[SOLVED]some recommendations for new dual boot install please

[gatorade]

I'm planning to install a new SSD in my ASUS N82J laptop

I am currently running windows 7/mint 17 , but I think the hard drive is starting to fail as I've had it not start a couple times and I heard the dreaded clicking noises.

I'm going to install windows 10/ mint 20.2 cinnamon
It's been a while since I've done a dual boot install, so I just thought I'd check in here to see if anything has changed drastically since the last time I did it.

I have a couple of questions which I would just like to get some advice on before I start.

1. is it still recommended to do the windows install first, and then partition and install mint second? ( i recall that I had once tried installing in reverse order and run into issues booting)
2. I've checked a couple tutorials on youtube, and see a tool called etcher they're using to make the bootable USB.
Is this the best tool for the job nowadays?

[AndyMH]

1. is it still recommended to do the windows install first, and then partition and install mint second? ( i recall that I had once tried installing in reverse order and run into issues booting)

yes

2. I've checked a couple tutorials on youtube, and see a tool called etcher they're using to make the bootable USB.
Is this the best tool for the job nowadays?

Rufus works well on win as well.
https://rufus.ie/en/
for a linux iso you need to use 'dd mode'.

[gatorade]

ok, thx.

what is DD mode? never heard of that before.

[AndyMH]

Taken from the foxclone user guide, applies equally to a mint iso.

[gatorade]

thanks for the help.

[gatorade]

I have a couple more questions, if someone would be so kind to help me with, please.

What should I use , FAT32 or NTFS?
when I create the bootable USB with this tool , can I also use it as a live bootable USB later on?
I didn't see any option to set for persistent file storage so I don't lose any work after shutting down the computer.

Ideally , I'd like to set up the dual boot on my laptop, and then save the USB drive with a few different OS on it to carry with me.
I'm just trying to make sure I get everything set up correctly from the beginning.

[DoodMann]

What should I use , FAT32 or NTFS?

Use it for what? For normal Flash Drive use, I personally do NTFS.

when I create the bootable USB with this tool , can I also use it as a live bootable USB later on?

You can.

Ideally , I'd like to set up the dual boot on my laptop, and then save the USB drive with a few different OS on it to carry with me.

I know there's an app for that, I forgot what it is tho

Been a while since I've been on Mint so anybody, feel free to correct me

[AdamFirst]

My memory is that Windows like to install itself using a lot of space on the drive. It used so much that I wanted to reduce the size of the install. That is a job best done from Windows, and best done before the install of Linux.

[gatorade]

I wanted to know which format to use when I’m making th bootable USB.

[DoodMann]

I wanted to know which format to use when I’m making th bootable USB.

Depends on the operating system, Rufus/BalenaEtcher handles such things for you.

[gatorade]

I made the bootable USB , but I need a little help with
Partitioning the hard drive.

[gatorade]

The times I’ve done dual boot installation before,
It normally says install beside windows boot loader.

This time, it’s only giving me the option to install on the USB
drive I have plugged in.
The partition slider is only seeing the Bootable 32GB USB drive I’m using.

Can someone shed some light on what I did wrong please.

[AndyMH]

Looks like you are booting in legacy mode on sda (no EFI partition) and you have used up three of your primary partitions, leaving you room for only one primary partition or one extended partition (you can put logical partitions inside the extended partition - this was a 'fix' to get around the four primary partition limit).

You will need to shrink sda2 (assume this is your win C:) to create space for mint. While you can do this with gparted, suggest you use win's disk management tools for this job. Then you can use gparted to either create a single ext4 partition in the space created, or an extended partition. If an extended partition you can then create either a single logical ext4 partition for / or two logical partitions, one for / and one for /home - your choice.

Then install mint with the 'something else' option and point the installer at the partition(s) you created and tell the installer what to use them for.

To confirm it is a legacy format drive, in gparted view > device information. In the panel on the left it should say partition table: msdos.

Can't tell from your screenshots, but you may be able to delete sda3, think this might be your recovery partition and if you have a full image backup of the drive, you don't need it. You might be able to tell in gparted.

[gatorade]

I am going to follow this tutorial, hope it works out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeDyhTDJ7J0

[GELvdH]

Hey gatorade, have you been sued yet by Pepsi/UOF for using their trademarked name?

[gatorade]

Hey gatorade, have you been sued yet by Pepsi/UOF for using their trademarked name?

nope, I haven't been sent any cease and desist letters yet.
I'm sure that the minute I start making any money I'll hear from them,

[gatorade]

I'm not sure how I should do this, my partition table looks different than the one in the tutorial video I linked to.
do I just shrink down my c: partition , and then follow what the guy in the youtube video does?

[gatorade]

got Linux mint 20 installed and
Rebooted and I got an error saying the boot partition has no space left.

I’m trying to install gparted to adjust the boot partition, but I’m getting errors when I try to install it.

I screwed up something , keeps telling me that I have no space left.

[gatorade]

Looks like you are booting in legacy mode on sda (no EFI partition) and you have used up three of your primary partitions, leaving you room for only one primary partition or one extended partition (you can put logical partitions inside the extended partition - this was a 'fix' to get around the four primary partition limit).

You will need to shrink sda2 (assume this is your win C:) to create space for mint. While you can do this with gparted, suggest you use win's disk management tools for this job. Then you can use gparted to either create a single ext4 partition in the space created, or an extended partition. If an extended partition you can then create either a single logical ext4 partition for / or two logical partitions, one for / and one for /home - your choice.

Then install mint with the 'something else' option and point the installer at the partition(s) you created and tell the installer what to use them for.

To confirm it is a legacy format drive, in gparted view > device information. In the panel on the left it should say partition table: msdos.
Screenshot from 2021-09-17 23-10-34.png
Can't tell from your screenshots, but you may be able to delete sda3, think this might be your recovery partition and if you have a full image backup of the drive, you don't need it. You might be able to tell in gparted.

I had UEFI disabled when I went into the setup page on boot up , so I think you are correct about the legacy boot mode.
I was reading up a little on it, was not aware that UEFI is better til you mentioned it.

Is there any way to resolve it by changing how it boots?
I was just gonna wipe everything and start over again, but
I’m open to suggestion if there’s a better solution.

[AndyMH]

I was reading up a little on it, was not aware that UEFI is better til you mentioned it.

It's not better, it's just different. I prefer legacy boot because I think it is simpler.

Is there any way to resolve it by changing how it boots?

Not if you want to continue dual boot and have grub give you the choice of mint or win. You have win installed in legacy mode.