Why can Linux Mint be successfully installed on this computer, but Windows 10 can't?

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mintyfreshuser

Why can Linux Mint be successfully installed on this computer, but Windows 10 can't?

Post by mintyfreshuser »

Hi all.

My day-to-day computer runs Linux Mint, but I have another computer which also has Linux Mint installed on it. Before I installed Linux Mint on this other computer, it had a version of Windows 10 on it which had become defunct. No matter how many times I tried to reinstall Windows 10 on this other computer, it didn't work. It wasn't until I installed Linux Mint on this other computer that it had a working operating system on it again.

In order to guarantee the ability to use certain Windows programs though, I've tried *unsuccessfully* to install the Windows operating system on this other computer from time to time. This is because there are still some programs that I haven't been able to get to run properly even using Wine and virtual machines.

I've tried to install Windows using both a bootable USB and a live disk, but this secondary computer just ends up booting into Linux Mint. I've changed the boot order in the BIOS to boot from USB sticks and live CDs, too, but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Therefore, my questions are these:

1) Why could Linux Mint install successfully on this other computer, but not Windows 10?

2) What is preventing Windows 10 from being able to be installed successfully on this other computer?

The distro of Linux Mint that I'm using on this secondary computer is Linux 18.3 Sylvia and the desktop environment is Cinnamon 3.6.6 if that helps.

Thank you.
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
borg101

Re: Why can Linux Mint be successfully installed on this computer, but Windows 10 can't?

Post by borg101 »

mintyfreshuser wrote: Sun Feb 18, 2018 4:25 pm Hi all.

My day-to-day computer runs Linux Mint, but I have another computer which also has Linux Mint installed on it. Before I installed Linux Mint on this other computer, it had a version of Windows 10 on it which had become defunct. No matter how many times I tried to reinstall Windows 10 on this other computer, it didn't work. It wasn't until I installed Linux Mint on this other computer that it had a working operating system on it again.

In order to guarantee the ability to use certain Windows programs though, I've tried *unsuccessfully* to install the Windows operating system on this other computer from time to time. This is because there are still some programs that I haven't been able to get to run properly even using Wine and virtual machines.

I've tried to install Windows using both a bootable USB and a live disk, but this secondary computer just ends up booting into Linux Mint. I've changed the boot order in the BIOS to boot from USB sticks and live CDs, too, but it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Therefore, my questions are these:

1) Why could Linux Mint install successfully on this other computer, but not Windows 10?

2) What is preventing Windows 10 from being able to be installed successfully on this other computer?

The distro of Linux Mint that I'm using on this secondary computer is Linux 18.3 Sylvia and the desktop environment is Cinnamon 3.6.6 if that helps.

Thank you.
To answer question 1: Grub (common bootloader for Linux) is a lot more fluid and plays a lot nicer with systems than Windows bootloader.
To answer question 2: Because of Windows 10 bootloader, it makes it a little more difficult to multiboot than previous iterations of Windows. When you say you are unable to install Windows, where is the installation halting? Or is it simply installing, then not finding the correct bootloader? In a standard dual-boot setup, you would install Windows and make sure you choose advanced or expert mode, or whatever its called, then delete every single partition. Then click the unpartitioned disk and select next and Windows 10 should install. If it does not, you may need a special install disk from your manufacturer as drivers may be missing. This is much more rare then it used to be. After Windows is setup, go into your disk partition manager, shrink your drive to allow enough space for your Linux partition. There are plenty of guides available on Google on how to do this.

I have a question as well as some food for thought for you, though. What programs are you using that need to run in Windows? I had similar "crises" when I first started with Linux. I'd say "but it can't run this" and "what about program xyz", etc. Sure, Wine and VM's helped....but, ultimately, I changed my thought process. Now I only support developers that support Linux. If you abandon the notion that Windows is the end-all be-all of operating systems, you'll find the transition much easier.
Last edited by borg101 on Sun Feb 18, 2018 5:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Why can Linux Mint be successfully installed on this computer, but Windows 10 can't?

Post by AZgl1800 »

I have a very nice, desktop with Win7 on it, 6 gB RAM, 2.5 gHz cpu, 1 TB HDD and a 24" monitor.

but it is on my office Desk, and that is just not as comfortable as I like to be these days.

I have now been using a smallish equipped laptop formatted totally to Linux Mint 18.3 Cinnamon, and I relax in a recliner where I can watch the TV. :D


Over the last few months, the guys here on this forum have worked with me until the laptop does 98% of everything that I want to do on a computer. 8)

The Win7 PC sets alone 95% of the time, and I am getting very comfortable in the Linux environment. :|

Now that I have Virtualbox and Win7 on this laptop, the desktop is getting even less use lately. :o

It surprises me that this laptop can run Win7 under Virtualbox on Linux just as fast as it did in Native Windows mode when I bought it. :mrgreen:
LM21.3 Cinnamon ASUS FX705GM | Donate to Mint https://www.patreon.com/linux_mint
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whm1974
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Re: Why can Linux Mint be successfully installed on this computer, but Windows 10 can't?

Post by whm1974 »

Since Windows 10 doesn't play nice with dual booting other OSes, it best to have each OS are separate drives and the boat loader on same drive as the OS. Use the BIOS boot manager at boot time to select which OS(F11 on my rig). Otherwise Win10 can and will wipe the other partition after updating.
Mattyboy

Re: Why can Linux Mint be successfully installed on this computer, but Windows 10 can't?

Post by Mattyboy »

mintyfreshuser wrote: Sun Feb 18, 2018 4:25 pm 1) Why could Linux Mint install successfully on this other computer, but not Windows 10?
The method you used to create your boot-able media and how you obtained the ISO.

Download the standard ISO from microsoft, do not use the media creation tool.
Use the free program rufus https://rufus.akeo.ie/ on another Windows machine to make your USB

Linux is installed in ext disk format, Windows can't read ext or be able to install to it. Once you've booted your Windows use the DISKPART and CLEAN command from the command prompt before proceeding.

Check for USB boot support. Some systems have USB boot disabled by default.
gld59

Re: Why can Linux Mint be successfully installed on this computer, but Windows 10 can't?

Post by gld59 »

Following on from what borg101 and Mattyboy have said, it's not quite clear exactly where you're having a problem. I'm guessing that you can't even start the installation because you can't boot to the installation media. If so, that could be because the computer can't boot to any optical disc or USB drive, or because it can't boot to the particular optical disc or USB drive you're using. A bit of mix'n'match should give you an idea of which. (Ie try your disc / flash drive on another computer which you know can usually boot from such things, and try to boot the problem computer from a particular disc or flash drive which another computer can boot from.)
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