Install the operating system from a bootable USB drive, then configure the firmware, partitions, drivers and controllers for your retro setup. Windows 11 is possible only when the PC meets Microsoft’s published CPU, memory, storage, UEFI/Secure Boot, TPM and graphics requirements. Ubuntu can be tested from USB before you commit to the disk, which is useful for checking video, sound, networking and controllers. A Windows–Ubuntu dual boot is reliable when both systems use the same firmware mode: UEFI with UEFI or Legacy with Legacy.
The safest sequence is to inventory the hardware, back up ROMs and saves, disconnect unnecessary drives, create the installer, boot it through the correct firmware entry, and test the finished console before loading your full game library.
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Choose the operating system before you repartition the PC
Your choice affects hardware checks, emulator availability and whether the machine behaves like a general-purpose computer or a dedicated appliance.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11| Option | What it is suited to | Important constraint |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 | A broad Windows emulator and launcher ecosystem, plus ordinary desktop software. | It has published minimum platform gates, including TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot-capable UEFI. |
| Ubuntu Desktop | A general Linux desktop with native Linux emulators and the ability to test hardware in a live session first. | Practical success depends on device support, which you should check from the live USB. |
| Lakka | A lightweight Linux distribution intended to turn a small computer into a dedicated retrogaming console. | Its documentation says hardware support varies and that dual boot is unsupported. |
For a living-room PC that also runs desktop applications, Windows or Ubuntu is usually the more flexible starting point. For a single-purpose appliance, Lakka is a separate path rather than an additional operating system in a Windows/Ubuntu dual-boot plan.
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Check the hardware and Windows 11 requirements
Record the CPU model and architecture, installed RAM, internal-drive capacity, graphics hardware, Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter, display outputs, and controller connections. This inventory prevents you from selecting the wrong disk or discovering after installation that an essential port or adapter is unsupported.
Microsoft’s current Windows 11 requirements are hard gates, not performance recommendations:
| Requirement | Minimum | Why it matters on a retro PC |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Compatible 64-bit processor with at least two cores running at 1 GHz | The installer checks compatibility; a faster emulator does not compensate for a processor that fails the platform check. |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM | This is the operating system minimum, not a guarantee that every emulator or front end will be comfortable. |
| Storage | 64 GB | The target drive must meet this minimum before you account for games, artwork, saves and updates. |
| Firmware | UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability | Use the UEFI installation path when installing Windows 11; do not deliberately switch the machine to Legacy mode for this build. |
| Security | TPM 2.0 | A missing or disabled TPM commonly causes the Windows installer to reject an otherwise adequate mini PC. |
| Graphics | DirectX 12-compatible graphics with a WDDM 2.0 driver | The display adapter and its driver must satisfy the Windows requirement before you troubleshoot emulator output. |
Ubuntu does not have an equivalent set of gates in the supplied installation guidance. Instead, use its live environment to see whether the actual graphics adapter, audio codec, network device and controllers work on your particular board.
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Installation can erase partitions, so make a separate copy of anything you cannot replace. Include ROM files, save states, firmware or BIOS files, configuration folders, controller profiles, and any existing Windows recovery data. Verify that the backup can be opened from another computer or drive.
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- Write down which physical drive is the intended system disk and note its capacity.
- Keep a Windows product key, or the Microsoft account associated with the existing digital license, available before you start.
- Disconnect secondary internal drives when practical. Leaving only the target drive attached reduces the chance that an installer places boot files on a different disk.
- Keep a second bootable USB, or the tools to recreate one, so you can repair or reinstall without relying on the newly installed system.
On a dual-boot machine, the backup is especially important: a partitioning mistake can remove both the operating system and the game data stored on that drive.
Create the bootable USB media
Ubuntu Desktop USB
- Download the official Ubuntu Desktop image for the release you intend to use.
- Use an 8 GB-or-larger USB flash drive. Writing the image normally replaces the drive’s existing contents, so copy anything important elsewhere first.
- Write the image with a USB imaging utility, safely eject the drive, and insert it into the retro PC. Canonical’s installation guidance begins by inserting the USB stick into the computer where Ubuntu will be installed.
The Ubuntu USB is also a diagnostic tool. You can choose the live-session option instead of installing, use the desktop, open a browser or file manager, play audio, connect to the network and pair or plug in controllers. If the live session cannot display correctly or detect a required device, installing to the internal drive will not fix that underlying support problem.
