How to Dual Boot Linux Mint with Windows 10： Step-by-Step Guide

Alright, so today we’re talkin’ ‘bout how ya can install Linux Mint alongside Windows 10 on the same ol’ computer. Now, why would ya wanna do this, huh? Well, sometimes folks like having Windows for some things, but maybe they wanna dip their toes into Linux Mint for other stuff, maybe to learn something new or get away from all the Windows updates. So, here’s how you can do it, step-by-step, no fancy talk!

First off, ya need to make sure ya got a few things ready before we dive in. Here’s a quick list:

• Windows 10 already installed on your computer.
• A USB drive with at least 4GB of space.
• A copy of Linux Mint (download from their official site).
• Some unallocated space on your hard drive or know how to make it.

Alright, let’s get this show on the road. I’ll walk ya through in small steps, just like I’d do it myself.

Step 1: Make Space on Your Hard Drive

If ya got a single partition on your hard drive with only Windows on it, we need to carve out a little bit of space for Linux Mint. Don’t worry, we’re not deleting Windows. We’re just makin’ room for Linux to sit alongside it. Here’s how:

1. Go to your Disk Management. Just type it in the search bar if ya don’t know where it is.
2. Find your main drive, right-click, and select “Shrink Volume.” Windows will now ask ya how much space ya wanna free up.
3. Give it at least 20GB of free space. The more, the better, but don’t go under 20GB.
4. Now, ya should see an unallocated space in Disk Management. That’s where Linux will go!

Alright, got that? Good. Moving on!

Step 2: Make a Bootable USB with Linux Mint

Now, this part’s kinda fun. We’re gonna make a bootable USB with Linux Mint on it. Here’s what ya do:

1. First, download the Linux Mint .iso file from their website. It’s just a file, ya don’t gotta install it just yet.
2. Now, get a little tool called Rufus. This is what we’ll use to make the USB bootable. It’s easy to find and free to download.
3. Open Rufus, plug in the USB drive, and select the Linux Mint .iso file. Then hit “Start” and let it do its thing. Might take a few minutes, but let it finish up.

Once it’s done, ya got yourself a Linux Mint bootable USB. Now we’re gettin’ somewhere!

Step 3: Restart and Boot from USB

Alright, now we’re gonna restart your computer and boot from that USB we just made. Here’s how ya do it:

1. Plug in the USB drive.
2. Restart your computer. While it’s starting back up, press F12, Esc, or whatever key it says for “boot menu.” It’s different on some computers, but those two are pretty common.
3. From the boot menu, choose to boot from your USB drive. It should show up as something like “USB Storage” or just the name of the USB.
4. If ya did it right, Linux Mint should start up from the USB. Now ya can test it out a bit, see if ya like it.

If you’re ready to make it official, let’s go ahead and install it!

Step 4: Installing Linux Mint Alongside Windows 10

Now, here comes the good stuff. You’ll see an option on the Linux Mint screen that says “Install Linux Mint”. Click that, and follow along with these steps:

1. When it asks where to install, choose “Install alongside Windows 10.” This will put it right in that unallocated space we made earlier.
2. If ya get a screen asking how much space ya want for Linux Mint, feel free to give it all the space we made in Step 1.
3. Continue through the installation. It’ll ask for your timezone, keyboard layout, and a few other things. Just follow along; it’s pretty straightforward.

Once it’s all done, it’ll ask ya to restart. Go ahead and do that, but don’t pull out the USB just yet!

Step 5: Choose Your Operating System

When your computer starts back up, ya should see a screen with both Linux Mint and Windows 10 as options. This is called the grub menu. Each time ya start your computer, ya can pick between Windows or Linux. Pretty neat, huh?

And there ya have it! Ya just set up a dual boot with Linux Mint and Windows 10. If ya ever decide ya don’t want one of ‘em, ya can remove it, but that’s another story for another day.

Alright, happy computing, and enjoy your new Linux Mint setup!

Tags：

dual boot, Linux Mint, Windows 10, Linux installation, bootable USB, partition hard drive