Linux Confusion

[TenthAveN]

Hello,

So tonight I tried to dual-boot Linux Mint Cinnamon and Windows 10 (unsuccessfully). I backed up my system to an external hard drive and burned a system repair disk. However, I’ve found the process to be quite confusing, and I think I have the wrong type of USB drive for the job, as it isn’t a fat32 drive.

 

[Jeshu]

Hello,

So tonight I tried to dual-boot Linux Mint Cinnamon and Windows 10 (unsuccessfully). I backed up my system to an external hard drive and burned a system repair disk. However, I’ve found the process to be quite confusing, and I think I have the wrong type of USB drive for the job, as it isn’t a fat32 drive.

That shouldn't matter. i duel boot ubuntu 20.04, which if i understand it rightly is the same debian version you are running and i successfully duel boot.

However it was a careful to do list before i proceeded as windows has to have registry entries made and booted in safe mode, before the linux version could be added.

Windows did need to reinstall, as i had to turn fast booting off before i could duel boot them. It also boot my Linux version upside down when it did that. Which was a bit annoying but i got it the right way up again easily enough. Windows makes it hard on purpose to stop us from duel booting.

It is as you say quiet confusing and needs careful research before proceeding.

 

[paul1149]

With Linux the FAT32 shouldn't matter. I suspect you need to go into the UEFI and turn off secure boot and change the boot option from Operating System to Hard Drive. As Jeshu says, in Windows fast booting needs to be turned off.

 

[elytron]

If I recall Ubuntu based OS do not need Secure Boot to be disabled. Some time back I was on Linux Mint and had secure boot enabled without issue. What software did you use to make your USB install flash drive? It is possible to format any flash drive to FAT32, but am not sure how to do so from Windows 10.

My opinion: Just stick with Windows 10 for now, because you need it for school. Maybe use another second PC to experiment with Linux.

 

[TenthAveN]

If I recall Ubuntu based OS do not need Secure Boot to be disabled. Some time back I was on Linux Mint and had secure boot enabled without issue. What software did you use to make your USB install flash drive? It is possible to format any flash drive to FAT32, but am not sure how to do so from Windows 10.

My opinion: Just stick with Windows 10 for now, because you need it for school. Maybe use another second PC to experiment with Linux.

I have a laptop I do school on, the PC is a gaming PC, though I hardly, if ever, game anymore

 

[Pop D.]

Hello,

So tonight I tried to dual-boot Linux Mint Cinnamon and Windows 10 (unsuccessfully). I backed up my system to an external hard drive and burned a system repair disk. However, I’ve found the process to be quite confusing, and I think I have the wrong type of USB drive for the job, as it isn’t a fat32 drive.

Was the USB drive unable to boot a live session? Don't think the format of the drive should matter, unless maybe it matters to your motherboard.

Also, you might try asking at Mint's forums:

Linux Mint Forums - Index page

If I recall Ubuntu based OS do not need Secure Boot to be disabled. Some time back I was on Linux Mint and had secure boot enabled without issue. What software did you use to make your USB install flash drive? It is possible to format any flash drive to FAT32, but am not sure how to do so from Windows 10.

My opinion: Just stick with Windows 10 for now, because you need it for school. Maybe use another second PC to experiment with Linux.

Ubuntu itself doesn't need it disabled, but Mint does since it doesn't have it's own Secure Boot keys as that would require paying licensing fees...to Microsoft. Not sure how you were able to get Mint to work with it enabled, but I guess Secure Boot isn't all that foolproof (as if security was actually the point of the thing).

 

[JesseBassett]

What you need to do is go to www.linuxmint.com, download the iso file, and then go to www.rufus.ie and download Rufus. It will create the bootable usb drive you need to install Linux Mint Cinnamon alongside Windows 10 if that is your preference. Personally I do not dual-boot. EVER. But thats just me. Good luck and feel free to PM me if you need further help!