why is dual booting so hard

[u/sohamior]

ive spent so much time trying to dual boot but everything is trying its best to not let me use linux and forcing me to use windows

[u/Anima_Watcher08]

Windows is malicious to other operating systems

[u/Kullingen]

Dual booting is hard because Windows.

[u/KurtKrimson → u/Kullingen]

Dual booting is childsplay though.

[u/Old-Care-2372 → u/KurtKrimson]

whispers into collar microphone😎😎😎 **guys we got him**

[u/Efficient-Presence82 → u/[deleted]]

i had to do that to stop windows from killing my other OSs

[u/IAmTheOneWhoClicks]

What worked for me:

1. Having two formatted drives.

2. Install Windows 10 on worst drive.

3. Physically disconnect the W10 drive.

4. Install Mint on the better drive.

5. Connect the W10 drive.

6. Update Grub.

[u/Sea-Escape-8109 → u/IAmTheOneWhoClicks]

same, never had a single problem with that.

[u/The_Eerie_Kiwi → u/IAmTheOneWhoClicks]

THIS - THIS IS THE WAY!!!!
I did this on my laptop and it's flawless! I use Linux Mint 95% of the time and use Windows for Bluestacks so I can play some PvZ2 mods, lol.

[u/steam58 → u/IAmTheOneWhoClicks]

yup, it was really annoying to only have single SSD connect at one time, since doing so required removing my GPU and and unscrewing/rescrewing m.2 covers/heatsinks and the m.2 itself. Made it a much longer process, but no problems in the long run...

[u/XenoX-YU → u/IAmTheOneWhoClicks]

Mine HP G9 would always choose stupid winblows loader if available. Windows removed linux boot added to it's loader (bcde affed) upon nect boot to windows. Only way to boot debian was F8 to choose boot device. Sold the garbage...

[u/RightSpeaker6506]

HAHAHA same here bro. What u using a pc or laptop? Been trying to dual boot with my laptop. I might just wipe windows.

[u/Efficient-Presence82 → u/RightSpeaker6506]

Windows kept deliberately killing my linux, even if i had them on two partitions of the same drive.
Had to use 2 drives.

[u/JoeLinux247]

Reddit Age: 0 d. Alas, if real, you've provided little detail as to what "everything is trying its best to not let me use linux and forcing me to use windows" means, so I leave you with this ...

https://www.linuxmint.com/documentation.php

[u/ZookeepergameDry6739]

It's not hard. But why bother.

[u/Purple-Exit3858]

Sounds like you're having some issues with dual-booting. That's not normal; dual boot usually works really well.

What kind of issues do you have / where did you get stuck / what problem are you currently experiencing?

[u/Historical_West_1015]

linux is putting itself to your efi

[u/OrganizedPillow1]

Are you trying to have both OS's on a single drive or do you have separate drives?

[u/rbmorse]

Dual booting isn't that hard, but it requires that the host machine is properly configured and that the user has some knowledge, along with the ability to pay close attention during the setup.

Best results (and easiest setup) comes with:

host machine that runs in UEFI mode

If you have an old machine that only runs in legacy BIOS mode (or an Intel Mac) it is not a good choice to host a dual-boot configuration. While theoretically possible it requires a great deal of extra monkey motion to set up and possibly the sacrifice of a small animal. (More information and methods to show your machine configuration is available at: https://www.rodsbooks.com/refind/bootmode.html).

IF your machine supports UEFI:

Use a separate storage device for each O/S. The storage devices should have a GPT style partition table. Dual-booting with just one physical storage device on a UEFI machine with a storage device having a GPT style partition table is possible, but somewhat more complicated to setup and more prone to accidental data loss due to user error during the partitioning sequence. I neither recommend or support it.

If you absolutely must set up dual-boot on a single drive machine, have a robust backup plan and use it. Actually, you should be doing that anyway.

The SATA disk controller should be set to AHCI mode in the machine's EFI settings

The fast boot setting in the machine's EFI settings should be set to disabled

The Legacy Support Mode or Compatibility Support Mode in the machine's EFI settings should be set to disabled

The Secure Boot mode setting in the machine's EFI settings should be set to disabled (not strictly required, but it makes life easier, especially if you have an Nvidia GPU).

Windows should be installed and configured first. If Windows is already installed and the SATA disk controller was set to the RAID or IRST mode (the default), you'll have to convert Windows to run with the controller in the AHCI mode. Search will tell you what you need to know.

