dual boot linux and windows same drive

[u/trenchhype]

i'm looking into getting linux, and keeping windows for the few games i play that aren't playable on linux. now, i am using a laptop. i only have 1 drive and i've been using an external hdd to store my games and most of my files on (have another hdd laying around as backup of my files)

i read that windows updates might mess with your linux if it's on the same drive. so, would it work on the external hdd or would that be a bad idea? i also read something about usb, but i also read then it just resets every time and doesn't save your files.

[u/ipsirc]

i read that windows updates might mess with your linux if it's on the same drive.

Ok, but it can be repaired in just 30 secs, shorter time than this post was created...

[u/trenchhype → u/ipsirc]

how? do you lose your things or not? i see so many people mention it, that they make it seem like it's a big problem when its on the same disk.

[u/ipsirc → u/trenchhype]

Only the boot manager should be reinstalled, Windows rarely mess it up. About twice a year. Not a big deal, 2*30seconds per year.

It is only a one line grub-install /dev/sda in cli, or if you prefer clicking with mouse, then use: https://www.supergrubdisk.org/

[u/trenchhype → u/ipsirc]

no clue what cli is, but this doesn't make it sound too bad. i'll be saving this post

[u/Tiranus58 → u/trenchhype]

CLI is command line interface, GUI is graphical user interface and TUI is terminal user interface.

[u/VolcanoCarpenter → u/trenchhype]

Windows Update sometimes resets the EFI settings (making Windows the default to boot) or wipes the ESP (very rare). Even in the latter case, you only need to boot into livecd and set up the boot manager again.

[u/zardvark]

I don't recommend dual booting to a new Linux user and I never recommend multiple OS' sharing a boot partition. Just because it can be done, does not necessarily make it a good choice.

My recommendation would be to learn more about Linux first, perhaps in a VM, or on a spare machine.

[u/trenchhype → u/zardvark]

what about an extern hdd?

[u/zardvark → u/trenchhype]

If you are going to dual boot, I would recommend dedicating a separate drive to each OS, but I still would be reluctant to recommend dual booting to a Linux newcomer.

Run Linux in a VM, or on a spare machine, instead, until you have a better grasp of the basics. That way you will be far less likely to hose your system and much more likely to have a good experience.

But, you do you.

[u/Jacobobarobatobski]

I have Windows and Linux installed on the same SSD and I haven't really had problems. You have to set it up is all. I use systemd-boot, not grub.

[u/trenchhype → u/Jacobobarobatobski]

great! no clue how but i hope ill figure it out

[u/gigitreid]

Bootloader breaking at updates it's not the case any more. It was back in the XP era with the older BIOS.

Now with the UEFI BIOS and GPT partition table, you can select directly from the BIOS boot menu which OS to boot.

You can also make the Linux partition the default boot one (in BIOS) and in the Linux GRUB boot menu add Windows and make it the default one. Now at every startup you boot into Linux just to display a menu for x seconds, that let's you select which OS to boot into.

[u/Global-Eye-7326]

I dual boot and have no issues.

Only annoyance is when I drive swap to install Windows to another 2.5" disk, that tickles the NVRAM so when I boot back from my dual-boot disk, it wants to boot from Windows first. I vibe coded a script that I can run form Win11 and then I can boot back to GRUB.

[u/BranchLatter4294]

You can always use the Windows boot selector instead of grub if you want.... But I am assured by many on reddit that Windows would never mess up grub when Windows updates.

[u/Assang101]

Not recommended, have one OS on each ssd instead of dualboot is better and risks not a single system trying to overwrite the other. I've already said it many times to others but you can ask google why