Two operating systems installed together on the same SSD.
Two operating systems installed together on the same SSD.
Dual booting is the process of running two operating systems side by side. You can use more than two, but it might cause issues, so sticking with two is a safe choice. Which operating system would you like to install?
If you already have your Linux distribution in mind, the process is straightforward—download it and load it onto a USB with tools like Rufus or Fedora Media Writer. Start the installation from the USB and follow the steps as usual. There are many guides for dual-booting Linux; just search one if you're unsure. Remember to install Windows first and turn off secure boot before adding Linux. If you're unsure about the distro, Distrowatch is a useful resource. Manjaro is a popular choice for beginners.
Begin by installing Windows. Most major Linux installers will recognize Windows and configure the boot loader so you can select between them during startup. Installing Linux first means Windows will take precedence, blocking access to a Linux boot option. If you prefer experimenting without worrying about the boot process, consider downloading VirtualBox from https://www.virtualbox.org/ and running Linux within it.