Root Access

@TechnicTechnician if the hard drive is not showing up on the BIOS, it's a issue with your computer, not windows

or the disk might be dead

@Daniil I would rather have Windows than MacOS xD but that's preferences

Windows has its issues but it's a good SO for most uses

macOS is very optimized for their Macs, Windows runs on literally every hardware

Now with the new linux kernel I expect to see even more stuff breaking like drivers and stuff

TechnicTechnician

but it shows up inside of windows

user435118

Right, @CaldeiraG can you help me please?

user435118

Um... What Drive to back-up?

user435118

SYSTEM_DRV, Windows C:, LENOVO D:, WINTE_DRV:, LENOVO_PART, LRS_ESP?

9:49 AM

@Daniil those sound like partitions

I'd suggest backing up the whole drive if possible and space allows

user435118

I should give context, I want to dual-boot Linux and Windows but want to back-up Windows just in case

Yea, I still tend to back up the entire thing when I do a clonezilla image

but that's mostly because I don't know what Windows is fussy about these days

user435118

I'll just backup the 'Hard disk'

user435118

Is a Disk Backup a Disk Image?

Depends on what the backup software you are using calls it

Q: Does a disk image include applications and can it be restored as a system image?

10:01 AM

Are you talking about this?

0

I am planning to install a Linux installation on my Windows 10 computer and to have it run side-by-side along Windows. In case something goes wrong I want to create a disk image, as far as I know when resorting this disk image all apps like Microsoft Excel will be restored as well, am I correct?...

user435118

Yes

If you backup the drive with any other software it will not be a "Windows" Disk Image

user435118

? I'm using Macrium Reflect

I think Disk Image purpose is load up a custom build of Windows like on a company environment

user435118

The software I'm using says: 'Image this disk'

10:04 AM

Idk, i never used such tool

But that should do it

user435118

Hopefully I don't break anything

user435118

Backup time

user435118

Huh, Windows doesn't detect my hard drive

@Daniil How are you in Windows then XD

but perhaps you can't be on Windows to do such backup

user435118

I mean my SSD

10:12 AM

because of locked files and stuff

user435118

My SSD has a Time Machine (Mac backup) on it, not sure if that makes a difference

No clue

user435118

Um... Not sure what to do

user435118

Ah, it has been formatted as a Time Machine SSD

user435118

We are backing up!

10:48 AM

yeah I doubt you can have a timemachine formatted SSD and write windows backups to it :D

11:15 AM

OS X's FS isn't supported by windows

12:04 PM

What does it use, xfs?

user435118

Um... A bit of help please

user435118

I downloaded Linux Mint and it opened it in CyberLink ISO viewer

user435118

Not sure what to do next...

I don't know what the heck is that program either

XD

I just use UUI to put my ISO onto a flashdrive

user435118

So I need a USB?

12:13 PM

You could burn the ISO onto a DVD if you want XD

user435118

But I want to install it on my PC

you can install it from a USB, or a CD/DVD

depending on what your computer will boot from

user435118

So the ISO needs to be on a USB?

Cyberlink make software for burning CD's

not exactly, you need a tool to put it onto the USB correctly.

As @CaldeiraG said, pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3 will do this for you

You don't need to manually download the iso either, I dfon't htink

user435118

Why can't it go ISO -> Install on PC instead of ISO -> USB -> Install on PC

12:16 PM

Because the ISO can't boot from the OS

Where are you installing it? Normally a install will start outside of windows.

user435118

Installing it on my PC

@djsmiley2kStaysInside Daniil wants to have linux alongside Windows

dual boot system

do you have two drives?

offf

ooooof even

that's asking for windows to break randomly

user435118

Will Windows break?

