Installing Linux alongside your existing Windows installation is a popular option that gives you the best of both worlds. This setup, known as dual-booting, allows you to choose which operating system to start each time you turn on your computer. This guide will walk you through the essential preparation steps for creating a dual-boot system with a Linux distribution like Elementary OS.
Preparing Your Windows Drive
Before you can install Linux, you need to make space for it on your hard drive. This is done by shrinking your existing Windows partition.
- Free Up Space: You need to free up a minimum of 64GB of space for Linux, while also leaving enough free space for Windows to function properly. It’s recommended that your drive has at least 100GB of free space before you begin.
- Disable Hibernation: A prerequisite for a dual-boot setup is to disable hibernation in Windows. This also frees up a significant amount of disk space. To do this, right-click the Start button, choose Terminal (Admin), and type the following command:
powercfg -h off. - Shrink the Volume: Right-click the Start button again and select Disk Management. In the Disk Management window, right-click your main Windows drive (usually C:) and choose Shrink Volume. Attempt to shrink it by at least 64GB.
- Use a Third-Party Tool if Needed: Sometimes, Windows may report that it cannot shrink the volume sufficiently due to ‘unmovable’ files. If this happens, you can use a free tool like Paragon Partition Manager Community Edition to free up the required space.
Create a Fail-Safe Backup
Even when planning to install alongside Windows, there is always a small risk of partitioning failure. It is crucial to create a full backup of your Windows system before you begin. A highly recommended free tool for this is Hasleo Backup Suite Free.
- Download and install the software.
- Use the System Backup option to create a complete backup of all disks and partitions required by Windows. Save this backup to a different physical drive, preferably an external one.
- After the backup is complete, use the Tools > Emergency Disk option to create bootable rescue media on a USB drive. This will be essential if you need to restore your system.
Once you have prepared your drive and created a backup, you are ready to proceed with the Linux installation process using your bootable USB drive.
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