I've been using Arch Linux for about six months now and it's working great for me! However, I want to install Windows to play games like Fortnite and GTA Online with my friends. The catch is, I don't have any unpartitioned disk space, but I do have some free space available. Is there a safe way to shrink my main storage partition to create a new one for Windows, or do I have to wipe everything and reinstall both operating systems? If there's a method available, could someone share a guide? I did check the wiki, but I couldn't find much info on this. Thanks in advance for any help!
2 Answers
You can definitely install Windows after Linux! Start by booting from a Linux live ISO and use a tool like GParted to shrink your Linux partition. This will create unallocated space for Windows. Once that's done, boot up the Windows installer and select that unallocated space for installation. Just a heads up, after installing Windows, you might lose access to your Arch Linux because Windows will overwrite the boot loader. To fix this, just boot back into the live ISO and restore GRUB following a guide like the one here: [Fixing GRUB for Arch Linux](https://spacebums.co.uk/fixing-grub-arch-linux/). Good luck!
While there are lots of guides for installing Linux after Windows, it’s rare to find solid instructions for the reverse. I found this one: [Install Windows After Ubuntu Dual Boot](https://itsfoss.com/install-windows-after-ubuntu-dual-boot/). Just be a bit cautious, though, as I've seen mixed reviews about that site.
I heard that shrinking partitions can mess with your data. Is that true?