Is dual boot dangerous?

[kc1di]

I would not say it was dangerous. But it can become complicated sometimes.
What usually happens is an update to windows over writes the boot section. And you would have reinstall the Linux boot loader from a Live disc.
Windows likes to think it's the only O.S. (:

[RIH]

Dual booting Windows & Linux isn't dangerous, but it can be annoying.

If the two operating systems are on the same disk then Windows updates can certainly corrupt the bootloader to make Linux unbootable without a bit of manual intervention.

I've run Windows & Mint on a desktop on two separate disks on a desktop for about 5 years in a dual boot situation without any issue at all.

However, if you have Windows & Linux on 2 separate disks & boot by disk selection through BIOS then the chances of any problems has to be completely minimised to probably zero.

[cliffcoggin]

My solution to the dual boot risk is to never let Windows update, and only allow Windows to connect to the internet twice per year when my Garmin needs an update.

[AndyMH]

I've never had an issue, but I have win10 auto updates turned off. I update win when I want to, not when MS wants to.

[shoaibiqbal123]

I have low pc specs but never had any issue with Duel boot. always works fine ...

[Reddog1]

Once you've installed a successful dual boot there usually isn't a problem. Almost all dual boot problems happen at install and few crop up later on. If you are worried about it you can run either system (Windows/Linux) as a virtual machine.

[AndyMH]

If you are worried about it you can run either system (Windows/Linux) as a virtual machine.

Unless you are a gamer or running graphic intensive applications, running win in a VM is a better solution - you get better integration between the two OS and can have them running simultaneously.

[Jymm]

When I dual booted I didn't have problems after Linux switched to the grub boot loader over the lilo boot loader.. But I didn't dual boot for long, a couple of months, I only went on Window to update the virus and spyware software, and I figured out that was just a waste of time, and became a dedicated Linux user. Probably only long time Linux users will remember the lilo boot loader.

[Var-mint]

I’ve had problems with Windows and Arch based distros overwriting the other distro’s bootloader or whatever it overwrote, almost never with non-Arch based distros.
HTH

[Reddog1]

If you are worried about it you can run either system (Windows/Linux) as a virtual machine.

Unless you are a gamer or running graphic intensive applications, running win in a VM is a better solution - you get better integration between the two OS and can have them running simultaneously.

I agree, and even when I have Windows/Linux dual boot I run windows as a guest with my Linux host and go months without booting the Windows install. It can be done both ways, but as you say, the best way is to run Windows as the VM.

[ivar]

I still recall the dual-boot horror stories from my buddies running OS2 + windows in the 90's, lol!

I won't take the risk, and I want my windows pc's updated, so no dualboot for me

[WHVW]

Hi All:
Over the years, I have seen a LOT of folks with the "Dual Boot Blues" on this forum and other places too. I realise that I am, of course, only seeing the problematic installs, after all, no one has (and I doubt ever will) post a question such as "I installed a dual boot with Mint and xx and it worked perfectly. Why?"
Since I got off the Windows train at the "98" station, and have no desire to use it ever again, I haven't experienced "The Dual-Boot Blues". But if for some reason I wanted to dive into the Winderz nightmare, or, as would be far more likely, wanted two (or more) Linux versions on a single machine, I would use a mechanical drive switch.....Never an interaction problem, never an update over write. Set up a third drive for common storage, if needs be, and you're done...no muss, no fuss.