[SOLVED] Dual booting with Windows after Linux Mint already installed

[vpat]

Hi all,

I can't seem to find any information about this. Is it possible? Or do I need to have installed Windows first?

[Pierre]

do have a look at this Tutorial:
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=163126
it's written for win-8x, but does apply to win-10 as well.

[michael louwe]

Hi all,

I can't seem to find any information about this. Is it possible? Or do I need to have installed Windows first?

.
Because Windows cannot read Linux files, Linux should be installed AFTER Windows when dual-booting.

In your case, you can install Windows and then reinstall Linux alongside Windows or ... keep Linux installed and then install Windows alongside Linux but you will need to manually reinstall the Grub bootloader, ... https://sites.google.com/site/easylinuxtipsproject/6

[wallyUSA]

Another option (and much more enjoyable than dual boot) is to install Windows in a VM, like Virtual Box.

[kukamuumuka]

Make at least one primary NTFS-partition for Windows and install Windows without formatting to that partition. Windows will break linux´s bootloader, so you need to repar grub after Windows installation.

[throatgorge]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have a tower and it is difficult to bring it to the library, so I will have to wait until we get our internet monday to post whether or not this is SOLVED.

[throatgorge]

"Another option (and much more enjoyable than dual boot) is to install Windows in a VM, like Virtual Box."
Sorry Wally, not audio support in Virtual Box and it is my recording/MIDI/editing/mastering software that remains the only reasons I can not abandon Windows altogether. JACK is hard for me to figure out, Wine won't completely run my software, if at all, and ALSA sound is just not as intuitive as windows sound card drivers.

[pbear]

FWIW, I've found the last answer (by Fred Langa) in this TechNet discussion to work nicely with the VBox audio problem.

[throatgorge]

Wow! If I can get full functionality out of virtual box that seems like a great solution. I'm glad you shared that link about audio. I will mark this as solved as soon as I get the internet and time enough to test it out.

[throatgorge]

no. for some reason my windows installation stalls in virtual box. I just have to figure out how to install windows, then install linux on top of it. the uefi thing is something I've never encountered before. But now that I'm online I will carefully examine all of your suggestions before proceeding.

[throatgorge]

there doesn't seem to be enough ram to run a second OS in virtual box. I have less than 4 gigs. I just need to figure out how to keep my PC from trying to install systems in UEFI mode so I can install windows first, then install linux in a new partition.

[throatgorge]

ok got a version of windows xp to install in virtualbox instead of 10. installed guest additions and everything works. SOLVED.

[AronGii1978]

"Another option (and much more enjoyable than dual boot) is to install Windows in a VM, like Virtual Box."
Sorry Wally, not audio support in Virtual Box and it is my recording/MIDI/editing/mastering software that remains the only reasons I can not abandon Windows altogether. JACK is hard for me to figure out, Wine won't completely run my software, if at all, and ALSA sound is just not as intuitive as windows sound card drivers.

Yeah, I switched to Linux mint two years ago, now updated to 21.1 this week after my old hard drive maxed out mid-update (Timeshift) and it took me a week and a half to get back in it! I found Windows 10 on an old drive from my mining rig, and used it to get everything started back up, and new Linux plugged in properly (had a bunch of issues with UEFI vs not in safe mode, had to manually size partitions, etc. It was a really great learning experience, though I would have loved to actually get other work done this month. lol
But since switching, I came to see that all the games I want to run from Steam or GOG, are made for Windows only. I have tried all the tricks, and have had no success - WINE, the beta version inside steam to play on Linux. etc. etc. Today I am using the Virtual Box for the first time, and did get a version of Windows 8.1 to work in it, and figured out how to get Steam loaded in to THAT virtual machine/drive. But so far, it is not liking my log in credentials, which I updated in my other regular browser, and the screen seems like it is not going to allow proper set up - and it's all pretty laggy as well. I WANT MY GAMES BACK!! So much new good stuff too. I usually don't play much, about every ten years I will binge pretty hard on something great - last one was Skyrim, when I was recovering from a hernia surgery, and played it non-stop for about 3 weeks, plus off and on for the following year.

I don't want to dual boot Windows, I just don't trust it not to corrupt my new Sabrent 4.0 rocket hard drive - microsoft is such a creepy company and has ALWAYS had so many issues with viruses and malware. Starting to think it might be my only option though... or just buy a completely different set up for gaming (or a dedicated system like ps5 or Xbox etc. - or maybe Nintendo as my daughter is starting to get curious about games and Nintendo is still the king for kids oriented games!)

Been looking at if it's possible to run Windows from an external drive, but most sources say no. Maybe to put a dual boot on the external SDD with Linux, then the main system would see it since it runs mint 21? I have tried just booting my old windows from an external drive and so far no luck.. just goes back to the main system even when I change the boot order in BIOS..