If you want to know what the Linux operating system is, but don’t want to completely replace Windows, then the best solution would be to install Linux as a second OS.
With this installation, you have a choice of which system to start when you turn on the computer.
For example, I chose the version, since this version is the easiest to learn, and if you are still completely unfamiliar with the Linux system, but at the same time have experience in working with Windows, then Linux Mint is an ideal option. It has built-in codecs that you don’t need to download when downloading the image, flash, and other useful little things.
Currently the latest version of this operating system is . It includes several models that have various additives. For example, KDE is an option that contains absolutely all programs that may not be particularly necessary for the average user, Xfce is an ideal option for computers that are not particularly powerful, that is, for old and weak devices, MATE is perhaps the most suitable option for ordinary users, since this version is perfectly balanced. I usually download the 32-bit version, since my computer is hardly particularly powerful.
I use torrent to download.
Upon completion of the download, we have a file weighing 1.2 gigabytes, which should be written to a flash drive or DVD.
After this, when you turn on the computer, you need to go into the BIOS and select installation from a disk or flash drive. A detailed overview of this procedure can be found in the article on Windows installation. On my device, I just need to press the Escape key while starting the computer, and the Boot Menu appears. Just in it you will need to select boot from a flash drive.
Once you choose what to boot from, Linux will begin to boot. At this point, you can either familiarize yourself with the functions that the system provides in advance, or immediately turn on the installation. To do this, select the shortcut named “Install Linux Mint”.
Then you should select the language in which the installation will be carried out and press the Continue button.
After this, you will see a window where you can choose whether you want to at the moment connect to the Internet or not. To do this, check the box next to the item you need.
Then a question window will pop up asking if your device has 7.9 gigabytes of free space to install the OS, and will also advise you to connect charger, if you have a laptop, and also connect to the Internet connection. The latter, by the way, is not mandatory. After this, click the continue button again.
At this stage, you have the opportunity to choose whether to install Linux as a second system, or format the disk and install it as the main OS. Here you need to select “Install Linux Mint next to Windows” and click the Continue button.
The free space will be shown on the right for Windows, and on the left for Linux. Now you should select the location where the Linux data will be stored and press the Install Now button.
Click the continue button.
Here you need to select the region in which you live, but this is not required, and then click continue.
Now you should select the keyboard layout language and click continue.
At this stage, you should provide your name and come up with a password, and then choose a launch method. Personally, I choose to log into Linux automatically.
By pressing the Continue button, the installation will start, which will take about 10 minutes.
Once the installation is complete, you should restart your device.
After this, when you start the computer, you will be offered a choice of which system to start. If you don’t start anything, the first OS will turn on.
As you can see in the picture, Linux OS is first on the list, and Windows is last. Now you just need to visit the system you want to start and press Enter. That's it. Everything is ready. We wish you good luck.
The Windows operating system is perhaps one of the most popular. However, every year the Linux system is gaining more and more fans. If you do not want to completely abandon Windows, but still enjoy the benefits of another operating system, then they can be combined. First, let's look at what Linux developers offer us.
Benefits of Linux
For many users, Windows is more familiar and familiar than Linux. Therefore, after installing the latter, some people get lost, and given the fact that the installation of programs here is slightly different, they abandon Linux altogether. By the way, in vain, because the Linux system also has a number of advantages. For example, Open Source, in other words, software freedom, allows any user to upgrade any operating system utilities, and even the kernel itself. At the same time, you don’t have to be a great specialist in IT technologies.
Due to the fact that Linux is less widespread than Windows, practically no viruses are written for it. This is not necessary, since it is much easier to launch a Trojan for Windows users, of whom there are many times more. This increases the safety of using the system.
In addition, Linux is relatively easy to install. This OS perfectly supports drivers for almost any device. Modems, USB devices and other peripherals work well with this system. The only exception is such equipment as printers. Unfortunately, these devices are still difficult to configure in Linux, but developers are solving this problem.
