Dual booting Linux and Windows on laptops

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mdf

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#293411 19-Jan-2022 12:42

I'd like to do more with Linux (this happens periodically). What is the state of dual booting Windows and Linux on laptops in 2022? The last time I tried this I had a world of hurt with UEFI vs BIOS booting, though this was a good ~5 years ago. I've been using a Chromebook since then, which is awesome for casual use, but am pushing up against the limits for some less-casual uses. I've also learned the hard way that there are just some things that are easier on Windows (especially MS Word which is essentially a requirement for my day job).

Can anyone recommend something that will definitely work with both? I've only ever used Debian/Ubuntu/apt based distros and so would likely start with Ubuntu everything else being equal, but am happy to try other distros if laptop support is better/easier.

cyril7

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#2853416 19-Jan-2022 12:50

Hi, not answering you question directly, but I ended up just running a VM of windows, for those very few tasks that require it, then just RDP in from my Chromebook or Linux machines from anywhere, easy.

Cyril

MikeB4

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#2853417 19-Jan-2022 12:59

I ran Ubuntu in a dual boot scenario for years without any major issues. This was on both the old BIOS and UEFI systems. I did find partitioning a single disc to be somewhat problematic but doable. I prefer seperate discs. I have also used Fedora, Mint, Redhat and Pop OS in dual boot.

fe31nz

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#2853869 20-Jan-2022 03:33

I am posting this from my Dell G7 7700 laptop running Ubuntu 20.04. It was delivered with Windows 10 and I was very pleasantly surprised as to how easy it was to get Ubuntu installed as well - I just reduced the size of the Windows partition and booted the Ubuntu installer from USB and it did the rest. Both Windows and Ubuntu work with secure boot enabled. This is largely because Ubuntu kernels are properly signed for secure booting, and Dell offer their own Linux laptops so they test their BIOSes for booting Linux. Being a modern laptop it is UEFI, and that means that the Windows bootloader refuses to boot non-Windows code. But the Ubuntu grub bootloader is happy to boot Windows 10 and allow me to select between Windows and Ubuntu, and Windows still does major updates properly booted this way. On my old laptop with old BIOS booting between Windows 10 and Ubuntu, Windows messed up major updates unless it was booted via its own bootloader. As well, the Dell BIOS has the option to hit F12 during startup to select what to boot from the UEFI boot device list, and both Windows and Ubuntu are listed there, as well as PXE booting options and other things if you have them enabled.

But Windows 10 on this laptop has a major problem that I have not found a fix for. Ubuntu just goes to sleep as you would expect when you close the lid. Everything shuts down except minimal RAM maintenance. When the lid is shut in Windows, it appears to go to sleep, but actually the CPU seems to be still running at full speed, but without the fans running. It overheats rapidly and if you are lucky goes into thermal shutdown. From online reports, if you are unlucky, the plastic melts from the heat. In my case, I got thermal shutdown soon enough - when I came back half an hour later it was really off but still felt very hot. But when I was later experimenting, I found that it can easily get hot enough to burn you. I have not tried to reinstall Windows 10 from scratch - that might make sleep work properly. My Windows install was done by taking the existing provided install of Windows 10 and using PCmover to copy across everything I wanted from my old laptop. After that, I have not been able to get sleep to work properly, despite trying everything I found online and two BIOS updates that were supposed to help. I am hoping that the upgrade to Windows 11 will fix this when it finally happens. Given that Ubuntu manages to sleep properly, it is likely a Windows registry problem causing it. But until it is fixed, using Windows on battery is PIA.

mdf

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#2854219 20-Jan-2022 15:39

Thanks team. Am I (more or less) okay then to try any notebook, or are there some contenders known to (and not to) work?

Or am I better off getting something cheap/ex-lease and just having a dedicated Linux machine?

old3eyes

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#2854450 21-Jan-2022 07:52

Rather than dual boot I bought a USB3 external drive case and put an ol HD in it and installed Linux on that and selected the USB drive on boot up via pressing F12 [on my PC] and test it. Keeps it away from boot systems in Windows. You can also use a USB 3 SSD or only USB 3 thumb drive.

