I'm currently dual booting Linux and Windows on a system with a shared NTFS HDD. I just learned that Windows' shutdown feature doesn't fully power off the machine, which locks the HDD. To fix this, I disabled the fast startup option in Windows. Now I'm wondering if I need to completely turn off my PC to switch between the two operating systems and access the drive, or can I just restart my computer and switch from Grub?
5 Answers
Yep, just restart and hit F12 or another key to access the boot menu where you can select the drive. Otherwise, Windows will load automatically.
If you want more flexibility, consider setting up a VM for Windows or using another PC without a monitor, but yes, a reboot or shutdown is fine unless Windows decides to update; in that case, you might have to wait.
A simple restart should do the trick! Just a heads-up: there’s a fast boot option in Windows that you can disable through the advanced settings. Also, check if there's a fast boot option in your BIOS—it's worth turning off to avoid complications, but you might try switching it back on later if needed.
You can definitely restart to switch with Grub. Just a quick note: Linux typically uses the ext4 filesystem while Windows operates on NTFS. Your HDD can have multiple partitions, each with its own filesystem.
As long as you've disabled fast startup, you can just restart and switch from Grub without any issues.
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