How to Dual Boot Linux with Windows 10 on your PC

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i Dual booting Linux with Windows 10 on your PC, means having both operating systems installed on your PC. This process involves you partitioning your hard disk and installing the operating systems on different partitions, This way you will able to use both operating systems on your PC simultaneously. In this article we explore a tutorial on How to Dual Boot Linux with Windows 10 on your PC

Requirements

1. Two USB flash drives or DVD-Rs

Since we will be installing tow operating systems on our computer, you are required to purchase DVDs of both operating systems. You are required to purchase a Windows operating system DVD and a DVD containing the Linux Ubuntu operating system.

Apart from installing the operating systems using DVD, you could also install them from a bootable flash drive, which is a way faster. If your laptop doesn’t support booting from USB, you are advised to install the operating systems using DVDs, as mentioned earlier.

2. A Windows 10 license

Installing the Windows 10 OS on a computer that didn’t come with Windows 10 OS on default, requires a Windows license key, so if your computer didn’t come with the Windows 10 operating system on default, you will be required to input a license key. If your computer came with the Windows 10 operating system, you won’t be required to input any.  The Windows 10 license key, will be provided to you by the retailer.

3. Windows 10 Creation Tool

If you are installing the Windows 10 operating system from a bootable flash drive, you are required to download a windows 10 media creation tool. The Windows 10 media creation tool provides a step by step guide to creating a Windows 10 media on a USB. You can also use to create windows media on DVDs.

4. Etcher Software

Similar to the Windows Media Creation tool, The Etcher software lets you load a Ubuntu media unto a bootable flash drive or DVD. The Etcher software is supported on Linux, MacOS, and Windows.

Please Note that you are required to download the Ubuntu ISO Image, you will load in the bootable flash drive. Once it has been downloaded, you are required to launch the Etcher software, next click on Select image and then point to the already downloaded Ubuntu ISO image downloaded. Now Select your flash drive, from the list of storage locations provided. Click flash and the Etcher software will convert your bootable flash drive, into a Ubuntu installer.

After you have successfully met all the requirements above, purchased or created a bootable device for both operating systems, you proceed to install both operating systems on your computer. The steps to installing the operating system are listed below:

How to Install Windows and Ubuntu on Your PC

Just as a reminder, before we get started with the installation, you should have already created windows installation media, created a Ubuntu installation media and made a backup of your important files.

Creating a dual boot of Linus and Windows OS can be done in two ways. Its either you install the windows 10 OS first, and then using a ubuntu installer to resize the partition and installation will proceed in the empty space. Or you install Ubuntu first and then install the Windows 10 OS in the smaller partition on your hard disk.

Installing Windows

If you already installed Windows OS on your PC, you are required to skip this step and move straight to installing Ubuntu on your PC, otherwise, continue with the steps listed below:

1. Insert the Windows Installation in you have: As mentioned earlier, its either you use a DVD with the Windows 10 OS inside or you use a bootable flash containing windows 10. If you have a windows 10 DVD, insert it in your DVD player, If you have a bootable flash drive, plug it into your USB port and follow the steps below.

2. Click on the boot menu key: PC’s have different boot menu keys, you have to look out for the boot menu key assigned to your PC. The boot menu key is usually displayed on the bottom of your screen when you power your PC on. If you are unable to locate the boot menu key for your computer, you advised to search it on Google, to make things faster.

3. Change Boot order: Changing boot order means changing the device your PC boots, On default, your PC is set to boot from your hard disk.  If you using a Windows 10 DVD, you are required to set your PC to boot from your disk drive. If you are booting from a bootable flash drive, you are required to set your PC to boot from the bootable flash drive. IF you don’t know how to do this, you advised to research on Google or contact your manufacturer.

4. Press any key on your keyboard and proceed with the installation: After you might have successfully booted your installation media, you will be prompted to press any key on your keyboard, to proceed with the installation.

5. Follow the on-screen prompts: You will be presented with different on-screen prompts. Prompts that will require you select your preferred language, inserting your product key and lots more. These are basic steps that do not require any expertise.