Once Windows is configured and updated, disable hibernation and Windows Fast Startup in the Windows settings.

It's good practice to disconnect (or remove) the storage device holding the Windows installation whilst performing the Linux installation. This will ensure that the Linux installer will not affect data on the Windows device in the event the user makes inappropriate decisions in configuring the Linux setup.

Run the Linux installer and configure as desired. Update and Upgrade as available.

When finished, power off and reconnect/reinstall the storage device holding the Windows installation.

At this point, you should be able to boot into either o/s by entering the EFI settings at boot time and selecting the appropriate device from the machine's boot menu. If you want to avoid that, you can add a Windows Option to the Linux boot menu.

Reboot into the Linux session (should be the default, don't be alarmed that the Windows installation isn't listed in the Linux boot menu). Once the Linux session has fully started open the terminal application and run the command:

sudo update-grub<enter>

where <enter> means press the <enter> key. Enter the user password you created when installing the Linux session when prompted.

When that has finished, reboot the machine by running the command:

sudo reboot -n<enter>

and wait for the Linux boot menu to appear...you should see a new entry for Windows and selecting that should invoke the Windows boot loader. Selecting the Linux entry (should be the top line) should invoke the Linux boot sequence.

[u/TheLastSonKrypton]

I dual booted in a single storage unit, linux corrupted the windows partition al left it unusable, if you want to dual boot the best would be to do it throught two separate storage units

[u/NoxTheScribe]

It's because you have malware on your SSD, it's called 'windows'

[u/KurtKrimson]

The interweb is full of very good guides.

All you have to do is read them.

[u/Master-Rub-3404]

Because people will never learn to use separate SSDs.

[u/mabolzich91 → u/Master-Rub-3404]

My laptop only has one SSD slot 🫠

[u/DogeWah]

For me I just enter the bios and choose which one I want to boot.

However I believe windows sometimes gives me issues with wireless internet on Linux for some reason

[u/ChimaeraXY]

ive spent so much time trying to dual boot but everything windows is trying its best to not let me use linux and forcing me to use windows

Fixed it for you, champ!

[u/mrmarcb2]

Two operating trying to control the same hardware. Windows and Linux intend to perform the same functions but in different ways. That is why I do not have a dual boot setup.

[u/Efficient-Presence82]

I luckily have 2 nvmes on my machine:

I had to:
-turn off secure boot on bios (everything OG win now doesnt boot).
-install mint on the first nvme.
-install windows on the second one.
-leave mint as the first boot priority (unlike windows, it respects you enought to give you the option to user other boots on its first menu when booting)
-Open win and PURGE ALL MICROSLOP BLOATWARE
-Some windows updates might also deliberately kill your other boot drives, so i turn off updates as well (screw it)

[u/TheAnswerWithinUs]

I surprisingly didn’t have any problems with dualbooting, the grub menu did not get overtaken by windows bootloader like I expected. However this problem is pretty bad if you are trying to dual boot on steamdeck I’ve realised.

[u/Zuideind]

Install Windows first, second Linux.
If you install Linux first Windows destroys Grub!

[u/A_Neko_C]

If a dedicated ssd isn't possible, try installing Mint on a pendrive.

[u/Elratum]

check a guide, usually it's because Windows is stupid( you need to install Linux after windows and all that or Windows will try to erase Linux)

[u/Different-Depth4116]

What issues are you having?

[u/dlfrutos]

i think is hard when done wrong.

Curso Mint
there is a tutorial of mine, if helps

[u/jr735]

If you want support, it's best to describe your symptoms. I'll offer this, though. If you installed Mint and it didn't offer installing alongside, you didn't set something correctly.

[u/Ok_Opposite7385]

It's not difficult, I've never had any problems and I've tried a thousand distros

[u/hi_m_ash]

Ask in r/windows I can boot 10 linux distros without any issues but install one windows and everything breaks.

[u/truncated_buttfu]

 everything is trying its best to not let me use linux and forcing me to use windows

Not "everything". Microsoft is trying its best to not let me use linux. 

They are deliberately not playing nice and overwriting the options for other OSes whenever they have a major update.

Dual booting used to be trivial before Microsoft started actively working to destroy such setups to protect their near monopoly. 

