Many people use or have had previous contact with Linux to run specific programs and files. If you want to install it, but don’t want to give up Windows, you can use the dual boot method and keep both operating systems on your computer.
What is dual boot?
Dual boot is a procedure that enables a computer to start different operating systems installed on the same disk. That is, Linux and Windows will share the storage capacity of the disk — with its files and software — and the user will be able to choose which one he wants to start when turning on the computer.
It is important to remember that the space of each partition reserved on the disk for the systems will depend on the user’s previous configuration. So make sure your disk has enough storage to house two OS.
How to Create a Partition in Windows
With Windows installed on your machine, you must create a disk partition to serve as a destination for the new system. Check out:
- Right-click on the Windows icon and press the “Disk Management” option;
- On disk C:, right-click and select “Shrink Volume…”;
- Select the space you want to reserve for Linux (at least 20GB is recommended);
- In the unallocated space, click with the right mouse button and select the option “New Simple Volume…”;
- Follow the onscreen instructions to create a partition on your computer.
How to Dual Boot with Linux
After creating a partition on your disk by Windows, you should make a bootable Linux USB stick to launch your installation package during computer boot. To do this, follow the steps below:
- With the bootable pen drive inserted, restart the computer;
- Press the F12 or Delete key to enter the boot menu (refer to the manufacturer’s manual);
- Select the Linux USB drive to boot the operating system installation screen;
- Choose your keyboard layout and language and select normal installation mode;
- Check the “Install Ubuntu with Windows 10” option (the same goes for any other Linux distribution installed on the same computer) to keep both operating systems on your machine.
More from us:
- How to access ChatGPT on WhatsApp through a bot
- How to Enable the Windows Search Bar
- How to Make a Mockup in Photoshop
Once the Linux installation is complete, just restart the computer again and press the key to enter the boot menu. Then, you can choose which OS you want to start on their respective partitions.
30