How to Install Linux on Windows
Now I will dwell in detail on how to install Windows and Linux on one computer. What is this for? Firstly, if you don’t want or can’t completely give up Windows yet. Secondly, Linux does not always support updated drivers for peripherals or other devices. Therefore, if your computer has new hardware, then software for it in Linux it may be written later than for Windows by several months or completely absent. Also, Linux does not support all programs and games, especially those released in the early 2000s.
So, let's try to install two systems on one computer. First of all, you will need to install Windows, and only on it will we install the new system. If you do the opposite, the system can simply erase the Linux bootloader and install its own in its place. In addition, it will be quite difficult to configure system partitions from Windows. If you are unable to install Windows XP, then you will find a detailed description of this process.
Before installing a second system, you need to properly divide the disk space. It is advisable to allocate for it hard drive. If this does not work, then you can create a logical disk. Various programs are used for this purpose. For example, you can use Acronis Disk Directo, which is convenient and simple, even a beginner can understand it.
After this, the computer restarts. A CD loaded with a Linux distribution is inserted into the slot. Next, you will need to select the Boot from CD drive link. To do this, you can press the F12 key when the system starts. If you cannot perform the operation using this method, you can try to do it through the BIOS. Different models may have different keyboard layouts, therefore, the keys that can be used to open the menu or enter the BIOS may be located in different places.
If everything is done correctly, the Linux installation begins. Nowadays, many distributions do almost everything themselves. The main thing that the user will need to specify is the time zone, system language, administrator login and password. In addition, you will need to mark the partition for the operating system. Here you can select automatic installation to free disk space. Also during installation, the graphical shell is noted, usually Gnome or KDE. By the way, if you select both, you can later switch to the one you like best.
You will also need to select a username and password. Work in the operating system will take place exactly under this account. An administrator in Linux is required if you need to change settings, install plugins, etc. If you work as root all the time, inexperienced users can do actions that will lead to the crash of the entire OS, since there is weak protection here. The final step is to select a bootloader, which varies depending on the version of the distribution. Grub is quite common and is also quite convenient. Now restart your computer, and if everything is done correctly, you will see two lines in the bootloader menu that lead to one of the installed operating systems.
Installing Windows on Linux
If your main operating system is Linux, and you want to install Windows and various software, you can do this using a virtual machine. Among the disadvantages of such an operation, it is noted that the OS that will be installed in the virtual machine will work with some restrictions. For example, there may not be enough resources to download games that have a lot of weight. Although there are advantages, for example, a printer that was malfunctioning in Linux will become much more functional in this situation.
First you need to install a virtual machine. This could be VirtualBox, which is distributed online for free, or VMWare. Next we open the program. A Create button will appear in the left corner, with which we will create our virtual machine and give it a name. After this, you will need to select the type of operating system and set the settings, including the size of the RAM, the disk on which the installation will be made, etc.
The advantages of two operating systems on one computer are obvious. What was missing in Windows can be found in Linux, and vice versa. But if you prefer using one of them, you can always take down the one you don’t need.
Let's say you read several articles on the Internet and became interested in the free Linux operating system. Perhaps you even installed it on your virtual machine or booted into Live mode and tried out how everything looks and works. You liked it, and now you want to install it on your computer and start using it. But at the same time, you don’t want to lose the already installed Windows so that in case of an unforeseen situation you can return to a fully working system, and even your favorite games and necessary programs will always be at hand. It is possible to install Linux and Windows 10 on one computer. At one time, for me, as for many other users, this was the ideal option.
In this guide, we'll look at how to install Linux alongside Windows 10. I say Windows 10 because it's the newest operating system from Microsoft, but these instructions will also work for older versions like Windwos 7, 8, and 8.1.
I'm guessing you already have installed Windows, you have found and decided from which disk to allocate some space for Linux, but you don’t know how to do it correctly. Here you will get a detailed answer to this question. Let's touch on another important topic - UEFI. This technology is used on all new Windows laptops, and many users are interested in how to install Linux on UEFI and what problems may arise.
To install the Linux operating system next to Windows 10, you will need to create several additional disk partitions. The minimum number is three sections. It is not customary to install Linux on one partition like Windows, although this option is possible. Linux is so flexible that it allows you to place the system, user files and settings on different partitions. This is very beneficial during reinstallation. You reinstall the system in the system partition, and all your files on the desktop and work environment settings will remain in place.
