Problems during dual installation of Linux Mint and Windows 10
Problems during dual installation of Linux Mint and Windows 10
Hey there, I’m exploring Linux Mint and want to set it up alongside Windows 10. I have some questions about UEFI settings and hardware compatibility.
1) If I don’t adjust the settings, will my Windows boot get corrupted?
2) My system seems to work fine with ASUS G11CB Specs: i5, GTX 950, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD. Are there any BIOS changes I should avoid?
3) Which UEFI options are safe to disable? I turned off Fast Boot and Secure Boot settings.
4) In the UEFI BIOS, when I change the boot order, I see two USB options: SANDISK (28934MB) and another. What should I pick?
4) When I switch boot orders, I get errors on the bootable USB—what do those mean?
5) After installing Mint, should I keep these BIOS settings unchanged?
6) My GTX 950 has drivers for Mint. Are there free alternatives? Do I really need them?
7) The tutorial I watched didn’t show drive partitioning like others did. Should I follow it or look elsewhere?
8) How do I enter BIOS? I found a guide but still can’t do it. Will using the UEFI USB cause more issues?
9) When I select SANDISK (28934MB) in BIOS, does that mean it’s for UEFI only?
10) Does the SANDISK option relate to UEFI mode?
11) Could Windows 10 become unusable if I install Mint?
12) Should I enable Secure Boot to “Other OS” after changing settings?
13) What happens if I restart after a boot error on the USB?
14) The PCIE error I saw was confusing—what could cause it?
15) When I see the MOK management screen, what should I do?
16) Should I keep Fast Boot and Secure Boot disabled even after installing Mint?
Thanks for your help!
Windows should remain unaffected by mint installations. Keep in mind that mint will swap the Windows bootloader for a grub-based one. If this fails, you may encounter issues starting Windows; you can recover by using a Linux Mint live USB and updating grub.
The behavior you observe comes from the kernel trying to load modules or configure settings during startup. A smooth boot without crashes suggests no critical problems. For drivers, use the driver manager to choose between proprietary or open-source options. Linux partition managers are preferable since Windows can't manage Linux partitions directly. Personally, installing on a separate drive—disconnecting the Windows drive during setup—works best. Selecting UEFI ensures SANDISK boots in EFI mode, while legacy BIOS offers a non-EFI boot option.
You appreciate the assistance. I'm curious about how frequently GRUB becomes corrupted and whether recent updates to Windows 10 or certain Mint releases have affected its stability. What Linux distribution are you running? Do you set up a dual boot configuration?
It's rare, but if you want to improve, practice setting up separate partitions for Windows and Linux boot. If you're nervous about damaging your system, try using a virtual machine with Linux partition tools. In this scenario, Linux Mint will employ gparted, which is actually straightforward once you understand how Linux interprets hard drives. For instance, it uses internal labels like SDA1, SDB2, etc. Understanding this approach is a solid start, since OSes aren't just executables—they require careful handling. While the learning curve exists, working in a virtual environment like VirtualBox can make it more manageable.
I'm proposing a hands-on approach to divide the drive rather than relying on Mint's automatic setup. Mint essentially splits the drive between it and Windows using the same boot partitions, which can be intimidating at first. However, once you become familiar with tools like gparted, it becomes much simpler. You can ensure Mint installs correctly by using its "install to specific partitions" feature. It's wise to test your main system in VirtualBox before making any changes, so you can learn the process safely. If you're worried about Windows overwriting GRUB, this method is the most reliable path, though it still requires some effort. The video demonstrates a straightforward way to set up Mint in a dual-boot environment—feel free to try it if you're unsure, but keep these points in mind.