Can I use Windows alongside Linux

TsarScarlett

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I am going to try Linux tonight and I'd like to know if I can use both Operating Systems.
 


Welcome to the community.

It is indeed possible to set up multi-boot and install Linux alongside Windows. I don't have any experience with this myself, but there are a number of other members here with extensive experience with multi-booting. I'm sure some of them will be along at some point.

Despite the number of members registered here, there is only a small number of active, regular contributors here. Spread around the world in different timezones. So sometimes threads don't get responses for a while.

In the meantime - there are a number of threads already posted here which deal with setting up multi-boot. I'm sure other members of the community have posted extensive instructions in the past. So I'd recommend having a play with the search bar up in the top-right corner to see what you can find on multi-booting.

@wizardfromoz in particular is a bit of an expert with multi-booting - he doesn't use Windows, but he has an insane number of Linux distros installed side-by-side.....
 
@TsarScarlett - did you end up trying a Linux, if so, which one?

Or are you waiting for advice?

Cheers

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

...but he has an insane number of Linux distros installed side-by-side.....

I prefer to think of it as well-equipped with Linux to help peple with their questions, Jas :D
 
@wizardfromoz i was actually waiting for advice

I'm also a new Linux user, and I dual boot Windows and Linux since I need Autocad for my studies. It works fine, but I've read that Windows update occasionally overwrites the boot loader which makes it hard to find Linux unless you manually fix it. Most distros I've tried will fix the dual boot automatically so you'll get a menu where you can select what to boot. Windows however isn't that kind, so if you do it the other way around (install Linux first, then Windows) you will boot straight into windows.
 
I keep Windows around solely for firmware upgrades. Haven't had many problems with it.
 
@TsarScarlett , G'day :)

OK - You will need to tell us a whole lot of things about your computer setup, and what you are looking to do with Linux. You will also need to do a fair bit of reading for yourself, and a fair bit of Googling (or search engine of your choice - DuckDuckGo is another popular one in our community that yields a lot of Linux-focused results).

So patience is important, and also safeguarding your Windows in case anything goes wrong. I'll try to number my questions, so be sure to answer all questions as best you can.

1. Is it Windows 10?
2. Is the computer yours for your use only, or shared with others in the household?
3. Do you have a backup system in place for safeguarding personal data, and if so, is that to an external drive, cloud storage or somewhere else that is independent of the computer?
4. Please tell us your specs (specifications) of the computer, eg Dell Inspiron 5770, that is, brand and model number, we could also use processor and RAM (memory) details.

In the reading department, make friends with DistroWatch.com , and in particular their Page Hit Ranking which features near top right of their front page. The top 50 or so of the 275 Linux listed there will likely have the best support, and you can follow some of the links to see what they look like and do.

...and what you are looking to do with Linux.

for example - coursework, word processing, general web surfing and email, Gaming and so on.

We won't invade your privacy, other than that I'll ask what your Timezone is, as we are from all around the world, so some answers will be quicker than others.

I may or may not be heavily involved in helping you, as this Wizard has many things to do around the Forum, as you may see, but I do run 59 Linux on this rig, so chances are whatever you choose I may have an opinion on, which I will share if I can.

Cheers

Wizard

You can call me @wizardfromoz , Wizard, Wiz, Chris - anything but late for dinner.
 
1. Is it Windows 10? Yes
2. Is the computer yours for your use only, or shared with others in the household? Only I use it
3. Do you have a backup system in place for safeguarding personal data, and if so, is that to an external drive, cloud storage or somewhere else that is independent of the computer? I have an external 1tb hard drive for Important data
4. Please tell us your specs (specifications) of the computer, eg Dell Inspiron 5770, that is, brand and model number, we could also use processor and RAM (memory) details.

2020-12-07 (3).png
 
I think to he next step if I didn:t miss something is to try Linux os live from usb. Have a look at ventoy.net Jarret b has an intro to it on this forum
 
Would that be an HP Pavilion 17" notebook? If so, HP are quite Linux-friendly and that configuration would allow you to run any Linux you choose.

Q. USB ports, DVD burner, either or both? And do you have some USB sticks spare?

for example - coursework, word processing, general web surfing and email, Gaming and so on.
?

Some or all of the following you may already know:

With Linux, it is not just a matter of downloading a file and double-clicking it to install, or copying it to a stick and booting from.

A file ending with .iso is downloaded, and then burned to a DVD or USB stick, just as you might burn a music or movie dvd. Special software.

Andy has mentioned Ventoy above, and Jarret's article is at

https://linux.org/threads/usb-linux-boot-ventoy.29944/

Andy is well-experienced with Ventoy.

There are others such as Rufus (Windows), Etcher (Windows or Linux) and so on. Your Windows 10 also has an option if you want to burn to DVD, of right-clicking an iso and choose burn to disk.

When you have your burned medium completed, whether USB or DVD, you insert it, reboot the computer, and use one of your Functions keys (could be F2, F12 or other) to enter the BIOS Setup Utility and choose to boot from the medium ahead of your hard drive.

Isos can be linked to from DistroWatch, and they could be from the Linux Distro's website itself, or through SourceForge.

Back when I can, and ask away with questions.

Wizard
 

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