Windows 11 USB
- Open Microsoft’s Windows 11 download page and choose the Media Creation Tool.
- Use the tool to create bootable USB installation media. Microsoft recommends blank media because the tool deletes its contents during creation and installation.
- The tool creates x64 media only. Confirm that your DIY console PC has a compatible 64-bit processor before spending time on partitioning.
Keep the USB connected until the firmware boot menu has loaded the installer. If you are preparing media on another computer, label the drive clearly so it is not confused with a backup disk.
Set the firmware and boot from USB
- Shut down the console PC completely, insert the installer, and power it on.
- Immediately press the motherboard’s one-time boot-menu key. F12 is common on PCs; Esc, F2 and F10 are also used. The exact key is manufacturer-specific, so watch the first screen for a prompt.
- Select the USB entry that is prefixed with UEFI when the installed system will use UEFI. Do not select a Legacy or compatibility entry by accident.
- For a supported Windows 11 installation, leave Secure Boot enabled. If a Linux image or driver requires a different Secure Boot policy, consult that distribution’s current documentation before changing it; a firmware policy change can alter the Windows boot path.
- Save the setting or select the USB from the temporary menu. If the installer starts, leave the firmware mode unchanged for the rest of the installation.
UEFI and Legacy are not interchangeable in a dual-boot build. Ubuntu’s guidance is explicit: when the existing operating system was installed in UEFI mode, install Ubuntu in UEFI mode as well; a Legacy installation must be paired with Legacy. Mixing the modes is a common reason one operating system vanishes from the boot menu.
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Install Windows 11 as the only operating system
- Boot the Windows USB through its UEFI entry and proceed until the installer asks where to install Windows.
- Identify the target drive by its capacity and the inventory you made earlier. If more than one disk is connected, stop and verify the identity rather than guessing.
- Choose the intended drive and remove or format only the partitions you have backed up. A clean installation on the whole drive is simplest for a new console, but it destroys existing data on that drive.
- Let setup copy files and restart. Remove the USB when the first reboot asks for it, or select the internal Windows boot entry so setup does not start over.
- Complete account, network and privacy setup, activate Windows with the available license, and run Windows Update before installing emulators.
After updates, install graphics and chipset drivers supplied for the hardware when Windows does not provide a suitable version. Then verify HDMI or other display output, audio, network connectivity and each controller before copying your library.
Install Ubuntu as the only operating system
- Boot the Ubuntu USB using its UEFI entry if the machine is configured for UEFI.
- Select the option to try Ubuntu first. Test the display at the intended resolution, HDMI or analog audio, Ethernet or Wi-Fi, controller input, suspend and storage access.
- Start the installer from the live desktop only after the tests pass.
- When asked about the installation disk, select the whole intended drive only after checking its model or capacity. This option erases existing partitions.
- Allow the installer to create its Linux partitions and boot files, set your user account and time zone, and complete the first reboot. Remove the USB when prompted.
- Install available Ubuntu updates, then add graphics, chipset or wireless drivers when the hardware maker or Ubuntu recommends them.
Do not skip the live test on a small-form-factor board. A distribution may install successfully while still lacking a usable driver for a particular GPU, Wi-Fi chipset or controller.
Build a Windows 11 and Ubuntu dual boot
Dual boot gives you Windows compatibility and a Linux environment, but it introduces partition and boot-loader recovery work. Use it only after a verified backup and with both systems committed to the same firmware mode.
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- Install or retain Windows 11 in UEFI mode, with Secure Boot-capable firmware and TPM 2.0 enabled as required by Microsoft.
- In Windows, open Disk Management from the Start menu’s right-click menu.
- Right-click the Windows system volume and choose the option to shrink it. Enter a conservative shrink size that leaves Windows enough room for updates and applications.
- Confirm that the result is unallocated space. Do not create a new Windows volume in that space; leave it available for the Ubuntu installer.
Install Ubuntu into the unallocated space
- Reboot with the Ubuntu USB inserted and choose the USB entry marked UEFI.
- Start the live session and verify the hardware again.
- In the installer, choose the option that uses the available unallocated space or manually select that space. Do not format the existing Windows partitions.
- Complete the installation and reboot. The Linux boot loader should provide entries for the installed systems; if the firmware instead opens one system directly, use the one-time boot menu to inspect the available entries.
