How do you guys and girls install your Linux but not deleting your windows

[JustCallMeConstantin]

I was thinking about in install Linux, but I don't want to delete my entire windows.

 

[Shameless]

You can use a Bootloader such as GRUB. Basically most Linux installations come with GRUB so you can select specific versions for debugging or whatever each time you power on the computer. You can use this to have both Linux and Windows installed and just select which one you want on startup.
All you really need to do is install Linux (and make sure it has/uses GRUB), from Linux make a new partition on your drive and then install Windows.
Quick edit cuz i missed the "without deleting windows" part, you can do this in reverse, so from windows make a partition and install Linux & GRUB, then just set it to launch GRUB by default in your bios
This video goes over it

 

[Potapota]

Unless you have a drive to spare for linux (which I would recommend), you have to first use 3rd party tools to resize your windows drive to make space for the linux partition. Keep in mind that this sort of operation is generally not recommended and losing all your data is a possibility if something goes wrong. After that it's pretty straightforward with something like ubuntu that I think should configure the bootloader to snoop for a windows partition, then you can (if everything goes fine) just pick whichever you want when you boot your pc. There is a lot more potential issues like secure boot and windows generally being very hostile towards other operating systems on your pc though.
Dual booting is generally pretty straightforward but you really can't go in expecting to just smash next through the install and everything working fine forever. Learning a bit about how operating systems operate and having an open mind is required.

 

[Graw]

Boot Linux from a live disk, partition drive, format partition, install Linux on new partition. I like to have separate partitions for root, home, and /var but it's not necessary.

 

[mlastes1987]

You could try the Windows Subsystem for Linux. It's a built-in Hypervisor or Virtual Machine that allows you to perform Linux-based functions through your windows computer.

Post automatically merged: Today at 9:45 AM

And for reference, this is what the team from the Pokemon Reverse Engineering Team uses to compile their repositories.

 

[vulonkaaz's iconvulonkaaz]

just get a new SSD

 

[Sumea]

1: Install windows. 2: Install linux (without formatting any drives) (Nicer if on different drive) (extra nice if UEFI)

 

[Varyag]

It's easy! The only hard part is picking your Linux distro, and knowing how to keep your windows install. And even then, that's on the side of Windows being dumb. Most Linux installers nowadays are very easy, just follow the on screen instructions and choose the correct drive/partition to install on, and they'll take care of the rest.

But first, for all that is holy. Back up your data. Save everything you want to keep from your Windows SOMEWHERE ELSE. Do not come crying that Linux erased your photos or killed your family. Get a separate computer, an external hard drive or even just a particularly large thumb drive and save your shit there. Also not the same thumb drive you'll format to install Linux with.

Here's some video guides, from channels I trust.

This one uses two separate drives, the other one splits a single one into partitions.

 

[JustCallMeConstantin]

1: Install windows. 2: Install linux (without formatting any drives) (Nicer if on different drive) (extra nice if UEFI)
View attachment 82797

I like you making fun of me I just asked the honest question I feel like I'm being assault

Post automatically merged: Today at 2:50 PM

I just asked a question. So what's the problem?

 

[Sumea]

You could try the Windows Subsystem for Linux. It's a built-in Hypervisor or Virtual Machine that allows you to perform Linux-based functions through your windows computer.

Post automatically merged: Today at 9:45 AM

And for reference, this is what the team from the Pokemon Reverse Engineering Team uses to compile their repositories.

This is actually really good usecase if you need linux stuff only sometimes, and the stuff you need is all CLI run anyway which is usual for building or such. It does need virtualization enabled in UEFI that is usually turned off for one, and if you actually want to use linux desktop, linux applications with GUI and so on, it is not the best but I for sure do this most often if something needs to be compiled and used with linux.

 

[diapered]

you have to first use 3rd party tools to resize your windows drive to make space for the linux partition.

It's been a very long time since I dual booted windows, but the linux installer helper should take care of that. Nowadays, pretty much any major distro will have a selection like "Install <distro> along with Windows" or something like that and it will take care of the partitioning/resizing. I don't recall having to resize from the windows side... buy yea, it has been awhile.

However, be aware dual booting CAN cause issues. Make sure you are backing up if you do. It is possible for Windows updates to break grub and then you can no longer boot linux. That can be fixed, of course, but I'm not sure how difficult that is (never had to do it as I don't use windows anymore). You sound new to linux, so I would really only dual boot if absolutely necessary, so you avoid that risk all together.

I'll add though, don't be too scared by that, I never encountered that myself, and I think that is the only issue that can come up. But it is something to be aware of.

 

[Sumea]

I like you making fun of me I just asked the honest question I feel like I'm being assault

Post automatically merged: Today at 2:50 PM

I just asked a question. So what's the problem?

Do not worry, there are things called: Jokes. They are not that serious, usually you do not even have to take them seriously. They usually have a sign that they are stated in jest, maybe someone attaches them to an image that makes it clearer that statements are in jest.

That aside, it was not even the worst TL;DR. Few times I have multi boot installed windows with a linux distro, is that way. Windows first, because windows installer loves to ruin your Linux GRUB or other non-microsoft blessed and Halal bootloader. Linux after because you cannot put both Windows and Linux first, defeats the purpose of nature of time and all that. Without formatting drives; unless you are just being in cute mood and deleting that windows installation you just did. I am not telling what you can and cannot enjoy just unoptimal way to dual boot Windows and Linux. On different drives (if possible, otherwise leave space for lunix partitions during windows install.) so you hopefully have two completely separate boot loaders on two completely different drives so windows does not get a cute random idea to destroy your linux UEFI partition/bootloader for just the fun of it. If you have only one drive to install both operating systems on, the future is a schrödinger's surprise egg. "Even better if UEFI": Which is a given unless you steal your PC's from hospitals or Japanese government. UEFI bootloader is in it's own partition and usually the same drive you install to, and can even use UEFI boot selector instead of GRUB to manage OS you want to boot, or in case one of them OS'es goes капут.

I am the guy who posts "Hola.webm" on every spanish "Greetings" post you do not need to go all "Nature of a Hola and what is the deep desire behind a Hola" on me for that. Sometimes hola is a hola and it is not a cancer diagnosis. I am the cancer diagnosis. Leave that hola alone.

 

[Varyag]

It's been a very long time since I dual booted windows, but the linux installer helper should take care of that. Nowadays, pretty much any major distro will have a selection like "Install <distro> along with Windows" or something like that and it will take care of the partitioning/resizing. I don't recall having to resize from the windows side... buy yea, it has been awhile.

However, be aware dual booting CAN cause issues. Make sure you are backing up if you do. It is possible for Windows updates to break grub and then you can no longer boot linux. That can be fixed, of course, but I'm not sure how difficult that is (never had to do it as I don't use windows anymore). You sound new to linux, so I would really only dual boot if absolutely necessary, so you avoid that risk all together.

I'll add though, don't be too scared by that, I never encountered that myself, and I think that is the only issue that can come up. But it is something to be aware of.

good advice. yeah, I've had Windows updates break my GRUB so many times on my old laptop I lost count. However, bad for Windows, it eventually made ITSELF incompatible with said laptop, so now it's chugging along as a pure Linux machine and has never been happier.

Fixing said GRUB breakage is often as simple as booting up your live environment from USB as if you were going to install Linux again, and then using a repair application there to reinstall GRUB. I've done it many times with Linux Mint and MX Linux, it's very safe. Just keep that bootable USB handy just in case.

 

[Kamako]

I've never used it myself, but if you don't wish to commit to a dual boot setup, I hear some folk have had positive results using Linux Environment for Windows (WSL) as has been recommended already by Sumea and others.