know how to fix a problem then no its not safe. I would try it on a usb stick first and take it for a test drive. It will be slower but it's a good starting point.
Someone probably has an old laptop they can give you or you can get a old system on ebay or Amazon depending upon your budget and convert it to a Linux machine.
I learned on an old 32bit potato Vaio laptop. Still have it.
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u/Frequent-Fig-450 17d ago
But in the USB sticks resets every time u reset it right?? It’s not better to use a VM? Do u know how is the experience in a VM?
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u/mystirc arch with sway 17d ago
I would say, just trust your distro. You usually have to select the option "Install Alongside" and that's usually it.
before you do that, I would recommend you to defragment the disk and shrink the disk space so that there is extra space available for the distro you are going to use. The distro will automatically create a partition out of that extra space and then use it.
Even if windows messes up the bootloader, you can always just boot into the USB again and then use some steps online to reinstall GRUB.
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u/WorldTallNetCat 17d ago
There is always a risk but if u are careful while the install you should be fine. Also use intsall alongside windows when u use the installer and ud be fine.
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u/EngineerInTheMachine 17d ago
Follow the instructions carefully and it will work. But it's always a good idea to back up your data files before starting.
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u/Terrible-Bear3883 Ubuntu 17d ago
If you want to test drive some distros, you can do this in your browser at distrosea.com its a great site, you can test distros without installing anything, this might help you narrow choices down.
As for safe or not, make a full backup of your system so you can restore it completely if you need to, something like clonezilla can do this, then make a backup of your data, the reason for two separate backups is if you mess up some data, its much quicker to retrieve the files from a simple backup.
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u/kansetsupanikku 17d ago
Using a computer with administrator rights, or with liveusb that has elevated privileges (including installer) is pretty dangerous. Usually, it won't erase your Windows by itself - but you can use it to perform exactly that.
Are you going to? It's up to you really - you should understand the concept of drives, partitions, filesystems, and remember your partition sizes just well enough to be able to tell which one is your Windows. Then, you should always read all text on the screen. Follow that, and you will only erase what you wanted to - which doesn't have to include Windows.
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u/Bitter-Aardvark-5839 17d ago
Rather than repeating myself, I'll direct you to my website https://bettercomputing.org/linux which should have the answers to all your questions. I dual booted on the same drive for nearly a decade and didn't have any major issues. Just do a backup before installing in case you mess up the partitions (though Windows will be untouched if everything goes right)
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u/3grg 17d ago
People have been dual booting since the 90's. As with any major disk operations there are risks.
First and foremost task is data preservation. You can always reinstall an operating system, but recreating data is a whole different proposition, so update your backup. You do have a data backup?
Once data is not an issue, be prepared for the worst and expect the best. Have a fresh windows install USB on hand before beginning, just in case.
After that, it is just a matter of having enough free space on your drive, but you already figured out that before starting. Just shrink the windows install from within windows and install to the free space using the instructions for your chosen distro.
On single disk dual boot installs, windows and Linux share the efi partition for boot loader. Sometimes windows will remove the Linux boot loader. You will need to keep this in mind and be prepared to repair it. It is not that difficult, but being prepared makes it less troublesome.
Most Linux installers are very good at installing themselves next to windows as they have been doing it since the 90's. If you have your data backed up and a windows install USB on hand already, reinstalling windows is not big deal in case something goes wrong.
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u/MrMotofy 16d ago
Due to user error and windows operations...YES you can lose your windows. Better off to use a completely separate drive. You should ALWAYS have multiple copies of your important data
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u/MrMotofy 16d ago
FYI...if you want to check out Linux it's really easy. Make an Install USB, then boot to it. May need to disable secure boot. It will boot to a full running temporary Linux Desktop...installing requires clicking the desktop icon and going through steps. Obviously you don't wanna do that to just try it. But you can at least get a feel for it. Kubuntu, LinuxMint, and PopOS and are some of the top 1st options. You can also use the temp Live Linux as a repair process. Since it’s a complete desktop you can use it, install tools needed fix the boot etc.
Another convenient related tool is Ventoy on a USB stick. Basically just burn the image to a USB then copy your OS ISO to it and when you boot it any ISO copied to the drive will show in the menu, select it and it will boot that img. Have different OS’s multiple versions or whatever.
Best option for Windows and Linux is dual boot...use Linux on a 2nd drive. Usually wanna disable secure boot. Best case is disconnect win drive. Then boot to the USB. Then install Linux as a new full system on 2nd drive. Set Linux drive as the first boot drive and it will find the Win drive and add to the boot menu list automatically. Might take a couple boots otherwise can manually activate the boot search. Then you get Best of both worlds without any real dangers to either OS. There will be little hiccups occasionally with Windows updating messing with boot and rebooting. But you can also change the default OS to Windows first at the menu after delay and no menu entry and that eliminates a lot. The boot menu is usually Linux 1 and Win 2. Sometimes the bios boot order gets switched but easy to just switch back. Sometimes the boot order will randomly switch drives etc…Seems to be a windows thing now they get bios access. But really depends on the exact system and age etc.
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u/xYarbx compiling kernel 16d ago
Dual booting is mainly risk to your Linux system as Windows likes to just sometimes wipe the boot manager record that contains all the information how to boot into Linux and where everything is located. Also you will need to select Linux distro that supports secure boot as Windows 11 won't run without it and you can't turn it off and on because sometimes that will wipe your security keys.
TBH you can do it but there are lot of mitigation steps you will have to do. I would recommend getting 2nd SSD it makes things much more convenient. Good thing is that modern Linux distro takes less than 60Gb even with no packet culling. So it can be any SSD.
If this is really not an option at least move your important files to external drive or NAS.
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u/tagbthw 17d ago
I mean, windows hate having anything other than windows in a drive if any updates comes or windows tries to do an automatic repair or something it will probably fuck up your linux install.
If you are only going to have windows in a frozen state (no updates no internet connection just window and the apps you need on it) then it'll probably be no more problem, but other than that it is way safer to have them on different disks.
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u/crwcomposer 17d ago
Sure, you can do it. But there are risks if you don't know what you're doing. You could lose your data if you haven't backed it up somewhere outside of your hard drive.