Compressing a Windows install to put Linux alongside it

I've a family member having enough trouble with Win 10 and the stuff relating to Win 11 upgrades that I'm thinking of suggesting he moves to Linux. Is there any way I could install Linux "alongside" Windows, but not as a dual boot, I know how buggy those can be, but rather so that Windows won't run, the computer will be always and only Linux, but if necessary the Windows install could be recovered at a later time if he finds he really can't use Linux.

This is equivalent to taking out an HDD with Windows on it, slotting in a new HDD, then installing Linux, but being able to swap back to the old one if necessary (or to pull specific files and settings off it). But without actually having to switch around the hardware.

Is there an easy way this can be done, effectively locking the entire Windows install in to something like a giant zip file, which can't be accidentally booted, but can be recovered and run again if necessary.
Thanks

Clarification: He's not particularly tech literate so I think he'd do better with a Linux install that gets virtually never updated and changed (except automatic updates to the browser) as vs a Windows install trying to upgrade him despite hardware compatibility risks and changing constantly, plus I've forgotten everything I once knew about Windows so can only offer him help if he's on Linux. He would not need to be able to do an "uncompress" operation on this, but I would need to be able to do it, so if he absolutely had to go back to Windows it would be a very quick task for me to return his system to exactly as it was right before I "wipe" it and install Linux "alongside", and not have to have myself trying to fight with a Windows system to get a fresh one from its freshly installed state (with all the M$ cloud account garbage...) to the way he has it set up for daily use.

Edited by rp88, 28 May 2024 - 07:22 PM.

Before you get round to starting this process make an image of his existing hard drive. I use Macrium Reflect for this, about which more later.

 

When you go to install Mint, and I believe other distros, you get three options -

 

1 - Use the complete computer for Linux - you do not want this option

 

2 - Install the Linux of your choice alongside Windows - this is the one you say you want

 

3 - Install Linux in dual boot - my preferred option

 

I ave never used option 2 but I have dual booted very successfully on several computers over the last few years and I have no experience of the reliability of option 2 but if you have an image of the drive then you can readily return to the original state and try again.When you install Linux you should get the Grub boot choice automatically at boot and, since Linux is normally the first item in the choice list then it is merely a matter of pressing 'Enter' to boot Linux immediately, or doing nothing and booting into Linux 30 seconds later.

 

I have twice been forced to restore my C:\ drive from an image - once due to a drive failure and once down to sheer stupidity on my part, and both Windows and Linux wee re-instafed perfecly. That is using Macrium but I presume the other leading contenders in the back up field, Aomei and Easeus, would do the same.

 

Chris Cosgrove

In this particular context, I think you should get your hands "dirty" and swap the actual disk drive to have a Linux-only disk drive, no accidental boot of windows this way.

 

 

I use disks in a similar way, several disks in my PC, and tell the BIOS which disk is the boot drive.  This way, no messing up with dual boot setups.

Before you get round to starting this process make an image of his existing hard drive. I use Macrium Reflect for this, about which more later.

 

When you go to install Mint, and I believe other distros, you get three options -

 

1 - Use the complete computer for Linux - you do not want this option

 

2 - Install the Linux of your choice alongside Windows - this is the one you say you want

 

3 - Install Linux in dual boot - my preferred option

 

I ave never used option 2 but I have dual booted very successfully on several computers over the last few years and I have no experience of the reliability of option 2 but if you have an image of the drive then you can readily return to the original state and try again.When you install Linux you should get the Grub boot choice automatically at boot and, since Linux is normally the first item in the choice list then it is merely a matter of pressing 'Enter' to boot Linux immediately, or doing nothing and booting into Linux 30 seconds later.

 

I have twice been forced to restore my C:\ drive from an image - once due to a drive failure and once down to sheer stupidity on my part, and both Windows and Linux wee re-instafed perfecly. That is using Macrium but I presume the other leading contenders in the back up field, Aomei and Easeus, would do the same.

 

Chris Cosgrove

Isn't the second option dualboot?

