How to get Windows After Ubuntu Linux in Dual Boot – Guide
Dual booting is the process of using two operating systems on one computer. You can choose to boot Windows or Linux during the startup process. ..
If you have a Windows-only PC, you can boot it into Linux by using a bootable USB drive or CD. If you have a Linux-only PC, you can boot it into Windows by using a bootable USB drive or CD. ..
In this guide, I’m going to teach you how to install Windows after dual booting with Ubuntu Linux. You will need to have a computer and a USB drive. You can also use a virtual machine if you don’t have a computer.
Dual boot Windows on an existing Ubuntu Linux system
I tested a tutorial on an Ubuntu system with UEFI and GPT partitioning scheme. In theory, the same steps should apply to most, if not all, Linux distributions.
Requirements
- Get the right tools: A scalpel, a cautery knife, and a pair of tweezers.
- Prep the area: Make sure the area is clean and free from any debris or oils that could interfere with the procedure.
- Make the incision: Cut a small hole in the skin using the scalpel, then use the cautery knife to make a small incision in the tissue below it. Use tweezers to remove any foreign objects that may have gotten into the wound during surgery.
- Perform surgery: Use your fingers to carefully manipulate and cut through tissue until you reach the desired area of the body. Be careful not to damage surrounding organs or nerves during surgery! ..
If you want to install Windows 10 on a USB key or Pen Drive, make sure the drive is at least 8 GB in size. ..
A USB stick that is at least 4 GB in size is required to install Ubuntu. ..
A UEFI boot computer and only Ubuntu Linux installed on it allows for the user to access all of the features of a traditional BIOS boot computer, such as changing the boot order, choosing a language, and accessing system files.
To create a Windows or Linux live disk, you will need an Internet connection.
If you have lost important data on your computer, there are a few things you can do to try and get it back. One option is to restore your computer from a backup. Another option is to copy the important data onto an external disk and then restore it onto your computer. ..
You can also manage this tutorial with just a USB key. You create Live Linux USB first, partition for Windows using this Live Linux USB and then use the same USB key as a bootable Windows USB. ..
Before you start following the steps, I strongly recommend that you read the entire tutorial. This will help you understand what you’re doing and avoid any mistakes. ..
Step 0: Back up important data
Here’s the thing: You’ll play around with disk partitions and boot settings. If you mess up, you’ll lose the data. ..
If you have an external disk with your computer’s operating system and data, you can have a back-up of that data in case of an emergency. If something goes wrong with your computer or the disk, you can copy the data back to your computer.
How do you make a backup? You take an external USB or SSD drive and copy files from Documents, Music, Pictures and other folders where you have saved your files.
Step 1: Create a bootable Windows USB
If you have access to a Windows system, you can create a bootable Windows media by following the instructions on the Microsoft website.
If you only have a Linux system, it can be tricky to create a bootable Windows USB. Ventoy is a useful open source tool that can help in this case. ..
Plug in your USB that is at least 8GB in size and format it. Now download the Microsoft Windows ISO.
Then, download the latest version of Ventoy. Extract the folder and run the VentoyWeb.sh script with sudo. Copy this URL into a browser and see what it says: The VentoyWeb.sh script will provide you with the URL to access Ventoy, which is a software program that can help you improve your writing skills.
It will open a webpage with Ventoy running. Go to UEFI installation and click the install button.
To install Windows 10 on a USB disk, you will need to copy the downloaded Windows ISO image to the Ventoy partition.
Once copying is complete, be patient and wait for the USB to unmount. Click on the unmount option from the file manager.
This is a guide on how to use a Windows USB to boot from and install Windows.
How to fix Windows USB problems
When you are in the BIOS, choose to boot from USB. In some cases, it may be necessary to disable secure boot in the BIOS settings.
If the Windows bootable USB creation was successful, you should see the Ventoy screen and select to boot into Windows 10. ..
After that, you will see a screen about installing Windows. Don’t go with the installation part yet. Shut down the system and boot into Linux again.
This check was necessary because you need to have a working Windows USB. Without that, following the rest of the tutorial will be impossible.
Remove the Windows bootable USB at this stage and replace it with a flash drive.
Step 2: Create an active Ubuntu Linux USB
Ubuntu is a Linux distribution that comes pre-installed on many computers. If you already have Linux installed, you don’t need an Ubuntu USB.
You need to create a new partition on your disk where you will install Windows. But you cannot modify an already mounted partition in Linux. When you are using Linux, your disk is mounted. You will not be able to modify it and create a new partition on it.
That’s why you need an active Linux USB. You can boot from live USB and make the necessary partition on disk from the live session.