These are the three sections:
- Systemic;
- Home;
- Swap partition.
The minimum volume requirements for a system partition in different distributions vary from seven to twenty Gigabytes. But this is enough to install the system itself and several additional programs. If you are going to use a lot of programs and games, especially if they take up a lot of space, you need to take a couple of tens of Gigabytes in reserve. I recommend using 30-40 Gigabytes for the Linux system partition in the same way as for the Windows C drive.
The swap partition is used when the system is running low RAM. At a certain percentage filling Linux gradually begins to dump unused data into this file. Therefore, for this section, a volume half as large as the size of your RAM is suitable. But if you plan to use sleep mode or hibernation, then you need to allocate an amount of disk space equal to the size of RAM for the swap partition, because in these modes the entire contents of the computer's RAM are transferred to disk. The home section is the section with your files, movies, music, downloads. Estimate how much you need.
Preparing a Disk in Windows
To install Linux next to Windows 10 already in use, you will need to “cut off” space from the system disk. Therefore, before taking decisive action, it is important to create a backup copy of the system or at least important files. If everything goes well, nothing bad will happen to either the files or the system, but due to some kind of failure, for example, a power outage, file system may be damaged. You yourself, through inattention, can do something wrong and delete something that is not necessary.
Therefore, if you work with the system disk, copy important files to external media, and, if possible, create a backup copy of the operating system using the appropriate control panel item:
When working with a non-system partition, for example, D, E, F etc., just copy the files from there.
Now we proceed directly to preparing the disk for installing Windows 10 and Linux. The easiest way to do this is using the standard Windows Disk Management utility. Click right click by icon " This computer"on the desktop and open the item" Control":
Here at the bottom of the window we see two drives: C (system) and D (regular). I will give an example of how to resize drive D. For drive C, all steps are similar.
Right-click on the desired drive and select the option Shrink Volume:
A window like this will open in which you need to enter the size of the volume to be created in the field size of compressible space:
Please note that you cannot specify a size greater than the amount of free disk space. So make some space first if you haven't already. Click on the button compress. After this, unallocated space will appear, from which you can create the necessary partitions:
That's all. Now you have a place to install Linux next to Windows 10. I see no point in further partitioning the disk in the Windows utility, since we have already done all the dangerous operations that could damage the system, and it is best to configure partitions for Linux using Linux tools.
Preparing a Disk in Linux
This is not the next step in installing Linux along with Windows 10. This is an alternative disk partitioning option without using Windows. If for some reason you do not want to use the standard Windows utility to allocate the required space, this can also be done using any LiveCD Linux distribution with the Gparted disk management program pre-installed. For example, the same Ubuntu.
Boot from the Ubuntu disk, in the Dash search type Gparted:
The following program window for disk management in Linux will open:
It is important to note here that disk partitions in Linux are named differently than in Windows. Here, drives are simply addresses of files in the dev virtual filesystem. Later you will understand what this is, but for now the only important thing is that the name of each partition begins with /dev/sd. Next comes the letter indicating the physical disk (sda, sdb, sdc, sdd, and so on). Behind it is a number that indicates the partition number on the disk, for example: sda1, sda2.
In the utility window, in addition to the name of the disk partition, we can see the file system, size and free space on the disk. Now, based on the size and file system, we can understand which disk our system is located on.
In my example, /dev/sdb1 is the C drive in Windows, and /dev/sdb2 is the D drive. We will do the same as in the previous example. Let's reduce the size of the /dev/sdb2 (D) partition to 10 Gigabytes so that we can install Linux on Windows 10 using the freed up space. To do this, right-click on the partition and select Resize/Move:
In the window that opens, you can enter right size manually in the field New size or use the slider:
Then click the button Resize/Move.
