I'm looking to set up a dual boot system with Linux and Windows since my 128 GB NVMe hard drive only has Windows 10 installed, which isn't enough for my games like Baldur's Gate 3. I'm planning to add a 512 GB NVMe hard drive from an old computer to store my Steam games. My thought was to install Linux on the new drive (HD2) and keep using Windows for gaming while using Linux for browsing and other tasks. However, I want to keep my operating systems separate and organized. Should I go with Windows on the new drive and Linux on the smaller drive, or the other way around? I'm unsure how complicated this setup might be and what will work best for gaming and file storage.
3 Answers
In terms of Linux gaming, your biggest hurdle is usually games with kernel-level anti-cheat features. But don’t worry, if you have Steam's Proton and Wine installed, you can actually run a lot of Windows games on Linux without much fuss. Personally, I have a storage drive that I can access from both Windows and Linux, and running a game’s executable directly from the shared drive works fine.
For organizing your drives, I’d say the simplest approach is to have three separate drives: one for Windows, one for Linux, and one as a storage drive for games and shared files. If that’s not feasible, consider partitioning instead — keep Windows on the 128 GB drive and split the 512 GB drive between Linux and a separate partition formatted to NTFS for games. This way, everything is compatible across both systems! If you're curious about how to set up an NTFS disk for dual access, check out the guide from Valve Software. But honestly, if gaming is your focus, sometimes it’s just easier to stick to one OS for that.
If you're using the 512 GB drive, I'd suggest putting Windows there since games take up a lot of space. The 128 GB for Linux should be sufficient for OS and applications, especially if you're not planning to game on it. This way, you'll have more room for your games on Windows without feeling cramped for space on your primary drive.
Installing Linux and Windows can still be relatively easy. Just install Windows first and then Linux on a different partition. Just be aware that with EFI setups, things can get tricky. If it gets complicated, installing both on their respective drives might save you a headache!
Also, from my experience, I use Linux for work but often switch back to Windows for gaming due to compatibility issues. If gaming is a priority, it's essential to know how certain games work with Proton. You might face some issues, but it's a good idea to dual-boot if you want to keep things clean and organized.
Yeah, switching back and forth might become tedious if you're just browsing or doing casual stuff on Linux. If you plan to use Windows primarily for gaming, consider keeping Linux minimal. Maybe partition the new drive just for Windows and games, while reserving a bit of space for shared data.