I have an older HP laptop running Windows 10, and it has important files that I can't afford to lose. The computer has become slow, but I mainly want to use Linux for basic development tools such as Python and MySQL without disturbing my existing Windows installation or data. This will be my first Linux installation, so I'm looking for a safe, beginner-friendly process for setting up a dual boot.
3 Answers
If you’re nervous about changing the internal drive, try Linux from the USB first using its live mode. You can check whether Wi-Fi, the keyboard, display, and other hardware work before installing. Once everything looks good, proceed only after confirming your backup and choosing the correct Windows partition.
Before resizing the Windows partition, free up some space, run Windows Disk Cleanup, and turn off Fast Startup. Also check whether the laptop uses UEFI, then boot the Linux USB in the same UEFI mode. After installation, you should get a menu at startup to choose Windows or Linux.
Back up the important Windows files before doing anything else. Ideally, keep a copy on an external drive and make sure you can open a few files from it. Dual-booting is usually safe, but partitioning and bootloader changes can go wrong.
Related Questions
How To Get Your Domain Unblocked From Facebook
How To Find A String In a Directory of Files Using Linux