Install Ubuntu alongside Windows
- an easy and complete Guide to Dual Boot
Hi there!
Let me guess: you are currently trying to install Ubuntu alongside Windows and you are quite afraid to somehow delete Windows or make another critical mistake during this highly sensitive operation. Right?
Know that you are not alone! My fellow Trybe peer students and I faced the same doubts and collaborated to discover and execute the best way to install Ubuntu in Dual Boot.
I decided to write about our process so as to help more people safely install Ubuntu alongside Windows.
Here is the result: a home-made guide to install Ubuntu in Dual Boot!
This article will cover:
1. Bootable USB Pendrive
2. BIOS settings
3. Ubuntu Installation
4. Good practices to start using Ubuntu
5. Potential additional problems
6. Upgrading Ubuntu safely
You should use the guide executing in the right order the parts 1, 2 and 3.
The sections 4, 5 and 6 are here to make it even better and/or to adapt to your possible specific context and results.
I wish you a pleasant reading!
1) Bootable USB Pendrive
a. Get the Ubuntu installer media
First, pay a visit to the official Ubuntu website to download the installer media.
b. Connect a USB Pendrive
Then, connect a pendrive to your desktop.
It should have a minimum 8Gb capacity to work correctly as a Bootable USB Pendrive.
Also, it will get formatted, so make sure that there is nothing valuable left on it beforehand.
c. Use Rufus
First essential tip:
Use Rufus instead of Yumi to make your bootable Pendrive.
Open it, select your pendrive device, set your boot selection as shown above.
For the Partition scheme and Target system, choose UEFI only, exactly as follows:
Leave the rest as Default.
Finally, press Start and let it process until it confirms that you now have a bootable USB pendrive!
2) BIOS settings
You then need to set your BIOS.
To access it, restart your computer and press F10 (it could be a different specific command depending on your notebook model).
Within Boot Options, execute the following steps:
- Enable USB Boot;
- Disable Legacy and Secure Boot;
- Set the UEFI Boot Order with your USB pendrive in first position.
Save it and exit.
You can now proceed to install Ubuntu!
3) Install Ubuntu
If it is your first time installing Ubuntu, keep reading. If you already had it and are updating to a more recent Ubuntu version, see you directly at the last chapter of this article.
a. Create HD partition on Windows
You first need to create a Hard Drive partition on Windows, which will create the space allocated to Ubuntu. Follow this guide to do so.
My recommendation here would be to partition at least 100Gb, or you might have to repeat the process later on.
b. Make the actual installation
Restart your computer and press F9 (it could be a different specific command depending on your notebook model) to access the Boot menu.
A new USB Pendrive option should be appearing now. (!If not, something went wrong with your bootable pendrive or your Bios settings, go back and make sure everything was well executed and confirmed earlier.)
Select it and wait for Ubuntu to open.
Then, follow all the steps to install Ubuntu. Be particularly careful with the Installation type options, so as not to erase your Windows. To proceed safely, you should follow this practical guide with screenshots of the whole installation (from its step 3) on).
At the end of the installing process (it can take a while to load, no worries), Ubuntu itself will ask you to remove the pendrive and restart your computer. Do it.
Then press F9 (or whatever works on your computer) to access the Boot menu. An UEFI option should now appear and make your way to Ubuntu possible!
Congrats, you made it!
You can now use Ubuntu alongside Windows.
All it takes now is to choose your “path” every time you start your desktop.
If these last installation steps did not go that smoothly, please consult this article’s category “Potential additional problems” below.
4) Good practices to start using Ubuntu
a. Update and upgrade
Before you use your terminal for specific codes, you should run
sudo apt update & sudo apt upgrade
to get every updated package available.
b. Take good care of your eyes
Ever heard of blue light and its health hazards? In our digital lives, I always consider it essential to advocate for the best practices to reduce our risks.
Ubuntu offers a handy Night Light option so as to make its light warmer. Dark appearance also feels softer on the eye.
c. Install apps and software
Find your favorite applications and software (Slack, VsCode, Chrome, Zoom…) online and download them safely from their official websites. Make sure you use Ubuntu’s Software Install to properly open and implement them.
d. See more
I also recommend the tutorial below. It covers mirror choice and other features to boost your Ubuntu.
5) Optional additional problems
Something went wrong? Maybe this can help.
a. grub
What is a grub problem? Typically, you have one if the installation went well, but right after you observe that there is no way for you to access UEFI and Ubuntu from the Boot menu.
No worries: there are Boot Repair online that you can easily find, understand and use to efficiently fix the issue.
b. Wifi
If you are dealing with a “No Wifi adapter found” alert on Ubuntu (which I have), I highly recommend to follow the exact steps of this tutorial:
c. Else
{
Research your specific problem and seek help on Stackoverflow or within your code community!
}
6) Upgrading Ubuntu
As I was intending to upgrade my Ubuntu from 18.04 to 20.04, I read that some customers have had issues using the Ubuntu internal upgrade system.
This is how I chose to deal with the upgrading process and it went perfectly well:
- Creating a new bootable USB pendrive with Ubuntu 20.04 on it;
- Leaving the HD partition and BIOS as they already were;
- Executing the installation almost like before, selecting the “Erase [former Ubuntu] and reinstall” option when it appeared:
This way, your new Ubuntu will simply take the space formerly occupied by your last Ubuntu version, without having to provide too many efforts or endanger your Windows space.
I hope you found this article useful,
That’s all folks!
Happy Ubuntu life,
Juliette
