I'm planning to switch to Linux soon because I've heard that gaming on it has improved significantly. I've decided to go with Arch, as I've played around with Linux before and have a decent understanding of it, especially after installing Arch a few times in a virtual machine. However, I have a couple of questions I need help with:
1. I've heard that Windows can interfere with the bootloader of a Linux install. Since I'm planning to install Linux on a separate NVME drive from Windows, I'm considering removing the Windows drive during installation to avoid any issues. Is this a good approach? Does Windows still mess with a Linux bootloader when they are on separate drives, or is that mainly a concern when both are on the same drive?
2. Once I have Arch set up, will I be able to mount the Windows drive to access and play my existing games using Proton or similar tools? I'd prefer not to have to download over 100GB of games again if I can help it, especially for something like WoW.
4 Answers
Regarding your second question, you should technically be able to mount your Windows drive on Arch and access your games. However, be aware that it might run slowly. If possible, I’d recommend installing your games directly on the Linux drive to avoid any potential issues. Just a heads up: you won’t be able to run Proton with games stored on an NTFS partition.
I’m doing exactly what you’re looking to do, but I’m using Kubuntu instead. I also removed the Windows NVME entirely to avoid any issues. When I need Windows, I simply swap the drives back in. For your games, if you decide to keep the Windows drive, I think you can run them from there, but it’s best to install more demanding games natively on Arch to avoid runtime problems. Good luck with your transition!
About bootloaders, I’ve got Windows and Linux on separate drives and haven’t encountered any problems. Just keep everything organized, and you should be alright!
If you remove the Windows NVME, you should be fine! Just don’t forget to disable fast boot and set your Linux bootloader as the primary option. Windows is notorious for messing up Linux bootloaders, but if they’re on separate drives and you follow this plan, you should be able to boot into either OS without issues.
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