Dual Boot Question
Dual Boot Question
Hello everyone! I'm setting up a dual-boot configuration using Intel's QLC M.2 NVMe SSD (booted from Windows) and a 500GB HDD for everything else. My goal is to run Windows alongside Linux, with the QLC SSD staying as the Windows boot drive. Crucial MX500 1TB SATA SSD will handle games on Windows, while Sabrent Rocket 4.0 500GB NVMe will boot Linux and manage all other apps and files. I also plan to use a newer 1TB HDD as a backup. This setup aims for reliability and longevity, suitable for use with my next PC in 1-2 years. My usage is mostly gaming (90%) with occasional 3D modeling, streaming gameplay, media conversion, and video encoding. Is this configuration acceptable? The Rocket 4.0 drive might feel a bit excessive for booting, though.
Linux offers quick startup and efficient read/write performance on Linux systems. It's wise to keep Linux and Windows on different storage devices. Avoid using HDDs as the Windows boot drive for newer versions; booting will be slow and the PC may become unresponsive for up to five minutes after starting. Once booted, the HDD is often heavily loaded. Booting from an HDD in Linux should work without major issues, though it might feel slightly slower and less responsive—applications could load a bit longer. Running Linux from USB sticks, SD cards, or other setups is common, but using a dedicated SSD for the OS would improve speed. Since you regularly use Linux, I currently have it installed on a fast M.2 Firecuda drive and Windows on an older SATA Samsung drive. Everything functions properly. Also, if you plan to reinstall Windows and use GRUB for booting, disconnect all other drives before installation—this helps because Windows sometimes places its boot loader in unexpected locations, making it hard for GRUB to locate it automatically. This has happened multiple times; Windows doesn’t prompt about the location, so you may need to adjust GRUB settings or rely on BIOS configuration.