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Stop if the installer offers only to erase Windows, cannot read the disk, or shows an unexpected firmware mode. Those are disk-layout or encryption problems to solve before continuing—not prompts to accept on faith.
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What dual-booting Linux and Windows does
A dual-boot installation places Linux and Windows on one computer while keeping each operating system available. A boot menu appears when the machine starts, and you select the system for that session. Linux does not run Windows applications natively merely because both systems share a disk; each operating system has its own files and usually needs a restart when you switch.
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This arrangement is useful when you want a Linux desktop but still need existing Windows software, games, peripherals, or a Windows-only work environment. It also means that partitioning and boot configuration become shared infrastructure. A mistake can make one or both systems temporarily unbootable, so preparation matters more than the number of installer clicks.
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Decide whether this installation is ready to begin
| Check | Proceed when | Stop and investigate when |
|---|---|---|
| Linux choice | You have selected a distribution and release and read its current hardware and installation requirements. | You are following instructions for a different distribution or an outdated release. |
| Windows backup | Irreplaceable files exist in a separate location and you have opened several files from that backup. | Your only copy is on the Windows disk you are about to resize. |
| Encryption | BitLocker or device encryption is handled according to the current Windows and distribution guidance. | The Windows volume is encrypted and the installer cannot safely map it. |
| Firmware | You know whether Windows boots in UEFI mode and can start the Linux USB in that same mode. | The installer starts in legacy BIOS mode while Windows uses UEFI, or the firmware layout is unclear. |
| Disk detection | The installer identifies the expected Windows disk and offers a non-destructive alongside path. | It proposes erasing the disk, hides the Windows installation, or shows an unexpected layout. |
Choose the exact distribution and release
This guide uses Ubuntu’s documented desktop flow and Linux Mint’s multi-boot and EFI guidance as concrete examples. Other distributions can use different partitioning screens, boot loaders, encryption requirements, or recovery procedures. Read the selected distribution’s current official guide before creating the USB, and do not assume that an Ubuntu instruction applies unchanged to another installer.
Back up before touching partitions
Copy important Windows documents, photos, credentials, project files, and recovery material to separate storage. An external backup drive is one possible destination; the cited guidance does not prescribe a brand, capacity, or backup application. Verify the backup by opening files from it. Ubuntu warns that choosing an erase-disk option is destructive and that Windows data cannot be recovered after that choice. See Ubuntu’s BitLocker installation guidance and the Ubuntu 24.04 installation tutorial.
Check BitLocker or device encryption first
In Windows, determine whether the system drive uses BitLocker or another device-encryption configuration. Save the recovery key before changing boot order, Secure Boot, or other firmware settings. Ubuntu states that its installer cannot safely set up an alongside installation when it cannot sufficiently map an encrypted Windows installation. Its guidance discusses turning BitLocker off and notes that some Windows versions may not allow it to be enabled again afterward. Do not casually disable encryption on a managed work computer; involve the administrator and follow the organization’s recovery process.
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“The hard drive and its data will be visible and accessible from the Ubuntu installer, allowing it to safely set up a side-by-side configuration.”
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This sentence from Ubuntu’s documentation refers to the state after BitLocker has been turned off; it is not permission to proceed while the Windows installation remains encrypted. The same documentation explains the limitation and the destructive consequences of selecting an erase option.
Record the recovery information
Keep the Windows recovery key available offline. Ubuntu’s hardware-backed disk-encryption documentation explains that boot-order or Secure Boot changes can affect hardware-backed protection and trigger recovery-key requests. You can consult the current guidance at Ubuntu’s hardware-backed disk-encryption page.
Make room without inventing a universal size
Use the distribution’s supported procedure to create unallocated space. There is no single partition size that suits every Linux release, desktop, application set, or workload, and the reviewed official guides do not establish one universal number. Leave enough space for the Linux system, updates, applications, user files, and any swap or hibernation design required by your chosen release. If Windows’ disk-management view, the Linux installer, or your encryption state presents an unfamiliar layout, do not guess at partition boundaries.
Create official installation media
Download the installer image from the distribution’s official website and create a bootable USB flash drive using its recommended method. Ubuntu’s tutorial explicitly directs users to insert a USB flash drive and boot or restart the PC from it: Ubuntu’s installation tutorial. A USB installer is different from copying an ISO file onto a drive as an ordinary document; use the documented imaging process for your operating system.
