I'm increasingly interested in switching to Linux and have been looking at Fedora, but I still need Microsoft programs for college, so replacing Windows completely isn't practical. I'm considering installing Fedora on a separate drive and keeping Windows on the original one. How does choosing between the two operating systems work—does a menu appear during startup, and can I set a default system? Also, are problems like having to reset my Windows PIN repeatedly a normal consequence of dual-booting, or are those issues unrelated?
4 Answers
Installing each operating system on its own drive can make the setup easier to manage. Fedora’s bootloader can detect Windows and show it as an option at startup. If the boot menu doesn’t appear, check the firmware settings—Fast Boot may need to be disabled so the system has time to display the chooser.
The exact bootloader depends on the Fedora setup, but the experience is broadly the same: after UEFI starts, you get a short countdown and can choose either operating system. If you last used Windows, it may be configured to boot Windows automatically after the countdown, and the same can be done for Fedora.
After the BIOS/UEFI screen, the bootloader usually displays a menu where you can choose Fedora or Windows. You select one with the keyboard, or wait a few seconds for the default option to start. You can generally change which system is the default later.
Dual-booting itself shouldn’t make you reset your Windows PIN. That kind of issue is more likely related to changing security settings or some unrelated software, not simply having Fedora and Windows installed together. As long as you leave the Windows security configuration alone, you shouldn’t expect PIN problems repeatedly.
Thanks, that clears up the PIN concern and the startup process.