Although on Windows 10, you can now install different Linux distros, including Ubuntu, SUSE, and Fedora, sometimes you may be still required to use the full-blown version of Linux to access a particular tool that you need to get the work done.
If you don’t have a spare computer to install a full version of Linux, you can alternatively modify your current installation to run Ubuntu alongside Windows 10 on a dual-boot setup. Also, since Ubuntu Linux has been improving significantly over the years, their installation has gotten easier as well.
In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to create a dual-boot system with Windows 10 and Ubuntu 17.04.
- How to shrink Windows 10 partition to install Ubuntu
- How to create an Ubuntu bootable media
- How to install Ubuntu alongside Windows 10
- How to customize Ubuntu Grub menu
How to shrink Windows 10 partition to install Ubuntu
Although the Ubuntu setup includes an option to install alongside Windows 10, sometimes it may not work as expected. Instead, it’s recommended to shrink the Windows 10 partition to make room for the Ubuntu installation before proceeding and use the manual setup during install.
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Open Start.
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Search for Create and format hard disk partitions and click the result to open Disk Management.
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Right-click the (C:) partition, and select Shrink Volume.
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Select the amount of space to shrink in megabytes. (Ubuntu requires 5GB of available space for the installation, but it’s recommended to select at least 10GB or more.)
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Click Shrink.
Once you’ve completed the steps, you’ll end up with a small partition for Windows 10 and some unallocated space that you can now use to install Ubuntu.
How to create an Ubuntu bootable media
You’ll also need to download the ISO file containing the latest version of Ubuntu, which you can use to create a bootable media.
On Windows 10, the easiest way to create a USB bootable drive with the Ubuntu files that will boot on BIOS or UEFI is using the Rufus tool.
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Double-click the .exe file to launch the tool.
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On “Device,” use the drop-down menu and select the USB flash drive you want to use.
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Under “Partition scheme and target system type,” use the drop-down menu and select MBR partition scheme for BIOS or UEFI.
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On “File System,” select FAT32.
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Under “Cluster size,” leave the default selection.
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On “Create a bootable disk using,” select ISO image, and click the drive icon.
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Select the Ubuntu image, and click Open.
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Click the Start button.
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If you’re prompted to download additional files to create a bootable drive using a Linux distro, click Yes.
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Select the Write in ISO Image mode option.
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Click OK.
After completing the steps, you can proceed with the steps below to create a dual-boot system with Ubuntu and Windows 10.
How to install Ubuntu alongside Windows 10
Once you shrunk the Windows 10 partition and created the Ubuntu bootable drive, you can now proceed with the dual-boot setup.
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Restart your computer with USB drive with the Ubuntu installation files.
Quick Tip: If your PC is not starting into the Ubuntu setup, you may need to access the system BIOS to change the boot settings to start from USB. Typically, you can change these settings by pressing one of the functions (e.g., F2, F8, F12), Delete, or ESC key. However, make sure to check your computer manufacturer support website for more details. -
Using the keyboard, select your language, and press Enter to continue.
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Select Install Ubuntu.
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Click Continue.
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Check the Download updates while installing Ubuntu option.
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Check the Install third-party software for graphics and Wi-Fi hardware, Flash, MP3 and other media option.
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Click Continue.
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Select the Something else option.
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Click Continue.
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Double-click the free space, the unallocated space you created on Windows 10 (or right-click it and select Add).
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Under “Use as,” use the drop-down menu and select Swap area to create a swap partition.
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On “Size,” select the amount of space for the swap partition. Typically, it should be at least 1.5x or 2x the size of the amount of RAM installed on your computer.
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Click OK.
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Double-click the free space, the unallocated space you created on Windows 10 (or right-click it and select Add).
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Set the amount space on megabytes you want to use for the installation.
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Under “Mount point,” use the drop-down menu and select root “/” as the mount point.
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Click OK.
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Select the ext4 partition you just created and click Install Now.
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Click Continue to begin the Ubuntu installation.
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Select your timezone, and click Continue.
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Select your keyboard layout, and click Continue.
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Enter the information to create a new account, and click Continue.
Once you’ve completed the steps, Ubuntu will install on your device alongside Windows 10.
How to customize Ubuntu Grub menu
After the installation, you’ll notice Ubuntu’s Grub boot menu, which allows you to select the OS you want to start. However, you can customize the menu to set Windows 10 as the default using Ubuntu.
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Start your device on Ubuntu.
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Right-click on the desktop, and click Open terminal.
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Type the following command to tell Ubuntu where to get the app files and press Enter:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:danielrichter2007/grub-customizer
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Type the following command and press Enter:
sudo apt-get update
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Type the following command to install the Grub Customizer application and press Enter:
sudo apt-get install grub-customizer
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Open the Ubuntu menu.
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Type Grub Customizer and click the result to open the app.
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Select the Windows 10 entry at the bottom of the list, and click the up-arrow button to move the entry all the way to the top.
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Click the Save button.
After completing the steps, simply restart your computer, and Windows 10 should now be the default option during boot.