Match Windows’ firmware mode
Modern PCs normally use UEFI, while older installations may use legacy BIOS compatibility. Ubuntu’s guidance is to install Ubuntu in UEFI mode when the existing operating system uses UEFI. Do not casually mix a UEFI Windows installation with a legacy-mode Linux installation: the systems can end up with separate boot paths that firmware does not present consistently.
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Identify the mode before booting USB
- In Windows, confirm whether the current installation is UEFI-based using the system information and firmware documentation available for your PC.
- Restart and open the machine’s one-time boot menu. The key varies by manufacturer; use the on-screen prompt or the computer manual.
- Select the USB entry that corresponds to the same firmware mode as Windows. Firmware menus often distinguish a UEFI USB entry from a legacy or compatibility entry.
- If you cannot tell which entry is correct, stop and consult the PC and distribution documentation rather than installing into an unverified mode.
Secure Boot usually does not need to be disabled
Do not treat Secure Boot as an automatic prerequisite for turning it off. Ubuntu documents signed shim and GRUB components that support Secure Boot. Its security documentation also explains that third-party kernel modules, including DKMS-built modules, can require Machine Owner Key enrollment or signing. Keep Secure Boot enabled unless the chosen distribution’s current instructions or a specific, understood hardware error calls for a deliberate change. Read Ubuntu’s UEFI Secure Boot documentation for the applicable release and module situation.
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Install Linux with the supported alongside option
The labels below follow Ubuntu’s current desktop tutorial. Screens can change between releases, so treat the wording as a map to the same decisions rather than a promise that every button will look identical.
- Connect the installer. Insert the bootable Linux USB and restart the computer.
- Open the one-time boot menu. Choose the USB entry in the same UEFI or legacy mode that Windows uses.
- Start the installer. Select the language, keyboard, network, and other initial settings requested by the distribution.
- Reach the disk-installation choice. In Ubuntu, look for Install Ubuntu alongside another operating system.
- Confirm disk detection. The alongside flow should identify the existing Windows installation, let you choose a drive, and let you allocate space while preserving existing files, according to Ubuntu’s tutorial.
- Review the proposed layout. Check the drive identity, the amount of space assigned to Linux, and the operating system named for preservation. Do not approve an erase-disk choice simply because it is the only visible button.
- Apply the change. Continue only after the preview matches your plan. Partition resizing can take time; keep the computer connected to reliable power and do not interrupt it.
- Complete account and regional setup. Create the Linux user, password, time zone, and other requested settings.
- Restart when prompted. Remove the USB only when the installer tells you to, then reboot.
If the expected alongside option is absent, the disk is not readable, or the installer proposes erasing Windows, stop. Recheck encryption, firmware mode, and the disk layout. Those symptoms are not a reason to improvise manual partitions in a beginner workflow.
Why manual partitioning is a separate skill
Ubuntu labels manual partitioning as an advanced-user option. A manual layout requires you to understand the existing EFI System Partition, Windows recovery partitions, Linux filesystems, mount points, swap strategy, boot-loader location, and the installer’s naming of disks. Layouts differ between machines and releases, so a universal recipe can direct the boot loader or filesystem to the wrong device. Use manual partitioning only when you can identify every existing partition and have a tested recovery plan.
What to do after the first reboot
Test both operating systems immediately
At startup, select Linux and confirm that the desktop loads. Restart and select Windows. Check that important Windows files are present and that Linux can access only the files and partitions you intentionally made available. Do not consider the setup finished until both entries have booted successfully at least once.
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If the computer starts Windows automatically
A direct Windows boot often means firmware boot order points to Windows first rather than indicating that Linux was erased. Open the firmware boot settings and look for the Linux distribution’s EFI entry, then place it ahead of Windows Boot Manager if appropriate. Exact labels and menus vary by machine.
Linux Mint’s multi-boot documentation notes that Windows can take over the boot sequence and describes using Mint live media to identify the installed Linux partition and reinstall GRUB. Its EFI guide provides troubleshooting for boot order and Secure Boot violations: Mint’s multi-boot guide and Mint’s EFI guide. Use the device and partition names discovered on your own computer; example names in documentation are not commands to paste blindly.
If Secure Boot reports a violation
Record the exact message and identify whether the failure concerns the distribution’s signed boot components or a third-party kernel module. Recheck the selected distribution’s current Secure Boot instructions. Ubuntu’s model supports signed shim and GRUB, while additional modules can require Machine Owner Key enrollment. Change firmware settings only after understanding which component is failing and how to restore the prior setting.