As you can see, free space has appeared, but there are no real changes on the disk yet. In order to burn everything to disk, click the green checkmark, or in the menu Edit select item Apply All Operations:
The file system resizing process may take a little time:
Now you can see that the /dev/sdb2 partition has shrunk and there is free space:
For the system partition, the operations are the same, only there is one note: do not touch the beginning of the partition. You can safely reduce the size of a partition by adding free space after it, but don't try to do it before it, like this:
There is no need to do this, otherwise the Windows bootloader will be damaged; it is very easy to restore, but I don’t think there is any need to solve these problems at the very beginning of getting to know Linux.
We will not create partitions for Linux here either; it is better to do all this during installation, using a utility specifically designed for this.
Installing Linux next to Windows 10
I will not consider in detail here how to install Linux; all this has already been discussed in detail in my articles separately for different distributions. Let's look at just a few aspects of disk layout. Let's take Ubuntu as the most popular OS for beginners, but in other distributions everything is almost the same.
At the stage of choosing a marking method, I recommend choosing the manual option. Because this way you will better understand how to install the system:
Here, from the previously freed space, you create those sections that we talked about at the very beginning of the article. For the root partition the mount point must be /, for the home partition - /home, and for the swap partition the mount point must not be specified.
Installing Linux next to Windows 10 UEFI
All modern laptops released with Windows 8, 8.1, 10 use UEFI technology. This is a new progressive technology that has replaced the outdated BIOS. The first important and most noticeable change is the use of a GPT partition table instead of the legacy MBR, as well as the creation of a separate disk partition for operating system boot loaders. Many users are afraid that UEFI will make it more difficult to install Linux with Windows 10 on their laptop. And in vain - in most cases there is nothing complicated. If you already have Windows installed, then most likely the efi partition has already been created, and during disk partitioning you just need to select it to install the bootloader. The efi partition is usually created with the fat32 file system and takes up about 30 Megabytes of memory:
If you have a clean hard drive, you need to create a GPT partition table. This can be done using the same Gparted by opening the menu Devices ->Create Partition Table:
Then we specify this partition during the installation of Linux along with windows 10; for it you need to specify the mount point /boot/EFI. That's all the difficulties with installation in UEFI. In general, installation in UEFI is supported by all distributions running in Grub2.
Completing the installation
Many new users are interested in: “How can I boot my Windows later?” Don't worry, Grub will automatically find the Windows boot loader and offer you a menu where you can select your operating system before starting your computer:
So double Windows boot 10 and Linux will be configured automatically.
If something doesn't go according to plan, although it's unlikely to happen, everything is very easy to adjust. So, if done correctly, you will definitely have access to your Windows after installing Linux.
Conclusions
Today we looked at how to install Linux on Windows 10. We figured out how to partition, how to select partitions, and what to do if your laptop uses UEFI. There is no point in talking about installing any specific Linux distribution along with Windows 10, since, firstly, all the steps are similar, and, secondly, you can find detailed instructions in the relevant articles. I would also like to note: for a comfortable Windows operation 10 with Linux on the same computer, you need to disable Windows FastBoot, otherwise you won't be able to . If you have any questions, ask in the comments!
Like all ordinary users, I began my acquaintance with a computer using the Windows operating system. At that time, I didn’t even suspect that there was anything in the world other than Windows.
The computer topic fascinated me quite deeply. Time passed on its own, study, work. In my free time, I read various “computer for dummies” books, gained experience and moved on to more serious and interesting publications on computer topic. At some point in my life, I subscribed to the magazine “Chip,” which was 90% dedicated to the Windows operating system.
In one of the issues, the editors made a gift to their subscribers by including the Mandriva PowerPack distribution in the DVD that came with the magazine. After reading an article with beautiful pictures of various Linux desktop effects, I immediately wanted to have such a miracle on my computer. These images of Gnu/Linux desktop screenshots warmed my soul. This was something new in computer operation. To this day, I always enjoy using my computers with Linux installed.
At that time, of course, I had a question about installing linux and windows on one computer. The problem resolved itself, which is why Linux supports (double or triple) better than anyone else.
Installation method for Linux and Windows No. 1:
First way Linux and Windows installations is the simplest and most correct. Perhaps you have decided to completely redo the partition table on your computer, so to speak, start from scratch. Demolish all operating systems and install them again, thinking about where and how much space you will allocate for each.
