Question Multibooting...Windows 10 and several Linux Systems...
Question Multibooting...Windows 10 and several Linux Systems...
For many years I've been using dual booting between Windows and Linux...starting with Linux around 1995.
I haven't tried installing more than one Linux distro on the same machine.
I'm considering upgrading my I7 machine (Windows 10/Ubuntu) to include Batocera as well, treating it more like a classic gaming setup.
I've also been curious about other Linux options...
Are there any issues or should I just create partitions and point the distro to the right place? Would Grub manage this automatically?
Thanks for your assistance, Chris.
You may consider moving this discussion to the Linux forum since it isn't really about Windows 10.
I have set up a dual-boot between Win11/MX Linux and GRUB on a laptop, but I haven’t experimented with multiple installations yet.
According to what I understand, you need to create partitions for your other distributions and install them. To ensure GRUB recognizes them, run the specified commands within the distribution that owns the GRUB. This could be the last one added or another you selected.
Running
Code:
sudo update-grub
will list the available distributions and add them.
I’d like to emphasize this without saying it—make sure all your data is safely backed up before proceeding. And it should already be backed up, even if that’s the case.
Also, pay attention to the size of your EFI System Partition (ESP) when partitioning; a larger size helps avoid issues, especially after updates. When I first dual booted, I chose a 512 MB space instead of the standard 100 MB, but later faced problems with kernel versions. Eventually, I increased it to 4 GB, which is substantial for an ESP but manageable on a 0.5 TB drive.
You can simply install an emulation station on Ubuntu or Windows 10 and then use a setup guide if you wish to customize it. That’s how Batocera functions as the interface—no need to install it if your system already supports it.
Regarding your concern, GRUB will perform well initially but may fail later. For instance, I installed Bazzite with Windows 11 and it worked until an update made Windows 11 unavailable, causing a boot issue to a low-resolution display. The problem arose from the update rather than GRUB itself or the Bazzite version. Since I kept the installation on a separate disk, I simply disconnected it to restore normal Windows.
I personally rely on retroarch without any frontend on Windows; I don’t care about appearance, just want to play old games. For testing old PCs and checking emulation performance, I use batocera recalbox or lakka because it’s simpler to boot from a USB than setting up an HDD/SSD. Bazzite is also good since it offers many game compatibility options, supports Steam, and includes an emulation station with setup routines if you choose it during installation.