Dual booting offers a seamless way to install and run two distinct operating systems on a single computer, allowing users the flexibility to choose their preferred environment at startup. This guide provides a comprehensive approach to setting up Windows 11 alongside Linux Ubuntu, ensuring that both systems coexist harmoniously.
Before embarking on this journey, it is crucial to partition your hard drive, a process that may impact existing data. A complete backup of your system is essential to safeguard your valuable files. Depending on your configuration, formatting your Hard Drive or SSD may be necessary, so take the time to secure all important documents before proceeding.
Step 1: Preparation
Your first task is to download the installation images for both Windows 11 and Linux Ubuntu, ensuring you select the version compatible with your processor’s architecture. To verify this, right-click the Start button and choose “System,” then check the “System type” to determine if your processor is 32-bit or 64-bit.
Next, you’ll need to create bootable media for each operating system. For Windows 11, utilize the Media Creation Tool from Microsoft. Download it on a Windows PC, execute the file, and follow the prompts to create a bootable USB drive. For Linux Ubuntu, employ balenaEtcher, which is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. Download balenaEtcher on your chosen OS, run the file, and follow the instructions to generate a bootable USB drive.
Step 2: Configuring the BIOS
Prior to initiating the dual boot installation, configuring your computer’s BIOS to boot from the USB drive is necessary. Restart your computer and press the BIOS access key (commonly F2, F10, or Delete—consult your motherboard or laptop manufacturer’s website for specifics). Navigate to the boot settings and designate the USB drive as the primary boot device, ensuring to save your changes before exiting the BIOS.
Step 3: Installing Windows 11
With the Windows 11 USB drive inserted, boot up your computer. On the startup screen, select your language and keyboard preferences. Click “Install now” and adhere to the on-screen instructions for installation. When prompted, choose the partition for Windows 11 installation. Opt for “Custom” and create a new partition for Windows 11, taking care not to delete any existing partitions to avoid jeopardizing your current system.
Here are some tips for creating partitions correctly:
- To create a new partition, click “New” and specify the size. A minimum of 30 GB for Windows 11 and 50 GB for Ubuntu is recommended, though adjustments can be made as needed.
- Ensure you select the correct partition before clicking “New.”
- Set the partition type to “Primary” and format it as “NTFS.”
- Avoid deleting the existing system partition.
After establishing the partition, select it and click “Next” to continue with the installation.
Step 4: Installing Linux Ubuntu
Upon completing the Windows 11 installation, restart your computer and insert the Ubuntu USB drive. On the startup screen, select your language and click “Install Ubuntu.” Follow the prompts to proceed with the installation. When asked to choose a partition for Ubuntu, select the “Something else” option for a custom installation.
For proper partition setup:
- Select the previously created partition for Ubuntu and click “Edit.”
- Set the partition type to “Primary” and format it as “Ext4.”
- Assign the mount point to “/” to install Ubuntu on the root of this partition.
- Exercise caution not to select the Windows 11 partition.
After configuring the partition options, click “Install Now” to continue. Additionally, a swap partition is necessary, functioning as virtual memory. If your system has at least 4 GB of RAM, create a swap partition of the same size; if less, make it half the size of your RAM. Ensure you select the correct partition for swap.
Step 5: Configuring GRUB
Once Ubuntu is installed, restart your computer, and you should encounter the GRUB bootloader, allowing you to choose your operating system. If GRUB does not appear, try holding the Shift key during startup. Should that fail, manual configuration of GRUB may be required.
To manually configure GRUB, start Ubuntu and open the Terminal. Enter the following command to edit the GRUB configuration file:
sudo nano /etc/default/grub
In the Nano text editor, locate the line beginning with GRUB_TIMEOUT= and set it to the desired number of seconds for GRUB to wait before booting the default OS. For instance, to establish a 10-second delay, update the line to:
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
Additionally, enable the GRUB menu for manual OS selection by finding the line starting with GRUBHIDDENTIMEOUT= and commenting it out by adding a # at the beginning:
#GRUBHIDDENTIMEOUT=
Save your changes with Ctrl+O and exit using Ctrl+X. Update GRUB with:
sudo update-grub
This action updates GRUB and detects the installed operating systems. Upon reboot, GRUB should present itself, enabling you to select between Windows 11 and Ubuntu.
Step 6: Testing the Dual Boot
After configuring GRUB, restart your computer to test the dual boot setup. You should see GRUB and be able to choose between Windows 11 and Ubuntu. Select your desired operating system and boot into it.
If any issues arise with GRUB or booting into one of the operating systems, a recovery tool like Boot-Repair can be utilized. Create a bootable USB with Boot-Repair, start your computer from it, and follow the on-screen instructions to resolve boot issues.
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