Dual boot Linux and Windows 8 (UEFI) -preparation

[viking60]

The New Bios is UEFI and this makes the dual booting process a bit harder.
If you have a Windows 8 computer, or newer, then you probably have UEFI.

Since we are going to alter partitions it is recommended to make a backup of your Windows (I never do it ).

To Backup:

1) In the Windows start menu; search for Windows 7 File Recovery - yes it is called that even if you have Windows 8 - and select it.

2) On the left panel, select System Repair Disk

3) Select System Image

Follow the instructions.

Reduce your Windows partition:

1) Right click on "Computer"
2) Select "Manage"
3) Select "Storage"
4) Select "Disk Management (local)"
5)Right click the Windows partition and select "Shrink Volume" (shrink it as much as you want to make place for Linux - at least 30 GB but you probably want way more).

Deactivate Fast Startup and Secureboot
This is necessary because it is supposed to only allow "authorized" software - which "always" is Windows.

Deactivating Fast Startup:

1) Go to Control Panel
2)Select Energy Options
3) On the left side select "Choose what the power button does"
4)On the top of the page, activate "Change settings that are currently unavailable".

5)At the bottom of the page at "Shutdown Settings", deactivate the option "Turn On Fast Startup"

6) Save the new settings.
7) Reboot

Alternative to deactivate Fast startup:
Open a cmd window as administrator and type:

Code: Select all

powercfg /h off

Deactivating Secureboot

Reboot and enter your Bios/Uefi (<F2> or <Delete> or some other mentioned button that you will see briefly during boot).

1) Find "Secureboot"
2) Change it to "Disabled".

While you are in there you should also alter the Boot priority so that your Computer can boot from USB so that your pen drive can be started at boot (If You have a Linux Live CD this is not necessary, but many computers come without DVD slots these days).
Also set the Windows Boot manager at the very bottom.

Now you are ready to install (64bit) Linux!

(The Distro's sites will have instructions on the install and they may slightly vary).

Here is an Example (Manjaro)
Ubuntu
Arch
Here is a nice Video on how you can do it with Mageia:

..And an even nicer one on how you can do it with Fedora23:

Mint:
.

Zorin:

Working example!

[Blackcrack]

an small ask, it is not able uefi to disable ?
i have disable it at my bios.. and i want not Windows10
only in Virtualbox, where i have really control over it ..

but for now, works Win7 for me
and if the support for win7 away, then should grip Reactos.org imho..
and i set believe in the boy's that they are can that do up to this end of "support of" Win7

because we need fast as possible an neutral winnt and not one from the "States of Amerika"
with they facility's .. because antonym and secret should hold also the sphere of private !
And not play in the name of commerce the big brother.. okey, this was maybe an bit to mutch,
but isn't it like so ?

how ever, so, why not check up for buy an board without an Uefi.. or able to disable ..

best regards
Blacky

[viking60]

You can enable Uefi all together if you do not want to run Windows 10 (or Windows 8). That is no longer a requirement to run Linux on the computer though.
Uefi can handle larger disks bigger than 2 TB.

[Blackcrack]

anyway, windows 10 it's neither linux neither under GPL, imho.. kick it away.. up to the moon.. and far far further on !
you should make advertising for reactos.org, the brother in GPL and on the free community

best regards
Blacky