Next, create a USB drive by using the Ubuntu ISO image as the source. You can use any type of drive, but make sure it is at least 2GB in size. Now insert the USB drive into your computer and boot from it. If everything goes well, you should see Ubuntu on your screen. If not, check to see if there is a problem with the USB drive or your computer.
Now connect the USB with at least 4GB of storage space. ..
Ubuntu has a Startup Disk Creator tool that you can use to create a startup disk. You can also use Etcher on Linux to create a startup disk. It’s your choice. Here, I will use the Startup Disk Creator tool in Ubuntu. ..
The Ubuntu ISO can be easily created by connecting your USB drive to your computer and automatically finding it. Once the Ubuntu ISO is found, just click on the “Create boot disk” button to create a bootable disk for your computer.
Ubuntu USB live is a program that allows you to easily create a Ubuntu USB drive. You can click the Exit button below to finish creating your Ubuntu USB drive.
Step 3: Boot from Active USB and Make Space for Windows
Now that you have booted from the Live Linux USB, everything is working as it should. ..
Restart the computer by pressing the F2 / F10 / F12 keys to access the BIOS settings. Here, you can change the boot order and boot from Linux USB.
When you see this screen, type Ubuntu into the search bar and hit enter.
To start the live session, open the disk application. It is already installed. ..
In the Disks application, carefully select your computer’s main hard drive / SSD. This is where you installed Linux. As you can see in the screenshot below, I have ESP partition (for UEFI boot settings) and a single Linux partition. This is the partition that needs to be resized to make room for Windows.
If you have a root, change and home partition configuration, you must resize the home partition if it is not already resized.
If you resize the disk, it will show a minimum size. You cannot reduce the disk below this point. You’ll leave some extra space for Linux to use, of course. ..
If you want to install Windows on a computer with a Linux operating system, you should reduce the partition size of the Linux partition. This will free up 136GB of space for Windows. ..
When you click on the resize button, it may take some time to complete the resize process.
I have now created three partitions on my system. One is 500MB ESP partition (for UEFI boot), 120GB Ext4 partition for Linux, and 136GB free space.
You will now need to dedicate free space on your hard drive for Windows. Shut down your computer now. ..
Step 4: Boot from Windows USB and start installing Windows
Windows UBS: Plug in your bootable Windows UBS. Reboot the system, access BIOS settings and boot from USB. Now you know how to They do this. You’ve already done this in step 1 when checking Windows bootable USB.
If you created a Windows USB with the Ventoy bootloader, see the Ventoy screen.
You should see the Windows logo. After a few seconds, you will see the option to choose the language, time and keyboard.
The next screen will give you the option to start the installation. Click “Install Now”.
If you have not already done so, please enter the Windows license key. If you have activated Windows in the past, please choose a version and accept the user license agreement. ..
Custom install: On the next screen, choose the custom install option.
The partition screen will now appear. You will need to select the free space you created in step 3 and click Next button.
Windows will copy the files for you and install it. ..
After that, the system will automatically restart and this time it will boot directly into Windows.
Windows installation is not finished yet. On the next boot you will be asked to configure Windows for your use, which is very annoying but very easy to follow. ..
Configuring the next button is usually a waiting game. However, there are some images you can use as reference. ..
To get the Grub dual boot screen back, you need to:
- Boot into Windows
- Go to the “Advanced Options” screen
- Select “Startup Disk” and choose your USB drive
- Click on “Install” and follow the onscreen instructions ..
Step 5: Get the Grub Boot Loader Back
Again, restart the system and when powering on, go to the BIOS settings. From the boot sequence or boot order, move Ubuntu up the order. You might have to use the arrow keys or F5 or F6 and the screen might look different for different systems. ..
Save your work and exit the Windows installation. Next, boot into Ubuntu and check to see if grub is aware of Windows. If not, you can update grub on Ubuntu to make sure it recognizes Windows. ..
sudo apt-get install curl This will install the curl package, which is necessary for downloading files from the internet. ..
You should be greeted with the familiar grub boot screen that gives you the option to choose between booting into Ubuntu or Windows.
After installing Ubuntu, it is possible to install Windows. ..
If you still have questions, I would like to answer them in the comments section below.
Final note
Dual booting is the process of using two operating systems, usually Windows and Ubuntu, on the same computer. Dual booting can be a great way to try out different operating systems without having to make any permanent changes to your computer. This guide will show you how to dual boot Windows 10 and Ubuntu 18.04 on a PC with an existing Ubuntu installation. We’ll start by installing Windows 10 and then configure it so that it can dual boot with Ubuntu. Finally, we’ll show you how to remove Ubuntu from the boot menu so that it’s no longer available as a choice when you start up your computer. If you have any questions or problems following this guide, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We would love to hear from you! ..
