I'm installing Linux Mint for the first time and want to use my 223 GB Disk 0, currently assigned as D:, while leaving my 238 GB Windows 10 drive and 3.7 TB data drive untouched. Windows is currently installed in Legacy BIOS mode on Disk 1, and the large drive contains my important E: and F: data partitions.
If I use the "Something Else" partitioning option, can I safely erase every partition on Disk 0 and let Mint use that entire drive? In Legacy BIOS mode, should GRUB be installed to the whole Linux drive rather than to the Windows or data drive? Will Mint detect Windows automatically, and what precautions should I take to make absolutely sure the 3.7 TB drive is not modified?
3 Answers
The safest approach if you’re worried about the 3.7 TB drive is to shut down and physically disconnect it during installation. You can also disconnect the Windows drive if you want Mint’s bootloader completely isolated, though Windows detection will then have to be configured later or the drives reconnected afterward. Do not choose an “install alongside Windows” option if you specifically want Mint on the separate 223 GB drive; use manual partitioning and select the intended drive yourself.
Yes, Disk 0 is a sensible choice as long as it contains nothing you need. In the manual partitioning screen, carefully identify the drive by its size and model, delete only the partitions on that drive, and create the Mint partitions there. For Legacy BIOS, install GRUB to the whole Linux disk—for example, the disk device itself rather than a numbered partition. Mint will normally detect the Windows installation and add it to the boot menu. Before starting, make a backup and double-check every device name and size.
Because the existing Windows setup uses Legacy BIOS, boot the Mint installer in Legacy/BIOS mode too. Installing GRUB to the Linux drive’s master boot record is normal in this arrangement. It may become the default boot disk, with an entry for Windows; if Windows is not detected automatically, it can be added to the boot configuration afterward. The Windows bootloader may be replaced on whichever disk receives GRUB, but the Windows files themselves are not erased unless you partition or format that drive.
The important distinction is the disk containing the Windows partition versus the disk that currently holds its boot code. Check the installer’s disk layout rather than assuming the bootloader is on a particular drive, and select the Linux disk explicitly for GRUB.
That makes sense. I’ll verify the drive model and capacity instead of relying only on the Disk 0 label, and I’ll disconnect the data drive while installing.