To do this, we will create a backup copy of important data on another storage medium. Then install Windows, remembering to leave enough HDD space for your favorite Linux distribution.
After windows installation finished, you need to download it. Make sure that the new system boots correctly. And after that, we begin to install your favorite Linux distribution.
There are a huge number of them in the world that have their own almost unrepeatable installers. I will only add links here as I write articles on installing various Linux distributions. My first article on collaboration on a computer. After a successful Linux installation, when you first boot, Grub will display lines to select the OS.
Method of installing linux and windows No. 2 “Installing linux after windows”
Perhaps you already have Windows pre-installed and you would not like to demolish it, due to the fact that you will then have to spend a long time setting up the OS. Then the second method comes to your aid. Linux and Windows installations.
Of course, it all depends on the Linux you choose. If you install Ubuntu, then it already has a simple, reliable and intuitive installer with which you can easily move the Windows partition, freeing up space for the latter. 
And then install Ubuntu in the free area.
But what to do if you have chosen a Linux distribution with an incomprehensible disk editor and are afraid of causing harm. Every time I install a distribution that is new to me, I first prepare the hard drive using tools that are familiar to me. For this, someone seems to be better suited to gparted, which can be used or . And easily change, creating the sections you need.
This way, you will prepare the HDD in advance for installing the system. All you need to do is specify the correct mount points for your Linux.
I always use this method without fail. It only remains to add that this disk tool can be used from various distributions in live cd mode. Almost all repositories contain gparted, which can be installed and called if the Internet is available. Some versions of Linux have it pre-installed.
Good luck with your Linux and Windows installation!
Before deciding to install Ubuntu as a second system, test the Windows OS recovery so that if something goes wrong, you won’t find it unusable backup copies.
The reason for such a large effort: when installing Ubuntu in parallel with Windows, problems may arise that are not only related to the Linux system. For example, the difficulties associated with the interaction of modern UEFI implementations.
Each manufacturer motherboards behaves in its own way and tests only for compatibility with Windows. Additional barriers to consider may include signed bootloaders, fast startup, and power-saving mechanisms.
BIOS or UEFI?
On modern hardware, your computer probably has UEFI firmware and Windows is installed in UEFI mode. If you have had a PC or laptop for a long time, it may also have a classic BIOS. To install Ubuntu, it is important to know exactly the situation, since you need to select UEFI or BIOS mode.
To check this, enter the query “System Information” in the Windows search bar and find the line “BIOS Mode”. If it says Legacy, Ubuntu should be installed in BIOS mode. In this case, both Secure Boot and the Fast Boot option must be disabled in the BIOS and the mode cannot be switched to “UEFI”.
If the system information says "UEFI", Ubuntu should be installed in "UEFI" mode and use the 64-bit version. To run Ubuntu alongside Windows in UEFI mode, Windows 8 and 10 users must disable Fast Startup. This is done in the power settings through the “Power button action” item.
In the Shutdown Options section, make sure that the Enable Fast Startup option is unchecked. Windows users 7 must disable hibernation mode from the Start menu with the command “powercfg /h off”. Finally, disable the Fast Boot option from the UEFI firmware.
Preparing space for Ubuntu
To install Ubuntu alongside Windows, you will need enough space. The Ubuntu installer is capable of reducing the space of your existing Windows. You can do this in advance, manually and directly from Windows. To do this, go to “Disk Management”, which is called up through the Start menu with the command “diskmgmt.msc”.
Typically, Windows takes up the entire disk, but can free up space for Ubuntu Even if you only use Windows, your hard drive often contains various partitions, including Recovery, UEFI Boot, and, of course, Windows System. The more complex the initial conditions, the higher the likelihood that Ubuntu Boot Manager will later break its teeth on your system.
To shorten an existing C section Windows systems, right-click on it on the main screen of the utility and select “Shrink Volume”. Now you need to specify the size of the compressed space of the required space in MB. If you enter "20000", Windows will free up 20GB for Ubuntu. This is enough to get started with Linux. To reserve a place, click on the “Compress” button.
