[SOLVED] What are the advantages of running windows and Linux side by side

[nukesnicks]

Does anyone know how or why you should dual boot Ubuntu and Windows 10 together? I ask this question because I want to get the Linux experience while at the same time be able to enjoy the benefits of windows 10. I’ve heard several good things about Linux but never really wanted to try it cause I then risk giving up my windows 10 product key which would be unfortunate to lose. I was just earlier this week introduced to dual booting Ubuntu and Windows 10 and decided why not. I’ve seen some videos but they really don’t make sense to me. When I watched a video on how to do it, it just simply looked like Linux was the master operating system with having nothing to do with windows 10. Unless windows 10 is a slave? I know that WINE is Linux’s version of system 32 (in a sense). Thanks in advance!

 

[USAFRet]

Couple of ways to do this:

1. Dualboot. Each OS is its own entity. You choose which one at boot up time.
You only use one at a time.

2. A VirtualMachine. This is basically an entire OS encapsulated in a file.
There is a host system and a guest system.
You can run both systems (or more) at the same time. The 'guest' OS' runs in a window like any other application.

This is my system running 4x VM's (Linux and various flavors of Windows), and the host Windows 10 on the right:

3. Linux Live CD or USB. This is a Linux install that lives on a USB.
You only use one at a time. Boot from the Linux USB or boot from the Windows drive as you normally do.
This is a good way to get your feet wet with Linux.

 

[nukesnicks]

Couple of ways to do this:

1. Dualboot. Each OS is its own entity. You choose which one at boot up time.
You only use one at a time.

2. A VirtualMachine. This is basically an entire OS encapsulated in a file.
There is a host system and a guest system.
You can run both systems (or more) at the same time. The 'guest' OS' runs in a window like any other application.

This is my system running 4x VM's (Linux and various flavors of Windows), and the host Windows 10 on the right:

3. Linux Live CD or USB. This is a Linux install that lives on a USB.
You only use one at a time. Boot from the Linux USB or boot from the Windows drive as you normally do.
This is a good way to get your feet wet with Linux.

Ok but if I decided to make my master os Linux and decided to use VM and make win 10 the guest would gaming performance lack or would it still be good? I have Oracle VMware already installed on my pc but am to lazy to use it. Guess this will give me a good chance to experience it.

 

[nukesnicks]

Couple of ways to do this:

1. Dualboot. Each OS is its own entity. You choose which one at boot up time.
You only use one at a time.

2. A VirtualMachine. This is basically an entire OS encapsulated in a file.
There is a host system and a guest system.
You can run both systems (or more) at the same time. The 'guest' OS' runs in a window like any other application.

This is my system running 4x VM's (Linux and various flavors of Windows), and the host Windows 10 on the right:

3. Linux Live CD or USB. This is a Linux install that lives on a USB.
You only use one at a time. Boot from the Linux USB or boot from the Windows drive as you normally do.
This is a good way to get your feet wet with Linux.

Also what do you mean by various flavors? Like win 10 home vs pro?

 

[USAFRet]

Ok but if I decided to make my master os Linux and decided to use VM and make win 10 the guest would gaming performance lack or would it still be good? I have Oracle VMware already installed on my pc but am to lazy to use it. Guess this will give me a good chance to experience it.

Gaming from an OS in a VM sucks. Don't do that.
You currently have Windows installed?
That will be your host. Install a Linux OS in a guest VM.

 

[captaincharisma]

Couple of ways to do this:

1. Dualboot. Each OS is its own entity. You choose which one at boot up time.
You only use one at a time.

2. A VirtualMachine. This is basically an entire OS encapsulated in a file.
There is a host system and a guest system.
You can run both systems (or more) at the same time. The 'guest' OS' runs in a window like any other application.

This is my system running 4x VM's (Linux and various flavors of Windows), and the host Windows 10 on the right:

3. Linux Live CD or USB. This is a Linux install that lives on a USB.
You only use one at a time. Boot from the Linux USB or boot from the Windows drive as you normally do.
This is a good way to get your feet wet with Linux.

Also what do you mean by various flavors? Like win 10 home vs pro?

i believe they are referring to the countless distrubution of linuxs that are out there like debian, mint, redhat, etc, etc.

or he is running varios version of windows like 7, 8 and 10

 

[USAFRet]

Also what do you mean by various flavors? Like win 10 home vs pro?

In the pic, from left to right:
LinuxMint
Windows 10 Pro
Windows 10, checking the install routine
Windows Server 2012
Host of Win 10 Pro

I generally have a Linux VM running all the time, to check potentially hazardous websites.

One of the Win 10 Pro installs is there to verify what happens with a completely Unactivated Win 10 over time. It was installed on Dec 8 2016, so just over 2 years old. So far, no change from Day 1.

 

[Dugimodo]

You can install Linux to a new drive or partition and it will create a boot menu for you. Unfortunately MS updates have been known to remove it occasionally.

Another option is to connect a new empty drive by itelf and install Linux on it, then after reconnecting the windows drive use the BIOS boot menu to change which one you use (very clunky).

Something I see suggested less often is editing the windows boot menu to add Linux to it, suprisingly the windows boot manage will work if pointed at a linux install. This has the advantage of windows updates not messing with it, and makes it easy to remove linux later. You still install it to it's own drive without windows connected, then you either edit the boot menu yourself or use a tool like Easy BCD to do it. It took me a couple of tries last time, as easyBCD had a couple of different versions of Grub listed and I wasn't sure which to use.

 

[nukesnicks]

Ok but if I decided to make my master os Linux and decided to use VM and make win 10 the guest would gaming performance lack or would it still be good? I have Oracle VMware already installed on my pc but am to lazy to use it. Guess this will give me a good chance to experience it.

Gaming from an OS in a VM sucks. Don't do that.
You currently have Windows installed?
That will be your host. Install a Linux OS in a guest VM.

Alright. Thanks.

 

[USAFRet]

This is my current VM lineup:

5x Linux and 3x Windows.

 

[nukesnicks]

This is my current VM lineup:

5x Linux and 3x Windows.

Holy hell what are your specs?

 

[nukesnicks]

This is my current VM lineup:

5x Linux and 3x Windows.

Also how did you get that many operating systems. Win server 2012 is practically impossible to get!

 

[nukesnicks]

This is my current VM lineup:

5x Linux and 3x Windows.

Also you spelled Ubuntu wrong. You spelled it Ububtu.

 

[USAFRet]

Holy hell what are your specs?

I don't run ALL of them at once, but I can do (and have) 4x VM and the host Win 10.
Hover over my avatar for specs. A good CPU and plenty of RAM is all you need.

If I were to trim the RAM resources of a couple of the Linux's, I could squeeze in a couple more actually running.

 

[USAFRet]

Also you spelled Ubuntu wrong. You spelled it Ububtu.

Yes I did !