Keep the boot arrangement consistent
If Windows disappears after Ubuntu is installed, first check the firmware’s boot entries and confirm that both systems were installed in UEFI mode. If one was installed in Legacy mode, reinstalling or repairing the boot arrangement without correcting the mode mismatch will not make the pair dependable.
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Configure the finished retro console
Do the first-run checks before transferring a large game library. A console that reaches the desktop but loses audio or controller input under load is not ready for the living room.
- Run all operating-system updates and reboot when requested.
- Install the appropriate GPU and chipset drivers when the hardware maker supplies them or the operating system identifies a missing device.
- Test HDMI or other display output at the resolution and refresh rate your television or monitor accepts.
- Test audio over the same connection, plus any analog output you plan to use.
- Map every controller, including start, select, shoulder, trigger, stick-click and hotkey combinations. Test both wired and wireless operation if you expect to switch between them.
- Verify Wi-Fi or Ethernet, suspend and resume, shutdown, and automatic time setting.
- Run the emulators and front end you intend to use with a small representative set of games. No universal frame-rate or controller-compatibility figure can be assumed from the operating system alone; results depend on the hardware, drivers and emulator.
Windows gives you access to the broad Windows emulator and launcher ecosystem. Ubuntu supplies native Linux emulators and can be paired with a retro-focused distribution, but each project has its own hardware limits. Keep installers, driver packages and your second recovery USB with the console.
When Lakka is the better fit—and when it is not
Lakka is a separate retro-focused Linux choice designed to transform a small computer into a dedicated retrogaming console. Its documentation warns that hardware support varies, so check whether your exact board, graphics adapter, audio path and controllers are supported before replacing a working system.
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Lakka’s documentation also states that dual boot is unsupported. Treat it as a standalone installation rather than adding it beside Windows or Ubuntu. If you choose it, back up the same ROMs, saves and firmware files, test the image on the hardware where possible, and keep a recovery path to reinstall the operating system you actually want.
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Troubleshoot the installation
The USB does not appear in the boot menu
- Recreate the installer, preferably on a different flash drive, and try another USB port.
- Return to the one-time boot menu and look for the UEFI-prefixed USB entry.
- Use the motherboard’s documented key; F12 is common, but Esc, F2 and F10 are also used.
- Check that the firmware is not filtering removable media or forcing a mode different from the installer.
Windows says the PC cannot run Windows 11
- Confirm a compatible 64-bit, two-core, 1 GHz-or-faster processor.
- Check that at least 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage are available.
- Enable or verify TPM 2.0 in firmware.
- Confirm UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability and graphics meeting DirectX 12 and WDDM 2.0 requirements.
- Recreate the USB with Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool if the media itself may be corrupt.
Ubuntu starts, but a device does not work
Use the live session to separate an installation problem from a hardware-support problem. If graphics, audio, networking or a controller fails before installation, consult the distribution’s current hardware guidance and consider a supported driver or a different operating system. Do not erase Windows until the live test covers every device you need.
Linux boots but Windows has disappeared
Enter firmware setup and inspect the boot entries. The first check is mode consistency: both installations must be UEFI or both must be Legacy. Restore the intended Windows entry if it is present. If the systems were installed in different modes, correct that mismatch before attempting more boot-loader repairs.
Lakka has missing graphics or controller support
Lakka does not promise universal hardware compatibility. Recheck its supported-hardware documentation for the exact board and peripherals. Because Lakka does not support dual boot, plan a standalone installation and retain a separate recovery medium.
The installer targets the wrong drive
Stop before confirming any erase or format action. Power off, disconnect secondary drives, reconnect only the intended target and compare its model and capacity with your inventory. Restore the backup before trying again if any partition was changed accidentally.
Practical operating-system choices
| Your priority | Most suitable starting point | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Windows software compatibility and a conventional desktop | Windows 11 | Use it only after every Microsoft hardware gate is satisfied. |
| Testing hardware before committing to the disk | Ubuntu Desktop | The live USB lets you test the actual console PC first. |
| A dedicated appliance with no desktop requirement | Lakka | It is designed for retrogaming, but support varies and dual boot is unsupported. |
| Both Windows and Linux on one disk | Windows 11 plus Ubuntu | Shrink Windows, leave unallocated space, and install both in the same firmware mode. |
Once the operating system, boot mode and drivers are stable, copy the ROMs and saves from your verified backup, configure the front end, and keep the recovery USB accessible. That order protects the data that makes the DIY console useful while leaving you a way back if a firmware update, driver change or partition error interrupts the build.
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