Regards,

Old3eyes

afe66

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#2854718 21-Jan-2022 17:27

I did something similar except used a 32gb micro USB stick. F12 on boot up and select the USB.

8 year old w8. 1 laptop which still works fine for office 2013.

nzkc

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#2854737 21-Jan-2022 18:53

No one has mentioned this yet I dont think...

Depending on what it is you're wanting to try or learn on Linux have you considered Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2)? It is great! For work I have a need for some windows apps, however, most of my development is better served in Linux (Docker etc). This is a zero risk and zero cost approach at trying Linux!

What you dont really get is the GUI side of things. Yes you now have WSL2g which allows you to run Linux GUI apps, but you don't get the full desktop experience. However; your WiFi drivers will definitely work which isn't always the case with Linux (its a lot better than it used to be).

That said; I wholeheartedly encourage to give Linux a go on a machine too! As for what specs... any modern(ish) CPU, 4GB RAM (minimum....ideally more as always) and any HD (you really don't need much space at all). As previously mentioned wifi drivers can be a sticky point but the situation is a lot better than it used to be a decade or so ago. I got a Lenovo laptop recently and installed Linux on it. The WiFi AX card was a little bit too modern and only a few distributions would natively see it. And even then performance was flaky (fine under Windows). Ended up buying a Wifi AC card off Amazon to replace it. Every distribution sees it and it "just works".

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openmedia

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#2854793 22-Jan-2022 08:08

Modern environments using UEFI should in theory have GPT based disk layout which means it is easy to have additional partitions.

I'd recommend creating a Linux specific UEFI Boot partition so that you're not interfering with the one that Windows manages.

Also you've probably got a couple of additional hidden partitions for windows recovery which can cause some issues.

Assuming you've got

UEFI Boot
hidden
Windows
Recovery

Shrink 3 and move 4 to make room for linux

5 - Linux UEFI Boot

6 - Linux /boot

7 - Linux LVM for OS root / home etc.

Now if you've still got a DOS based disk layout which is still normal on smaller drives you might need to share the EFI boot partition

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

darylblake

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#2854805 22-Jan-2022 09:11

Dual booting is a pain.

Generally Mac and Windows have better user interfaces. Most linux distributions don't have a fantastic UI.

Linux generally tends to run services better. The terminal/CLI is mostly where linux shines.

Therefore Just use windows normally, and use the windows sub-system for linux. Then you can run both at the same time, you get a decent UI (windows) and you get linux.

Having to log out of one and restart and go into another etc is a bit of a nuisance.

Another option if you are on a mac is parallels.

farcus

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#2854874 22-Jan-2022 15:43

darylblake:

Generally Mac and Windows have better user interfaces. Most linux distributions don't have a fantastic UI.

honestly, I'd argue completely the opposite . . . . but that is not what this thread is about (wrote this from my shining linux desktop (Plasma) ) ;-)

Bee

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#2854910 22-Jan-2022 17:03

Linux has definintely come a long way in 5 years... Ive toyed with it on and off and always had issues but installed Xubuntu 20.04 recently dual booting with Windows 10 on a hp Pavilion and this time things are going better and I am almost ready to move to linux completely.

So I would definitely give it a go, regarding office have you tried WPS Open office? For me it is a good substitute for MS Office and works the same in Windows 10 and linux.

Doing your best is much more important than being the best.

old3eyes

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#2854912 22-Jan-2022 17:11

Bee:

Linux has definintely come a long way in 5 years... Ive toyed with it on and off and always had issues but installed Xubuntu 20.04 recently dual booting with Windows 10 on a hp Pavilion and this time things are going better and I am almost ready to move to linux completely.

So I would definitely give it a go, regarding office have you tried WPS Open office? For me it is a good substitute for MS Office and works the same in Windows 10 and linux.

I need MS Office to work with mainly Outlook with outlook.com exchange server support. Haven't found a solution for that yet. Have tried PLayOnLinux and CrossOver but both fail and only Office 2010 will install and run but not in exchange server mode only IMAP. Office 365 gets up to about 98% installed then fails. So may end up staying with Windows.

Regards,

Old3eyes