Installing Ubuntu
Start your computer again from the DVD or USB drive as described on page 85. In Live CD mode, click on the “Install Ubuntu 16.04 LTS” desktop icon. Follow the Wizard's instructions, first selecting your language. Connect via LAN or Wi-Fi to the Internet to receive updates immediately.
The key point during installation will be “Installation Type”. In this case, you should select “Install Ubuntu next to Windows Boot Manager.” Next, set the standard settings, such as location and account.
When the installation completes, you are given two options: remain in Live CD mode or restart your computer. Select “Continue acquaintance” and open the command line using the key combination “Ctrl+Alt+T”.
The command “sudo apt-get install efibootmgr” launches a small tool to configure the boot order. The "efibootmgr" command will display information about boot entries. In addition to the “Windows Boot Manager” line, the “Ubuntu” entry should appear. Use the command “sudo efibootmgr –o x,y” to change the boot order, where “x” is for the numbers before the Ubuntu entry and “y” is for the numbers before the Windows Boot Manager.
First steps in Linux
This operating system offers only a base for working with programs and web services. To ensure everything goes smoothly, you should become familiar with the system.
1. Getting to know the Desktop
Ubuntu uses what is called the Unity desktop. It looks simple, with a software panel displayed on the left side - the launcher. In addition, there is a menu bar at the top, similar to the implementation in Apple's Mac OS X. When you open a program, Ubuntu collapses the menu into this bar at the top of the screen rather than into a window. For a Windows-like experience, move the launcher to the bottom of the screen. At the moment, this requires entering a command in the terminal. "gsettings set com.canonical.Unity.Launcher launcher-position Bottom" moves the panel to the bottom. An analogue of the well-known Control Panel from Windows in Ubuntu are system settings.
2. Check for updates
Like Windows, Linux has regular security updates. They need to be installed After installing Ubuntu, the system is considered updated if you allow the Wizard to perform the update. For those who like to speed up the process, there is the command “sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade”. The first part of the command requests the latest package from Linux servers, the second starts updates. To go to new version Ubuntu, for example from Beta 2 from premium DVD to final, enter also “sudo apt-get dist-upgrade”. If command line scares you, find the corresponding one in the update manager GUI.
3. Installation of programs
There are many programs available for Linux that are familiar to you from Windows. With the command “sudo apt-get install vlc” you can, for example, install VLC media player. Gnome offers a graphical utility for Ubuntu similar to the App Store. In it, find “vlc” and click on the “Install” button.
Solving problems with Ubuntu
Parallel installation of Ubuntu 16.04 next to Windows does not create problems in itself, which was confirmed by our tests when installing in BIOS mode. However, the devil is in the details, as our experiments with various UEFI PCs and laptops revealed. At the same time, it seems that everything is going like clockwork, but then Windows boots again, and there is no word about Ubuntu.
If you too are facing a similar problem, search for a solution on Google with the exact model of PC or laptop in combination with Ubuntu. The quickest way to find advice is on specific BIOS/UEFI settings or special bootloader adaptation. Okay, we failed with the laptop. Sony Vaio Pro and SSD disk with NCQ support. Only after disabling this feature did Ubuntu start. In general, it is recommended to use latest version UEFI.
Instead of trusting Ubuntu's automatic setup hard drive or SSD, if an error occurs, you can resort to manual partitioning. The corresponding menu item in the “Installation Type” is simply called “Other Option”. Here you need to create three partitions: “/boot” with 250 MB (ext2 file system), a swap partition with 4092 MB, and you can allocate the remaining space to the root partition “/”. Let the bootloader write to the /boot partition.
Linux security under control
Even Linux is not invulnerable. In February 2016, hackers hacked the Linux Mint project server and changed the ISO files hosted on it. They hid a backdoor in the installation files to steal passwords. But you can protect yourself.
Checksum verification. Manipulations with Linux distributions pop up immediately if the checksums do not match. Windows utilities such as md5sums display values for ISO files. They must match the data from the developers.
Photo: manufacturing companies
