Two operating systems on two storage devices
Two operating systems on two storage devices
You're looking to set up a dual-boot environment where PopOS runs on both the SSD and HDD. Since your laptop already has Windows installed on the SSD, you'll need to configure the boot order so that PopOS starts first, then switches to the HDD. Using PopOS on your MacBook Pro experience suggests you might want to follow similar steps with a Linux distribution like PopOS itself or another lightweight OS. Make sure to back up any important data before making changes to the boot configuration.
Laptops usually function fine, though some have very restricted BIOS or boot settings. Simply put one operating system on one drive and another on the other, and it should work without issues. You shouldn’t lose anything unless you accidentally remove important files.
I'm less experienced with POP OS compared to other distributions. I think it's quite challenging to get exactly what you need because POP OS uses systemd-boot instead of GRUB for startup. From what I know, you can't add extra boot entries through systemd. The solution is to rely on your laptop's built-in Boot Menu to switch between Linux and Windows. Also, it's a good idea to disconnect the SSD before installing POP onto the HDD. It's not strictly necessary but helps prevent bootloader confusion.
Then, just launch Windows and press F12 to open the boot menu.