Keep recovery access after installation
Retain the Windows recovery key and the Linux USB. Firmware updates, boot-order edits, Secure Boot changes, or a later Windows update can alter what the machine starts first. Having recovery media and verified backups turns a boot problem into a repair task rather than a data-loss event.
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| Decision | Advantages | Limits and cautions |
|---|---|---|
| Same physical disk | Uses existing hardware and can place both systems in one coordinated boot setup. | Requires resizing or allocating space on the Windows disk; an encryption or partitioning mistake can affect Windows. |
| Separate physical disk | Ubuntu’s BitLocker guidance describes a separate unencrypted disk as an option when the Windows disk is encrypted, reducing changes to that Windows disk. | Firmware may still need the correct EFI entry and boot order; the cited guidance does not claim that a second disk is always safer. |
| Guided alongside installation | Designed to preserve existing files while allocating space, with fewer layout decisions. | Works only when the installer can correctly read the disk and encryption state; it offers less control than manual partitioning. |
| Manual partitioning | Provides control over mount points, filesystems, and disk placement. | Ubuntu identifies it as an advanced-user path; an incorrect partition or boot-loader selection can make recovery difficult. |
| Ubuntu workflow | Its current tutorial documents the alongside choice, drive selection, space allocation, and BitLocker limitation. | Follow the release-specific tutorial; screens and requirements can change. |
| Linux Mint workflow | Its official documentation gives explicit multi-boot advice, including installing Windows first and repairing boot sequence problems. | Use Mint’s current EFI instructions for the machine; do not transfer Ubuntu-specific installer labels or assumptions. |
Why installing Windows first is commonly recommended
Linux Mint recommends installing Windows first in a multi-boot setup. Windows is then already present when Linux’s installer configures the boot menu. If Windows is installed afterward, it can replace the boot sequence, requiring the live-media and GRUB recovery process described in Mint’s documentation. This is a recommendation for the order of a new multi-boot build; it does not mean an existing Windows installation must be erased or reinstalled.
Common stop conditions and their correct response
- BitLocker is enabled: save the recovery key and follow current Windows and distribution instructions. Do not resize an encrypted installation on the assumption that the installer will infer its contents.
- The installer offers only “erase disk”: cancel and investigate disk detection, encryption, and firmware mode. Choosing it can destroy Windows data.
- The Linux USB boots in the wrong mode: restart and choose the USB entry matching Windows’ UEFI or legacy mode.
- The disk layout contains partitions you do not recognize: stop before deleting or formatting anything. Recovery and EFI partitions are not disposable space merely because their labels are unfamiliar.
- Windows is on a managed or work computer: do not disable encryption or alter firmware security without administrator approval.
- The first reboot skips Linux: check firmware boot order and consult the chosen distribution’s EFI recovery instructions; do not immediately reinstall over the existing Linux partition.
- Secure Boot fails after adding a driver: identify whether a third-party module needs MOK enrollment or signing, and use the distribution’s documented process.
Keeping the dual-boot system maintainable
Keep both systems updated through their normal mechanisms, but avoid deleting EFI or recovery partitions to reclaim a few gigabytes. Before major Windows upgrades, firmware updates, or changes to encryption, make a fresh backup and ensure the recovery key is available. Before changing Linux boot-loader settings, confirm which EFI entry firmware currently uses and keep the installer USB accessible.
Recheck official documentation when you install a newer release or move the disk to another PC. Ubuntu’s installer interface, Windows encryption defaults, firmware menus, and Secure Boot behavior can change. The instructions and links in this guide were checked against documentation available on October 13, 2026; your release and hardware may differ.
Quick Recap
Practical decision checklist
- Choose the exact Linux distribution and release.
- Read its hardware, encryption, UEFI, and installation documentation.
- Back up Windows data to separate storage and verify the backup.
- Save the Windows BitLocker or device-encryption recovery key.
- Determine whether Windows uses UEFI or legacy BIOS.
- Resolve encryption before attempting an alongside installation.
- Create the official bootable USB installer.
- Boot that USB in the same firmware mode as Windows.
- Use the supported alongside option only when it identifies the correct disk and preserves Windows.
- Stop at any erase-disk proposal or unexplained layout.
- After reboot, start both operating systems and retain recovery media.
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