Windows 10: Dual boot Windows with Linux

Is there a tutorial here (I didn't find, so maybe in another place there's a good tutorial?) on how to be able to install both Linux and Windows 10 on my laptop's hard drive?
So that when I restart my laptop I will be able to choose from either Windows 10 or Linux?

I did that once with Windows 7, and I remember I had 2 possibilities: Either to be able to choose through a Linux prompt at the startup, or through a Windows prompt. I tried both options. (It was either doing it via a Microsoft boot manager or via Linux boot manager or something like that, I just can't remember)

Hope it's clear enough

**Edit: I remember there was some sort of Linux boot manager if you install Linux AFTER Windows, and if you then delete Linux completely, you had to repair Windows boot loader (Or it was the other way?i.e installing Windows AFTER Linux and then repairing Windows boot loader?)

Thanks!

:)

 

USB with linux plugged in causes BSOD on WIndows 10

Thats not the best way to dual boot Windows 10 and Linux. Linux should be installed a local drive or partition. Learn more:

https://www.groovypost.com/howto/dual-boot-wind...

 

Reinstalling of windows 10

See the following how to dual boot Windows and Linux, before or after:

How to Dual Boot Windows 10 and Linux Starting with Windows or Linux

 

Load of guides on web eg

How To Install Ubuntu Linux Alongside Windows 10 (UEFI) Everyday Linux User

Main thing is to install Windows 10 first, then Linux.

 

Ty, and I found out what I was looking for:
If you install Linux after you install Windows, Linux sets its own boot manager GRUB, and if you want to delete Linux partition, it will remove GRUB as well, leaving you without Windows boot manager, so you have to use a repair DVD/USB.
That was back in Windows 7. Maybe now in 10 it's different?

 

Sadly that's still the case. I hate grub with a passion. I use rEFInd boot manager now with every UEFI computer.

 

I once had my Win 10 Home dual boot with Linux Mint 17.2
I used this tutorial when I decided to remove Linux.
http://www.howtogeek.com/141818/how-...your-computer/

The key part starts at ......Fix the Windows Boot Loader

 

What is it? Is there an article / tutorial I can read about it?

Thanks!

Btw, I remember that, I tried several things, at first I used GRUB, and then I fixed Windows boot manager, but then I remember I found a way to use some sort of Windows boot manager, so when you removed Linux, Windows remained working. But I forgot its name. I just remember it was looking as if it was a part of DOS itself rather than Linux's color and font. Maybe you know what I'm talking about?

*Edit: I think I found it, it's called EasyBCD

 

The real question is whether your PC is UEFI or BIOS.

If your PC is BIOS there is a guide here for using EasyBCD to add a Linux boot entry to the windows boot loader. How can I add Linux to the new Windows 8 boot manager? - Super User

However as it says (and it is right) it is slower to do it this way as the Windows boot loader is shown after the last OS is loaded. This means if you were running windows and wanted to reboot into Linux it would reload Windows, then you would select Linux and it would shut down again and only then load Linux. If that matters you'd be better off with GRUB.

If you use UEFI then I'd second rEFInd. It automatically identifies Windows , OSX and every type of Linux I've installed (with the exception of Arch Linux) on any internal of external drive. You just have to copy it to the EFI partition and register it - no configuration is needed. It is slightly easier to install from Linux but there are instructions to manually copy it to EFI from Windows here. If you remove Linux you can leave it or remove it as you wish - Windows will still boot fine.

 

It is UEFI.
Btw, can I get a clarification: I found out that it is UEFI, the BIOS looks the same.
At first I thought UEFI is only when you have that nice graphical BIOS rather than that blue screen BIOS.
But I guess UEFI is something else*Smile
( I checked that I have UEFI in the BIOS itself and through Windows in system info)
And I guess I will stick to GRUB and simply insert a Windows 10 dvd / usb whenever I delete Linux, as it's a really simple thing to do nowadays.

 

The rEFInd Boot Manager

All it takes to install it is three lines in the Linux terminal

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:rodsmith/refind
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install refind

 

Is it possible to install refind from Windows? Btw, if I understand, refind is a GUI for choosing the installed OS's?

 

Yes. I gave you the link above but maybe it was hidden in my huge block of text. Sorry about that. Here it is in full The rEFInd Boot Manager: Installing rEFInd

Essentially you mount your EFI partition, copy the rEFInd folder to it, rename refind.conf.sample to refind.conf and then tell your boot manager to load rEFInd not windows boot loader first with (from an elevated Windows command prompt) bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path \EFI\refind\refind_x64.efi . That is it.

You only need to update the refind.conf in very unusual circumstances. Otherwise if you can make new partitions, insert an external USB or SD card with Windows or Linux on it and it will be found and you can boot it. If it isn't there then it will not appear as a choice.

