How to Dual Boot Windows 11 and Linux Mint： A Step-by-Step Guide

Alright folks, so you want to run both Windows 11 and Linux Mint on one computer, eh? This here’s called dual bootin’, and it means you can pick between Windows and Linux Mint every time you turn on the ol’ machine. It’s a bit tricky if you ain’t done it before, but let me tell ya, it’s doable. I’ll walk ya through it step by step, nice and slow, so don’t worry.

Step 1: Get Your Stuff Ready

First things first, we need a few things ready. You’ll need a USB drive, at least 8GB in size, for makin’ what’s called a “live USB.” This is how we’ll get Linux Mint onto your computer. Then head on over to the Linux Mint website and download the latest ISO file. Look for Linux Mint 21 or whatever version they’ve got there. Save that file to your computer, somewhere you can find it easy, like on your desktop or downloads folder.

Now, after ya download that, you’ll need to make that USB into a bootable one. There’s a handy tool called Rufus, a small program you can download to help ya do this. Just open Rufus, pick your USB drive, select the ISO file ya downloaded, and let Rufus do its thing.

Step 2: Partition the Hard Drive

Now, this here step can be a little scary if you’re not used to messin’ around with your computer’s inner parts, but hang tight. What we’re doin’ is makin’ space on your hard drive for Linux Mint, so it has its own room right alongside Windows. Head over to your Windows search bar and type in “Disk Management,” then open it up. You’ll see a picture of all the storage drives in your computer. Find the one that says “C:” — that’s usually your main drive.

Right-click it and select “Shrink Volume.” Now, don’t worry, we’re not deleting nothin’, just makin’ some room. Enter the amount of space ya want for Linux Mint. I’d say at least 20GB, but if ya got room to spare, more’s always better. Once you shrink it, you’ll see a bit of “Unallocated” space — that’s where Linux Mint is gonna live.

Step 3: Install Linux Mint

Now we’re gettin’ to the good part! Plug that USB into your computer and restart it. As it’s bootin’ up, you need to get into what’s called the “Boot Menu.” This depends on your computer — could be F2, F10, or maybe Delete. It’ll usually flash up quick on the screen, so keep an eye out. When ya get there, select the USB to boot from.

Now your computer’s gonna boot into Linux Mint. Follow the prompts, and when it asks where to install, choose “Install alongside Windows.” This will set up that dual boot for ya, so when you turn the computer on, it’ll ask ya if you want Windows or Linux Mint. Pretty neat, huh?

Step 4: Setting Up GRUB

Now, after Linux Mint is installed, ya might see somethin’ called “GRUB.” This is like a menu that lets ya pick between Windows 11 and Linux Mint. Don’t be worried if it looks a bit funny. It might ask ya to set some options, but usually, just hittin’ “continue” or “next” will get you there. Once that’s all done, remove your USB drive and restart.

Step 5: Try It Out

Alright, now give it a whirl! When you turn on your computer, GRUB should pop up, givin’ you the option to boot into either Windows 11 or Linux Mint. Choose whichever ya want and go from there. That’s it! Now ya got both systems on one computer, and you can switch between them whenever ya like.

Some Handy Tips

• If Linux Mint ever has trouble detectin’ Windows, don’t panic. You can go into Linux and update GRUB by openin’ the terminal and typing sudo update-grub. That usually fixes it.
• Keep an eye on your storage space — runnin’ two systems on one hard drive can fill it up faster than ya think.
• Make backups before ya start. It’s always better to have copies of your files in case anything goes sideways.

So there ya go! Follow these steps, and you’ll be dual bootin’ in no time. Ain’t as hard as it sounds once ya break it down like this. Just take it slow, and if you get lost, remember to take a deep breath and go back through the steps.

Tags：[dual boot, Windows 11, Linux Mint, install Linux, live USB, GRUB]