Dual booting Ubuntu alongside Windows gives you the best of both worlds.
You'll need a flash drive which is larger than 2GB to make the USB installer.
Make sure to back up all important files before attempting to install Ubuntu.
If you've ever wanted to make the switch to Linux, but are reluctant to ditch Windows at the same time, dual booting is a great option. Learn how you can install Ubuntu on your PC without completely removing Windows.
Before You Begin
Before you get started, you'll need a couple of things ready:
At least 25GB of free storage on the PC that you are installing Ubuntu on.
A flash drive or any other form of removable media that's larger than 2GB.
Before you try installing Ubuntu, make sure to back up any important files that you might have. Any mistakes made during the following steps could result in permanent data loss, so exercise caution.
Preparing a Bootable Ubuntu USB
First, you'll need to create a bootable drive from where your PC can boot the Ubuntu disk image from. You can do so by following these steps:
These steps will completely erase your USB drive, so make sure to back up any important files first.
Now that you have created your bootable USB drive, you can boot into Ubuntu.
Shut down your computer while holding the Shift key.
You'll now need to access the boot menu. The method to do this varies depending on your computer's manufacturer. Usually, you'll need to press a key like F12, F10, Esc, or Del during the startup process. This guide from wikiHow may help.
Once you're in the boot menu, use the arrow keys to select your USB drive, then press Enter.
[画像:Dell Boot Menu]
Screenshot by Raghav Sethi - no attribution required
When the computer boots from the flash drive, you'll see a menu prompting you to either Try Ubuntu or Install Ubuntu. If you want to get a feel for how Ubuntu works, select the first option, otherwise go for the second.
Setting Up and Installing Ubuntu
Your computer should now boot into Ubuntu, and the installer should automatically open on startup.
Follow the on-screen instructions to choose your language, keyboard layout, and Wi-Fi settings. It is optional to connect to a network, but it is highly recommended to do so.
Select the Normal installation or Minimal installation option as per your needs.
You'll see a slider that allows you to allocate disk space between Windows and Ubuntu. Use the slider to adjust the partition sizes according to your preference. As you adjust the slider, you'll see the allocated space for each operating system change.
When you've decided how much space to allocate to both operating systems, click Install Now.
Once everything is installed, you'll need to restart your computer. When it turns back on, you'll see a boot menu where you can choose to use Windows or Ubuntu. Dual booting might mess up your Windows timezone, but you can fix it by following our guide.
Dual-booting Ubuntu is a smart choice for anyone interested in trying out Linux without giving up their Windows setup entirely. It lets you have both operating systems on your computer, giving you the best of both worlds.
With Ubuntu, you get access to lots of free software and a helpful community. And you can still use Windows for anything you need that's not available on Linux.
