Hello, wonderful people of this community, I have been searching for a way to do this for a few days but couldn't find anything, someone please help me.
I got a 512 GB M.2 drive with an external enclosure. I have partitioned the SSD into two partitions. I have installed Zorin 16.2 Core on the first partition and it's working great. I want to install Ghost Spectre(debloated windows 10) on the second partition.
The problem I am facing is that when I try to install windows on the second partition the usual way I get the "Windows 10 setup does not support configuration of or installation to disks through a USB or IEEE 1394 port" error.
I tried to use rufus and create windows to go, but Rufus selects the whole drive, not just one partition, which means I will lose Zorin.
I tried Hasleo WintoUsb 5.18 but when it's time to select partitions I can select boot drive but there is no selection box for selecting system partition so I can't go next.
Everywhere else I have looked I haven't got anything that will let me keep two separate OS installations on an external SSD.
For context, I have a work laptop with very intrusive RMM (SSD is bitlocker encrypted and managed by my company, I cant partition or install any OS there). I don't feel comfortable doing anything personal /entertainment related on there. That's why I am installing my own windows and Zorin on an external SSD.
A tricky problem, as Windows OS itself does not like to be installed on external drives. From your post, it is apparent that you have looked into this issue and workarounds for it...
So before going much further, I'd like to ask if you are comfortable with reinstalling Zorin OS.
It may be easier to back up Zorin and all personal files, use the workaround above that you knew should wok, but selects the entire drive; then when completed, reinstall Zorin alongside Windows on that drive.
In any event, Windows always has to be the first OS to be installed before GNU/Linux. An acquaintance of mine when I was working at a training seminar for Duxbury Braille Translator at work had installed Debian first then Windows and when she tried to show me it kept baulking at boot time and the system kept falling over - so I would follow Aravisian's sound advice.
Yes, I am open to starting from the beginning as I haven't been using Zorin for that long. I will install windows first and see if I can install Zorin afterward. Thanks for the Idea! it didn't occur to me.
It worked!! I installed windows first using wintousb 5.8 and installed Zorin with a normal dual boot process.
One weird bug I got is now if I select my Internal SSD in the boot menu It boots onto the external SSD into ghost scepter windows.
If I select Windows boot manager in External USB (which should be ghost sceptre windows) I got booted into my Internal SSD .
Which is weird I guess, but manageable.
efibootmgr
BootCurrent: 0001
Timeout: 5 seconds
BootOrder: 2001,0002,0001,3002,2002,2004
Boot0000* USB Hard Drive (UEFI) - WDC WDS500G2B0B-00YS70 (WDC WDS500G2B0B-00YS70)
Boot0001* ubuntu
Boot0002* Windows Boot Manager
Boot2001* EFI USB Device
Boot3002* Internal Hard Disk or Solid State Disk