Installing Linux from under Windows: step-by-step instructions, features

Due to the fact that there are several conceptually different operating systems (OS), the user at some point will want to install another. Moreover, this action can be performed without deleting the previous OS. The rest of the text will explain how to install Linux from under Windows and vice versa. At the end, you will also learn how to install a full-fledged operating system on a Flash drive.

Install Linux from under Windows

In most cases, users install as the main OS on a Windows computer, so the topic of installing Linux from under Windows is more relevant, and we will consider this situation. Looking ahead, let's say that there are two ways: the traditional one, which involves using the drive with the Linux installer image, and the special one using the Wubi program.

Method 1: through the bootable USB flash drive

If you want to install Linux Mint from under Windows using the traditional method, then you first need to create a bootable USB flash drive with the desired distribution. For this, we will use the Rufus program.

1. Launch the app.
2. Click on the button with the image of the disk.
3. In Explorer, select the Linux image that you want to preload on your computer.
4. From the list of "devices", select your flash drive.
5. Leave the default partition layout and system interface type.
6. Also, by default, leave the file system and cluster size.
7. Do not change all other settings.
8. Click the "Start" button.

After that, the recording process will begin. Wait for it to finish and close the program. The flash drive is ready, now you need to start from it. To do this, restart the computer and at the time of its launch, press the F9 or F8 button until a special menu appears. In it, select your flash drive. After that, the Linux Mint installer or another distribution kit that you have selected will start.

1. In the menu, select the line "Run".
2. Once on the OS desktop, run the Install Linux shortcut.
3. The installer opens, in which, following the instructions, install the Linux operating system.

This is how simple it is to install Linux under Windows 10 or any other version of the OS from Microsoft.

Method 2: using the Wubi program

Having finished figuring out how to install Linux from a flash drive, let's move on to a non-standard way, which involves using a special program that, in fact, will do everything for you, you just need to set the necessary parameters. The application is, as you might guess, based on the subtitle, called Wubi, so download it and install it on your computer before performing further instructions.

It should be said right away that with its help you can install from under Windows Linux Ubuntu, unfortunately there are no other distributions. But without focusing on the nuances of the application, we will go directly to its user guide.

When you launch the application, you will see six settings that you are prompted to change or set. Let's take a closer look at them:

• Installation disk. Here you need to select the drive or partition on which Linux will be installed. It is noteworthy that you can even choose a system one, there will not be any glitches in Windows.
• Installation size. Many will be surprised that the maximum for Linux can be allocated 30 gigabytes on a previously selected drive, but in the future this amount can be increased.
• Desktop environment. Those familiar with Linux will immediately figure it out, while others are advised to choose Unity.
• Tongue. Here you select the localization of the OS.
• Username. Enter your name, which will be displayed in the system.
• Password. Enter and confirm the password that is required to enter the system.

After that, click the "Install" button, and in the future, give permission for this action. Wait for all the necessary processes to complete and restart the computer. After that, the Linux desktop will appear, on which all OS files will be unpacked. After finishing, the computer will restart and in the bootloader you will be offered the choice of starting Linux.

Installing Windows 7 from Linux

Now we’ll go directly to how to install Windows from under Linux. As in the previous method, this can be done through a bootable USB flash drive, however, the method of its creation is much different from the previously considered method. In any case, if it seems to you that it is difficult to follow all the instructions, you can use the second method, which is also provided for. It implies the use of another application, which is called Qemu.

Method 1: Via the boot drive

Considering how to install Linux from under Windows, we outlined a method using a flash drive. Consider it, only inside the operating system based on the Linux kernel. You will need a program called ROSA Image Writer for this, so download it to your computer and install it. Also, do not forget to download the image of the Windows operating system that you will install.

1. Run the program.
2. In the "Image" field, enter the path to the Windows image. The same can be done through the file manager by clicking on the button with the image of the folder.
3. From the "USB-drive" list, select the USB flash drive, which at this stage should already be inserted into the computer.
4. Click the "Record" button.

After that, the creation of a flash drive will begin. Wait for this process to complete and close the program. Restart the computer and while it is loading, press the F9 or F8 button, and in the menu that appears, select the drive as the device from which the computer will start. A Windows installer will appear, following the instructions in it, you will install the OS.

Method 2: using Qemu

What if you use a specific distribution where the ROSA program does not work? In this case, you can use the Qemu application. It is he who is recommended on the Habr site for installing Windows from under Linux. Looking ahead, it is worth saying that for many users this method may not be suitable, since it does not imply the use of a graphical environment, on the contrary, all actions will be performed directly in the "Terminal".

1. Install the program by writing the command sudo apt install qemu in the "Terminal".
2. Download the Windows image to your computer.
3. Obtain superuser privileges in the Terminal by running the sudo su command and entering your password after that.

Installation

Now you can go directly to the main process. All you have to do is run one command: qemu -boot d -cdrom <path to windows image> / dev / sdb -m 1536. Note that / dev / sdb is the section where the proprietary software will be stored, and m 1536 is the amount of RAM that will be allocated under the control of the operating system.

Having executed the necessary command, the process of copying installation files will start, after which you need to restart the computer and disable the Qemu program, you can do this, for example, through the System Monitor.

Now you need to update the GRUB bootloader, this is done with one command: update-grub, after which a new entry will appear in it, which is necessary to run on a Windows computer. However, sometimes this is not enough for it to appear, it happens in cases where the Windows boot loader overwrites GRUB. In this case, run one of the commands: grub-install or dpkg-reconfigure grub.

After all this is done, you must restart the computer again, and in the GRUB menu, select the line with the mention of Windows. The installer of the operating system will start directly, in which, following all the instructions, you will install the OS.

Install Linux on a Windows flash drive

So we looked at how you can install Linux from under "Windows" or "Windows" from under Linux, but what if you want to have, so to speak, a portable operating system? In this case, you can easily install Linux on your USB flash drive and boot from it at any opportunity. Unfortunately, the same with Windows is much more difficult to do, at least by official methods.

So, to install Linux on a USB flash drive, you need to do the following:

1. Prepare two flash drives. One should be at least 2 GB, and the second - more than 8 GB, since it is on it that the operating system will be installed.
2. On a flash drive with a capacity of 2 GB or more, write the image of the desired Linux distribution.
3. Start the computer from this flash drive and start installing Linux.
4. When marking the disk, specify as the installation location your USB flash drive with a size of 8 GB or more.

After that, the unpacking of the files to the USB flash drive will begin. Wait for it to finish and restart the computer. That's how simple it is to install the OS on a USB drive.