Advice Request Which Linux Distro is the best for dual boot

[anirbandutta01]

Hello, I want to make my system dual boot with Linux distro. Which LTS distro is the best ? Linux Mint Cinnamon / Ubuntu GNOME / Fedora KDE Plasma.
How can I install Linux alongside Windows 10 ? Will it harm my SSD ?
My computer configuration is 8 GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB HDD, 128GB SSD (installed Windows 10 Pro X64 22H2 on SSD) Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-2100 CPU @ 3.10GHz 3.09 GHz. Based on my current computer configuration, which mentioned linux distro is suitable for me?
Please help me to install linux alongside windows step by step based on my current configuration ( /, root, home, swap etc. how much space required ) (currently windows is installed on my SSD, so should I install linux on SSD alongside windows?)

Please guide me. Thanks in advance.

 

[Captain Holly]

I am interested in this too, I have an older Lenovo laptop on Windows 10 22H2, it has 6 GB RAM and a 1TB hard drive and an Intel i3 processor. I don't use that laptop very much, it's maybe 6 years old now but I have been thinking about either changing it to a Chromebook or trying to use and learn Linux on it. I was reading just last night how you can create ChromeOS on a flash drive and run it without changing Windows. I am just now getting started but I think it will be an interesting project either way. I appreciate any help on this.

C.H.

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

How to Install Ubuntu Alongside Windows 10

This detailed article shows you how to dual boot Ubuntu with Windows 10, step-by-step, accompanied with proper screenshots.

Beginners Guide to Install Windows With Ubuntu in Dual Boot

This detailed article shows you how to dual boot Ubuntu with Windows 10, step-by-step, accompanied with proper screenshots.

itsfoss.com

 

[Captain Holly]

Thanks @Gandalf, I will take a look at that soon as I can. Is Ubuntu the better distro for a noob to start out with?

C.H.

 

[MuzzMelbourne]

Hello, I want to make my system dual boot with Linux distro. Which LTS distro is the best ? Linux Mint Cinnamon / Ubuntu GNOME / Fedora KDE Plasma.
How can I install Linux alongside Windows 10 ? Will it harm my SSD ?
My computer configuration is 8 GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB HDD, 128GB SSD (installed Windows 10 Pro X64 22H2 on SSD) Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-2100 CPU @ 3.10GHz 3.09 GHz. Based on my current computer configuration, which mentioned linux distro is suitable for me?
Please help me to install linux alongside windows step by step based on my current configuration ( /, root, home, swap etc. how much space required ) (currently windows is installed on my SSD, so should I install linux on SSD alongside windows?)

Please guide me. Thanks in advance.

Have you considered installing, maybe, Oracle's Virtual box 7.0 and running several, different, distro's virtually before deciding on dual-boot? 8Gb should be ok, just, but 128Gb SSD is pushing your luck I think, depends on Window's version/size I guess. I'm a Mac user so cant help you there.

I tried Mint Cinnamon, Ubuntu Mate, Ubuntu 22.04 KDE and RedHat(years ago) before deciding to go with Ubuntu Server 22.04 CLI and play with a home lab. If you're interested in going down the Cyber Security route, Kali Linux seems to be the distro to head for and is desktop.

I use my old 2011 MacBook Pro for this stuff. It's 16Gb DDR3, 500Gb SSD, Intel Core Duo i5 2.4Ghz (single processor with only two threads) and has no problems at all, a bit slow running VM's though, but Ubuntu Server screams along.

It won't harm your SSD if done properly. Tons and tons of stuff on YouTube about this, check it out if you have access.

Have fun! Its well worth the effort...

 

[anirbandutta01]

How to Install Ubuntu Alongside Windows 10

Beginners Guide to Install Windows With Ubuntu in Dual Boot

This detailed article shows you how to dual boot Ubuntu with Windows 10, step-by-step, accompanied with proper screenshots.

itsfoss.com

Thank you so much. Which distro mentioned here is best ?

 

[anirbandutta01]

Thanks @Gandalf, I will take a look at that soon as I can. Is Ubuntu the better distro for a noob to start out with?

C.H.

I think Linux Mint is the answer of your question.

 

[MuzzMelbourne]

Sorry, missed the 500Gb HDD... you should be fine.

 

[Moonhorse]

I currently have laptop with 1gb ram, Intel cpu @ 1.6ghz running Debian. Best distro i have used is either pop OS! Or Linux mint. Both are noob friendly and working out of box. I have used pop OS with dual boot.. I have found help from reddit and just googling here and there

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

I like Ubuntu because there is a lot more info and guides (especially for newbies) available than for any other distribution.

 

[CyberDevil]

I really like Garuda Linux, but they do not give support, as I remember, to install it in parallel with Windows, nevertheless, if you are interested in the most modern, gaming and beautiful distro, I suggest you check it out in a virtual machine.

 

[simmerskool]

Have you considered installing, maybe, Oracle's Virtual box 7.0 and running several, different, distro's virtually

agree about virtualization, although I've had better luck at least recently with VMware...

 

[goodjohnjr]

Thanks @Gandalf, I will take a look at that soon as I can. Is Ubuntu the better distro for a noob to start out with?

C.H.

Yes, I think so, Ubuntu LTS was the first Linux distribution that I tried, Linux Mint did not work on my computer back then, but Ubuntu LTS did; it is usually among the top recommendations for Linux in general, beginners included.

 

[Pixelman]

I currently have laptop with 1gb ram, Intel cpu @ 1.6ghz running Debian. Best distro i have used is either pop OS! Or Linux mint. Both are noob friendly and working out of box. I have used pop OS with dual boot.. I have found help from reddit and just googling here and there

I agree on pop_os and Mint.

 

[Zero Knowledge]

Ubuntu LTS, Linux Mint or Debian KDE/Cinnamon. I prefer Debian.

 

[ddave]

IMHO opensuse has the best installer and yast can be very handy if you're a novice.
Also opensuse tumbleweed is rolling release, that means you haven't to do a whole distro upgrade every some months because everything is already up to date.

 

[anirbandutta01]

I like Ubuntu because there is a lot more info and guides (especially for newbies) available than for any other distribution.

I want to know based on my system configuration, can I install Ubuntu dual boot?

 

[Gandalf_The_Grey]

I want to know based on my system configuration, can I install Ubuntu dual boot?

Yes, that should be no problem:

Installation/SystemRequirements - Community Help Wiki

 

[anirbandutta01]

Yes, I think so, Ubuntu LTS was the first Linux distribution that I tried, Linux Mint did not work on my computer back then, but Ubuntu LTS did; it is usually among the top recommendations for Linux in general, beginners included.

Which Ubuntu varient is good? GNome or Mate? Which have near windows experience like linux mint ?

 

[anirbandutta01]

Yes, that should be no problem:

Installation/SystemRequirements - Community Help Wiki

Which Ubuntu varient is good? GNome or Mate? Which have near windows experience like linux mint ?