New install - dual boot with Windows 10

Ben Williams

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I have just installed kali Linux on my computer, a HP pavilion( just have brought maybe a month and a half ago) and I was able to download it to a live USB, but during the set NIC setup kali said it couldn't find my NIC card that it needs. But I'm up todate on intels lastest so, what can I do to fix this problem?
 


Hi Ben, and welcome! You don't say, but I guess you mean wireless nic. I'm not sure if you are aware, but Kali is really designed for advanced Linux security professionals (which I am not). If you are advanced enough for this distro, the Kali official documentation here should probably steer you to a solution. Good luck!
 
i am by no means a security professional. Just really trying to learn how Linux works. Which distro would be good for a beginner?
 
i am by no means a security professional. Just really trying to learn how Linux works. Which distro would be good for a beginner?

Okay then, maybe I can help! There are many good solid distributions that are good for new users. I think people usually start out with the Ubuntu family... Ubuntu itself, or some that are derived from it, such as Linux Mint and Linux Lite. There are many more too. A prime advantage of this family of distros is that usually all of your hardware (like wireless, sound, etc) will work right away without special effort.

Since you've been through the installation process with Kali, you won't find these distros much different. The simplest method is to let Linux install on the "entire disk." So that would erase Kali... but it would also erase Windows too. Are you trying to keep Windows? Setting up dual-boot needs a little more care, and things can go wrong. So if you do have Windows, you should create a "System Recovery" set (DVD or USB) in case of disaster. HP should have included a tool in Windows to make the Recovery set.

So, I'll pause there and see where you're at on this.
 
I have a dual boot set up with windows now with kali. Is any other special thing I have to do so it doesn't ease my windows OS?
 
Yes, you need to be careful. As I said, please go into Windows and create a Recovery Set. If you don't have a spare USB stick or DVD's to do this, take a break until you do. With luck, you won't need it... but you really should prepare for the worst. Installing operating systems is not like installing a program, and if things go badly you could find yourself with a computer that doesn't boot up at all. (This is fixable, but you get the idea of what a hassle it is.)

Is your HP a desktop, or laptop?
 
Okay. We all love Linux, but we try to protect your Windows too, until you get ready to get rid of it. When you make the Recovery Set, you also want to save anything super important on the Windows drive before installing more Linux. Since it is so new, maybe you don't have much, if anything, that important.

If installing Linux goes badly (and it happens sometimes), then the Recovery Set is what you would typically use to restore Windows first, from scratch, and then try Linux again. This can be time consuming, especially to reinstall Windows (Linux is much quicker).

I'm also wondering if you have rebooted since installing Kali? Hopefully it did not break the boot process, but it makes me a little nervous because I'm not sure of Kali's ability to deal with Secure Boot.
 
Okay, that's good then. Ubuntu and Linux Mint should be okay to turn Secure Boot back on, but not Linux Lite (when I last tried it). So, since you've been in your UEFI settings already... I assume you did NOT enable "Legacy" mode (also called CSM)? So, still in UEFI mode, right? This is good too. But one other thing that should be disabled is Fast Boot, if you see that setting.
 
OK, great! So, let's take a deep breath and go slowly. Get your Recovery Set made now before going any further. Then pick a distro and download the .iso file. Whatever you used to burn Kali to a USB or DVD should work okay for Ubuntu or Mint (but there are times when even this can be a problem).

I've only got a little time left off-and-on today, and I start back to work tomorrow for 12-hr shifts, so don't be too impatient with me. But there are others here too who may jump in and guide you if I get behind.

But still, after you burn Ubuntu or Mint to a USB, turn on Secure Boot in your UEFI settings, and boot on the new Linux USB stick and test drive it a little. Check that your hardware all seems to work okay. If they don't boot with Secure Boot on, you may have to turn if off again, but I think it should work... and it doesn't hurt to have the extra security as long as Linux can work with it. Many distros can't.
 
There are many folks here that are happy to help... you just caught me first! :D But you may end up finishing with others, and that's okay too. We all just like to see new people learning Linux.

By the way, if you choose Ubuntu... get version 16.04.3. It is the latest "LTS" version (long term support), and it is usually a better choice. There is actually a newer version, but the support (ability to update it) runs out sooner, so I tend to always recommend LTS versions. Linux Mint has several different versions... they are all 18.2, but different "desktops".... Mate and Cinammon are the most common, I think, and I would usually recommend Mate myself (it's the one that I use).
 
Just a reminder... I moved and renamed this thread. Now in the "Getting Started" forum.
 
And... let me backpedal already on Secure Boot. You may prefer to leave it off. Ubuntu and Mint will probably both present a screen during installion that offers "third party software" to be included, and you will most likely want this additional software. This screen allows an option to turn off Secure Boot, but then you may later be nagged with a warning that you are booting an insecure system. Nobody likes nagging screens like that, so it will probably be better to leave Secure Boot off in the first place.

I'm going to try to set up a test computer with Windows and another Linux (simulating Kali on yours)... and then go through the install steps to get rid of the unwanted Linux. Ubuntu and Mint should be about the same, but I'll hold off and try to use the one that you pick so maybe we don't miss anything.
 

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