I just built my new PC and I'm considering dual booting Windows and Linux. I heard that using a second SSD can be a good approach, but I'm curious about the risks compared to running everything off a single drive. For instance, if my OS gets corrupted or encounters a blue screen, what happens to the other SSD? I've also heard about potential partition issues but I'm not sure how this applies here. If I need to reset my computer, can I create recovery points for both SSDs? I'm really looking for a pros and cons list since I want to start learning Linux and do some testing.
3 Answers
Having Windows and Linux on separate SSDs is actually a solid choice. If one OS gets corrupted or a drive fails, the other system remains unaffected. Each OS on its own drive can create independent recovery points, so you don't have to worry about them interfering with each other. Just make sure you keep track of which OS goes on which SSD, and learn the boot menu key for your motherboard in case you need to switch between them.
The risks are minimal when using separate drives. It helps prevent issues like accidental overwrites or complications from one OS affecting the other. Backing up your critical data is always a smart move, but having two SSDs for your setup means that if one fails, you still have access to the other. By the way, when I mentioned the boot menu button, I mean the key to enter your BIOS or boot menu to select which OS to start up.
Got it! So it's just a safety measure to keep things separate. Thanks for clarifying!