How to Dual Boot Linux with Windows 10
How to Dual Boot Linux with Windows 10
Enter product key

6. Select the version of Windows 10 you wish to install:

During the installation process, you will be required to select the version of Windows 10 you wish to install. Here you will be provided with the option to install windows 10 x64 and Windows 10 x86. Please note that installing windows 10 x86 is the same thing as installing windows 10 32 bit and installing windows 10 x64 is the same thing as installing windows 10 64 bit. Here you will also be required to select windows 10 home, professional and other versions. Please, note that the windows 10 pro is the most powerful version of Windows 10.

Select Windows version

7. Review License terms and click next

Accept license terms

8. Click on custom install: After reading the license information, you are required to select the type of installation you want. You have options to upgrade, keeping all your files or doing a custom advanced install. You are advised to do a custom install. You will able to select the drive you want to install the windows 10 OS

How to Dual Boot Linux with Windows 10

9. Allocate Storage For Installation of Windows 10

Hard drive configuration

Our sample hard drive has not been allocated or partitioned before. If your hard drive isn’t like this or has been partitioned before, you are required to highlight all the partitions and delete them. Your entire hard drive will be unallocated. Click continue to create a new partition.

Create a new partition

You are advised to create a partition with up to 80GB to accommodate the windows operating system.

How to Dual Boot Linux with Windows 10

10. Click Next, to confirm partitioning and to begin windows installation. 

Installing Windows
How to Dual Boot Linux with Windows 10

Now that you have successfully installed the Windows 10 operating system on one of the partitions, the next step is to install Ubuntu on your hard drive.

Installing Ubuntu

At this point, we assume you already have the Windows 10 operating system installed on your hard drive. The next step is to install Ubuntu on the other partition you created. Installing Ubuntu will be done using the installation media you created earlier.

1. Insert Installation Media into your Computer: You are to insert the installation media in your computer. If the installation media was created on a DVD, you are to insert it into your CD ROM, if the installation media is on a bootable flash drive, you insert it via your USB port.

2. Click on the boot menu key: PC’s have different boot menu keys, you have to look out for the boot menu key assigned to your PC. The boot menu key is usually displayed on the bottom of your screen when you power your PC on. If you are unable to locate the boot menu key for your computer, you advised to search it on Google, to make things faster.

3. Give priority to Your Installation Media: After you must have successfully entered the boot menu on your computer, the next step is to give priority to your installation media. If you are booting from a DVD plate, you are to give priority to your CD ROM, select boot from CD ROM. If you are booting from a bootable flash drive, you are required to give priority to your flash drive, select boot from flash drive.

Ubuntu installation welcome screen

4. Install Ubuntu: After you have successfully prioritized your  Boot device, your computer will be booted into the Ubuntu installation interface. Here you are provided with the option to either try ubuntu or install Ubuntu.

5. Select Your Preferred Language: After you might have clicked the install Ubuntu button, you will be required to select your preferred language. Here you are to select the language you understand.

Select language in Ubuntu

6. Select Your keyboard layout: Despite being an output component of the computer, the layout configuration software plays a huge role, in key placement. Here you have options to choose from the different layout assigned to different languages. After you have selected your preferred keyboard layout, you are advised to click continue.

How to Dual Boot Linux with Windows 10

7. Select Installation Type: Installing Ubuntu, you provided with Normal Install Option, as well as Minimal installation option. If you select normal installation, Ubuntu will be installed alongside a web browser, utilities, office software, games, and wallpapers. Minimal Installation installs Ubuntu alongside a web browser and utility software.

How to Dual Boot Linux with Windows 10

8. Install Ubuntu Alongside Windows 10: You are provided with the option to either install Ubuntu alongside Windows 10 or erase the hard disk and install Ubuntu.

How to Dual Boot Linux with Windows 10

9. Follow in the On-Screen prompts provided: You will be required to confirm Ubuntu installation, select time zone and fill in your Particulars, to setup login security.

How to Dual Boot Linux with Windows 10
Select location in Ubuntu
Account setup

10. Reboot Your PC:  After you might have successfully installed Ubuntu on your PC, You will be provided with the option to continue testing or restart. You are required to click the restart button, to begin using Ubuntu.

Ubuntu installation complete

Note: After you might have successfully followed all the steps provided in this tutorial, you will be provided with the dual boot screen, where you will be given the option to either boot into windows or boot into Ubuntu.

Choose which OS to use

There you have it – A complete and comprehensive tutorial on How to Dual Boot Linux with Windows 10 on your PC. If you have questions, feel free to drop them in the comment section below.

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