DualBoot

Most computers run a single operating system, like Windows or macOS. Dual-booting means installing two operating systems on the same computer and choosing which one to use at startup. This guide focuses only on the dual-booting steps. Installing Ubuntu is a separate process — follow the official Ubuntu installation guide at ubuntu.com/tutorials. Tip: Open it on another device or print it, since your main computer may not have internet access during setup.

Requirements:

x>A computer running Windows 10 or 11
x>Processor (CPU): Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 or better
x>Memory (RAM): 8 GB or more
x>Storage (SSD): 512 GB or more (at least 30 GB available)
x>BIOS in UEFI mode (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface)
x>External hard drive to back up your data
x>USB drive with at least 8 GB of space

Check your computer specs:

x>Open the System Information app (just search for it in the Start menu).
x>Find OS Name – this tells you what version of Windows you’re currently rocking.
x>Look at Processor – that’s your computer’s brain. Smart CPUs make dual-booting smoother.
x>Check Installed Physical Memory (RAM) – more RAM = better multitasking between systems.
x>See if your BIOS Mode says UEFI – this is the modern boot method most dual-boot setups prefer.
x>Look at Secure Boot State – check if it’s On. Some setups may ask you to turn this off later.
x>Close the System Information app – it’s served its purpose (for now).
x>Hit the Windows key and open the Start menu.
x>Open Settings (look for the gear icon).
x>Go to “System“ and select “Storage“.
x>Check your drives to see how much space is used and how much is free. You’ll need room for a second OS!

Create a backup of your data:

This is a very important step, but optional. Use your external hard drive or a Flash Drive than can hold the data.

x>Press the Windows key to open the Start menu.
x>Search for and open the Control Panel
x>Click on System and Security.
x>Then click Backup and Restore (Windows 7).
x>In the left-hand panel, select Create a system image.
x>Choose an external hard drive where you want to save the backup, then click Next.
x>Review the backup settings — you’ll see where it’s being saved, how much space it will use, and which drives are included. Click Start backup to begin.
x>Once the backup is finished, click Close.

Create a bootable USB drive:

x>Go to ubuntu.com/download/desktop and click “Download 24.04 LTS” to get Ubuntu.
x>Plug a USB flash drive into your computer.
x>Head to etcher.balena.io and click “Download Etcher”. You’ll use this tool to put Ubuntu on the USB.
x>Install and open Etcher.
x>Make sure your USB is still connected.
x>In Etcher, click “Flash from file”.
x>Select the Ubuntu ISO file you just downloaded and click Open.
x>Next, click “Select target” and choose your USB drive from the list.
x>Tick the checkbox next to the correct drive and click Select.
x>Click “Flash” to start the process.If a permission window pops up, click Yes to allow changes.
x>Etcher will write Ubuntu to the USB and then validate it to make sure everything went well.
x>Once it’s done, close Etcher. Your bootable USB is ready!

Check free space on your hard drive:

x>In the Windows search bar, type “disk partitions” and open “Create and format disk partitions”.
x>This opens the Disk Management window. It shows all the drives and partitions on your computer.
x>Important: You might see multiple partitions like EFI, Recovery, and your main Windows drive. Do not touch the EFI or Recovery partitions — they’re essential for system recovery.
x>Find the main Windows partition — usually labeled C:, and likely the biggest one.
x>Right-click on that partition and select “Shrink Volume…” from the menu.
x>Windows will calculate how much space you can shrink based on current file usage.
x>Enter how much space you want to shrink in megabytes (MB).We recommend at least 35,000–50,000 MB (35–50 GB) to give Ubuntu enough space to run well.
x>Click “Shrink”. This may take a few minutes.
x>When it’s done, you’ll see a new section marked “Unallocated” — this is the free space that Ubuntu will use during installation.

Set up your computer to boot Ubuntu:

Before installing Ubuntu, you need to access your BIOS settings and change the boot order so your computer starts from the USB drive you created earlier.

x>Make sure your Ubuntu USB drive is plugged in before restarting your computer.
x>Shut down your computer completely, then turn it back on.
x>As soon as it starts booting, press the BIOS key repeatedly until the BIOS screen appears.
x>Inside the BIOS, look for the Boot or Boot Priority tab.
x>In the list of boot devices, find your USB drive.
x>Move the USB drive to the top of the list so the computer will start from it first.
x>Save the changes and exit the BIOS. Your computer will restart.
x>After a few seconds, you should see the GRUB menu (the black screen with boot options).
x>If nothing is selected, it will automatically choose “Try or Install Ubuntu” after a short countdown.
x>If your computer has an NVIDIA graphics card, choose “Ubuntu (safe graphics)” from the GRUB menu.
x>When prompted, choose “Install Ubuntu” to begin the installation.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Ubuntu alongside Windows. Now you can choose which operating system to use when you start your computer.

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