If you are interested in EFI and GPT partitioning the rodsbooks site is the best I've found even if you decide not to install the loader and use something else.

 

Thank you all,
I actually did:
sudo apt-add-repository ppa:rodsmith/refind
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install refind

Like you suggested, through an Ubuntu Live USB. I did that, but nothing happens. I mean, it did show that it installed. But how do I find it? Where can I see? I do not see any REFIND entry in my UEFI bios, and I don't know how to use Ubuntu too much, so I don't know how to see where it's installed, or how to actually uninstall REFIND?

It asked me something about creating files in the UEFI firmware. I'm afraid it is installed somewhere deep in the bios (?) . So I basically followed your instructions and it shows nothing. Are you sure it is safe? Because I see nothing and I feel like I installed something really bad for my laptop *Smile

 

No. It sets the default boot loader name in NVRAM that is all. Same as bcdedit does.

EFI is simple. It looks for something it can call. What is can call is either a CD, DVD, floppy disk or a hard disk containing the only thing it can understand a FAT partition.

Assuming it finds a FAT partition it will look for a boot loader either by default (made up by the manufacturer or whatever you put in NVRAM) or wander through the /EFI/Something/Something.efi files until it finds something appropriate.

That is all.

Please mount your EFI partition and show what you have. This is mine - I'm mounting the ESP which I have as partition 2 on disk 0) in windows and then showing directories...

As you can see the boot manager (as shown by bcdedit below) thinks the path of the boot loader is \EFI\refind\refind_x64.efi which is correct. Code: Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.10586] (c) 2015 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. C:\WINDOWS\system32>diskpart Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.10586 Copyright (C) 1999-2013 Microsoft Corporation. DISKPART> sel disk 0 Disk 0 is now the selected disk. DISKPART> sel par 2 Partition 2 is now the selected partition. DISKPART> assign letter=q DiskPart successfully assigned the drive letter or mount point. DISKPART> exit Leaving DiskPart... C:\WINDOWS\system32>q: Q:\>dir Volume in drive Q is EFI Volume Serial Number is C866-15EC Directory of Q:\ 09/21/2015 02:14 PM <DIR> EFI 11/06/2015 09:36 PM <DIR> Temp 0 File(s) 0 bytes 2 Dir(s) 151,442,432 bytes free Q:\>cd EFI Q:\EFI>dir Volume in drive Q is EFI Volume Serial Number is C866-15EC Directory of Q:\EFI 09/21/2015 02:14 PM <DIR> . 09/21/2015 02:14 PM <DIR> .. 09/21/2015 02:14 PM <DIR> APPLE 09/21/2015 02:14 PM <DIR> refind 09/21/2015 02:14 PM <DIR> tools 09/21/2015 02:14 PM <DIR> Microsoft 09/21/2015 02:14 PM <DIR> Boot 0 File(s) 0 bytes 7 Dir(s) 151,442,432 bytes free Q:\EFI>cd refind Q:\EFI\refind>dir Volume in drive Q is EFI Volume Serial Number is C866-15EC Directory of Q:\EFI\refind 01/16/2016 03:07 PM <DIR> . 09/21/2015 02:14 PM <DIR> .. 01/16/2016 03:07 PM 219,176 refind_x64.efi 01/16/2016 03:07 PM <DIR> icons 01/10/2016 01:54 PM <DIR> icons-backup 09/21/2015 02:14 PM <DIR> keys 11/11/2015 12:16 PM 24,889 refind.conf 09/21/2015 02:14 PM <DIR> drivers_x64 09/21/2015 02:14 PM <DIR> banners 09/14/2015 11:36 AM 23,125 refind.conf-manual 09/15/2015 03:08 PM 22,983 refind.conf-original 09/21/2015 02:14 PM <DIR> myicons 01/16/2016 03:07 PM 24,835 refind.conf-sample 5 File(s) 315,008 bytes 8 Dir(s) 151,442,432 bytes free Q:\EFI\refind>bcdedit Windows Boot Manager -------------------- identifier {bootmgr} device partition=Q: path \EFI\refind\refind_x64.efi description Windows Boot Manager locale en-US inherit {globalsettings} flightsigning Yes default {current} resumeobject {9c34aefd-9152-11e5-9c76-00155d013517} displayorder {current} {9c34aef5-9152-11e5-9c76-00155d013517} {9c34aeff-9152-11e5-9c76-00155d013517} {9c34aefe-9152-11e5-9c76-00155d013517} {9c34af00-9152-11e5-9c76-00155d013517}[/quote]

If you are more comfortable with Linux or OSX it is the same (except the installer does it for you) - copy the directory to EFI system partition and update the NVRAM so the boot manager looks for the correct boot loader.

That is all there is to it really.

It isn't just how rEFInd works - it is how every EFI bootloader is called by EFI firmware for any OS.

You can read more about it here if you like FGA: The EFI boot process.