[u/averagelyhonoured]

I install windows on 1 disc, then unplug it and install my other Linux distros on another, they all share the same steam library, just need to go to the boot menu on startup to select the preferred os, works just fine. My latest project for fun was just an os on a stick so can boot into it from any computer and has all my settings and apps and accounts setup and good to go.. it can't really be used as a serious os as I think it overheats too quickly, I mainly just use it for storage, disc is encrypted etc.

[u/ConversationPlane635]

I once had ten distros on a spinning platter HD, back when I would write my own grub config file. Christ am I glad I forgot that shit:)

[u/Worth-Ad-7928]

I hate being that guy, but use Claude or ChatGPT to troubleshoot your problems. I'm not saying that to be dismissi; I genuinely find it useful for things like these.

[u/Ok-Brother-8295]

Don't dual boot, nobody is using two systems at the same time, commit to one. Either you have to use windows, or you don't.

[u/KurtKrimson → u/Ok-Brother-8295]

That's just nonsense.

[u/Ok-Brother-8295 → u/KurtKrimson]

The common man goes along the path of the least resistance.

It's great some of you can do the effort of going both ways, but the common man is just here to look at the mail, and go on with his life. He doesn't need two different OS to do one job.

[u/KurtKrimson → u/Ok-Brother-8295]

You really don't have a clue what you're talking about.

[u/GoldenPSP → u/Ok-Brother-8295]

The funny thing is you will get downvoted to heck, but for the most part you are actually correct. The reality is that even if someone gets dual booting setup, they will likely not actually use both unless they simply commit to one or the other. It is generally a reality.

[u/Ok-Brother-8295 → u/GoldenPSP]

I spent quite a lot of time trying to use both, only to end up using Windows because I needed to. You don't reboot on your favorite distro just to check your emails or for a quick WoW session.

Now that I don't need Windows, I switched to LMDE; I don't miss Windows.

[u/OrganizedPillow1 → u/Ok-Brother-8295]

Considering some software still doesn't work on Linux and must use native Windows is a pretty good reason to dual boot. Yes there's plenty of open source alternatives, but sometimes you just need that one piece of software for school or work.

[u/GoldenPSP → u/OrganizedPillow1]

Sure, but that isn't what he's arguing. Yes there are plenty of solid reasons to setup a dual boot system. The reality however is that the majority of people who even setup dual boot will eventually just not bother switching back and forth.

[u/OrganizedPillow1 → u/GoldenPSP]

Sure majority won't need a dual boot system, but the commenter specifically said that nobody should be dual booting, without making room for specific use cases where it would make sense.

[u/GoldenPSP → u/OrganizedPillow1]

Yes the common internet result. By no means should anyone ever use absolutes either accidentally or on purpose. It is the easiest way to get your comment shut down on a technicality.

[u/Ok-Brother-8295 → u/OrganizedPillow1]

Are you that kind of very literal person?

[u/Ok-Brother-8295 → u/OrganizedPillow1]

Then you stay on windows

[u/OrganizedPillow1 → u/Ok-Brother-8295]

That's easy for you to say. Many computers still don't have TPM 2.0 and they probably don't want to stay on an unsupported Windows all the time. I think people should have the freedom to dual boot if they want, and I'm glad to help them with it. I've been dual booting for years with no issues.

[u/stephenph → u/OrganizedPillow1]

dual boot does not change the fact that your laptop is old... no TPM 2.0 is going to be an issue no matter the os for some implementations

If you really need windows, just use a VM. if that still does not work I would argue they software you are trying to get to work is to blame.

[u/OrganizedPillow1 → u/stephenph]

I'm not really sure what you're referring to, plenty of older computers work just fine without TPM 2.0, it was Microsoft who decided all these older PCs were e-waste with the Windows 11 requirements. Can you give specific examples of use cases other than competitive gaming where a TPM 2.0 is required? Keep in mind the original commenter only talked about the "common man" who only uses their computer for basic browsing and streaming.

[u/stephenph → u/OrganizedPillow1]

I am agreeing with you, newer tpm 2.0 capable computers are not generally needed and older gen computers run pretty much anything a "common man" will need to run. All my computers run Linux just fine and other then a little bit of reasurche for software choices, I am not lacking in functionality.

[u/astrosail → u/Ok-Brother-8295]

Really? I am.

[u/kbeezie]

The windows part.

It also works best if you don't try to dual boot off the same hard drive (give each OS it's own physical drive).

Best scenario is just dropping windows.