12:17 PM

no issues dual-booting here for +2 years

but i'm not doing so for a while now

@Daniil it 'can' break

you could accidently wipe windows out

XD

user435118

I need Windows for MS apps

just select a different partition lol

@CaldeiraG When someone doesn't understand booting a ISO, I'm unsure 'just select a different partition' is enough infomation for them

user435118

12:19 PM

I am extracting the ISO to a SSD

@djsmiley2kStaysInside i get it XD

@Daniil hmmm, using the pendrive linux tool?

user435118

Can you help me with the partitions please?

i mean, you could just run a VM with Linux first instead of doing it the hard way

user435118

Universal USB Installer

user435118

12:20 PM

I don't like VM's

do you like messing up ? XD

user435118

Do I need to make a partition before booting from the USB?

user435118

Apparently you can make one in the install menu

To install Linux yes, you don't wanna install it on the same one as windows as it will wipe it off

user435118

Right what to do with partitions?

user435118

12:22 PM

Should I upload a pic of the partitions?

you can

user435118

user435118

Right, I need to allocate space on disk 0

user435118

So I shrink the Windows C: volume, right?

yea

12:31 PM

Good luck doing that, while running windows however.

user435118

What's wrong with running both, I don't get it?

@Daniil nothing in particular, it should run fine but you may get some issues afterwards

i surely can't predict what could happen

user435118

Who knows...

user435118

My bootable SSD contains other files not related to the Linux ISO, do they need removing?

I think Smiley's point is that Windows probably will refuse to shrink the partition that is it presently running from

user435118

12:37 PM

I just shrinked it, 194.98 GB unallocated

user435118

So I need to boot while pressing F10/F12 now to install from the USB?

Yeah, you want to boot from USB

key will vary

user435118

My bootable USB contains other backup files not relating to the ISO or Linux, do they need to be moved?

Err

user435118

Or is it better to move them just in case?

12:46 PM

I don't know how you made the USB, but extraneous files shouldn't be a problem

user435118

That may be a problem, thos backup files are 80 GB, I need to buy another USB to move them to

extra files shouldn't be a issue

user435118

It's not actually a USB, it's this: amazon.co.uk/dp/…

user435118

Is that ok? ^

sure

12:47 PM

that is a USB drive

it's still a usb device XD

I get what you mean though, it's not a USB flash rive

user435118

Oh yeah, true xD

user435118

Just want to check my partitions before I start:

user435118

12:59 PM

@CaldeiraG Is that ok? ^

yeah should be

now turn off the pc and boot from the flash drive

user435118

I'll do it a bit later today, thanks for your help :)

F12 should be the hotkey to show available devices to boot first or go to the BIOS and change the boot order (F2 or F6, or F12 or Del, specific to each model)

:D

yw

user435118

2:11 PM

@CaldeiraG I am thinking of installing Ubuntu instead of Mint, is there a difference?

@Daniil Different DEs and options.

practically not very much IMO

user435118

2:33 PM

@JourneymanGeek What would you recommend?

@Daniil hmm

Either Xubuntu (for lighter weight) or Ubuntu

More or less cause that's what I run

user435118

Ok, I think I'll do Ubuntu dual-boot

jokerdino

for super light weight, can use lubuntu

user435118

What difference is it? Does it use less space?

@Daniil less ram/space/resource use

3:19 PM

Linux Mint also good on low resource use but yea, difference is practically none

Unless you go debian

debian has a different package manager? not sure

Debian, Ubuntu and Mint all use apt

aren't the packages different in how they're built? if not, maybe i'm just confused

All use .deb packages

ah ok, maybe it's another distro

Possibly you're thinking of Alpine, which uses the apk package manager

3:23 PM

could be

user435118

4:10 PM

I can't seem to boot from the USB

user435118

It says no boot options were found and presents me with Windows only

Smells like a BIOS/UEFI issue

aka legacy vs UEFI boot

try switching the boot mode in system setup (try legacy if BIOS, try UEFI boot if legacy) and see if that makes the USB drive appear as a boot option

user435118

The USB drive is a Boot Option is that there was nothing bootable on the drive

user435118

Am I correct by doing this through the advanced startup menu?

user435118

4:29 PM

I am so stuck...

5:30 PM

@Daniil Can you get into your BIOS or System Setup?

user435118

Yeah - I can get into BIOS

user435118

The USB isn't detected as bootable

Check first, are you booting in UEFI mode or CSM/BIOS mode?

user435118

How do I check that?

Go to the Boot Settings menu. What kind of entries do you see? Hard drive names, or long weird-looking boot entries?

user435118

5:43 PM

user435118

@CanadianLuke ^

6:02 PM

(also worth considering how exactly the bootable USB was made and if it is indeed bootable)

user435118

@bertieb Made using: pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3