 

I second Chris's option of using imaging tools. They are easy to use and would get the job done just fine. You can do this manually using the disk management utility depending on your distro to create an image and whatnot. However, the imaging tools in Windows make it much easier.

@ Chiragroop  -  "Isn't the second option dualboot?"

 

I honestly don't know the answer to that question but when I first did this, in Win 7. I didn't want to screw up a perfectly good Windows installation and setting up my own partitions seemed a more controllable way of achieving my objective, it has certainly been a reliable method since then. It may be my interpretation of Mint's installation instructions that made me think it was something different but I wasn't willing to risk it !

 

Chris Cosgrove

You could set up a dual boot system but have the GRUB menu set to time out very quickly or not show at all.  

 

Or a 5.25" "hot swap" drive bay.  Remove Windows drive and keep it somewhere safe.  Install Linux on separate HDD or SSD (you can get adapters to convert 2.5" SATA SSD's into 3.5" HDD form factor).  If absolutely necessary you can then swap in the Windows drive with no risk of accidental deletions or loss due to a dual boot going wrong.

Oh!  I love the hot-swap drive idea, jonuk76.

I'd make a persistent usb install and call it a day.  My last 128GB usb 3.0 onn purchase from walmart was 9 bucks a pop. Bought 2 of em.

 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=persistent+usb+linux

Edited by rokytnji, 08 June 2024 - 10:45 AM.

. . . family member . . . trouble with Win 10 . . . 11 . . . suggesting he moves to Linux . . . install Linux "alongside" Windows . . . not as a dual boot . . .buggy those can be . . . so that Windows won't run . . . will be always . . . only Linux . . . if necessary the Windows install could be recovered . . .

. . . taking out an HDD with Windows . . . slotting in a new HDD, then installing Linux . . . able to swap back to the old one if necessary . . . without actually having to switch around the hardware.

 

. . . an easy way this can be done . . . entire Windows install . . . can't be accidentally booted, but can be recovered . . .

 

As the others have suggested, dual boot is your best option.

 

"Compressing" a drive is not a good option.

I think you mean "Shrinking" the windows partition to make room for Linux.

There are pitfalls to shrinking a partition, and I recommend it be done using the windows drive management.

 

 

Here are basic instructions for adding a second drive to the computer.

 

You did not provide any specifics about the computer.

 

Laptop/Notebook computers may be tricky for a novice to install a second drive.

Whereas, desktop/tower computers can be pretty straight forward.

 

My suggestion is to buy a second drive, of equal or greater capacity to the windows drive. 

Install it in the computer, alongside the windows drive.

You may need to look inside the case to confirm that there is an unused data cable there.

There may also be one in the box of goodies that came with the computer/motherboard.

If you cannot find the data cable, you will have to buy that as well.

 

Shut down the computer.

Connect the new drive to the first port on the motherboard. 

Usually marked SATA0 or SATA1. 

Most likely, this will be the port that the windows drive is already connected to.

 

Leave the windows drive unplugged for now. 

It will be plugged into another port when the Linux system is installed and running.

 

With a new fresh hard drive, go through the Linux install, using your favourite distro.

Once completed, ensure that your Linux is booting properly.

 

Now shut everything down and reconnect your windows drive to another port. 

It will be SATA2 or greater.

 

DO NOT boot into Linux just yet. 

After restarting the Computer, enter the BIOS before it boots into Linux.

Different make and models of mother board have different interrupt keys to do this. 

The <delete> key is a common one for generic boards.

 

The BIOS for the motherboard should automatically set the drive that is plugged into the first port as the primary boot.

Verify this in the BIOS menu. 

Also verify that the BIOS is reading the secondary (windows) drive.

Save and exit.

 

Your computer should now boot into Linux, with no menu or option for windows.

You can, however, access the data on the windows drive, it needed. 

Linux can read NTFS formatted drives, but Windows cannot read EXT4 Linux drives without additional software.

 

As long as you have not altered the Boot partition on the Windows drive, you can go back into the BIOS and change the boot drive to the old (windows) drive.

It should then boot from windows.

 

Cheers!

 

Naught