How do I set up dual booting?

How can I set up a dual boot system with Linux and Windows?

You can follow the regular installation guide here:

When you reach the Install your new copy of Zorin, at Step 3 (Installation type), select the “Install Zorin OS alongside [your current operating system]” option and press “Continue” to choose how much space to allocate to Zorin OS.

If this option didn’t appear for you, see the “Manual partitioning” instructions.

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@FrostHarmonic have asked mods to move this to its own thread as off-topic.

My take on this is if you have a desktop, get a separate drive for Zorin. If not in your budget then:

Just to add EasyBCD now supports Windows 11 if I read it correctly.

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Hi and welcome to the Forum.
FYI. You would have been better to post a new question in the "Installing Zorin" or "General Help" section, rather than add to this "Feedback" thread.

Maybe a Mod can split the thread.

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Thread Split with my super mod power.

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Welcome to the Forum!

It would be good to look in Windows if Fast Start-Up is active and if yes, to turn it off. Then take a Look in the BIOS and look if Secure Boot, Fast Boot and TPM is active and if yes, turn it off to avoid causing Issues. And look if Your BIOS is in Legacy Mode or UEFI.

For creating the bootable USB Stick, You could take BalenaEtcher like recommended in the Instructions or - because Your are using Windows - could use Rufus for that. Depending if You have an UEFI BIOS or Legacy BIOS, You can choose with this Tool the Partition Sheme. GPT is good for UEFI and MBR for Legacy. And don't forget to check the Checksum of the downloaded ISO.

And when You install Zorin and You don't have any special Partiton Situation, the Option ''Install Zorin alongside Windows'' that @aisajib already wrote down would be the easiest Way I would think. There You only have a Toggle to choose how many Space on Your Drive You want to use and all the Rest makes the Installer automatically.

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I would like to see "How to" guides to answer questions like this. I searched here and found this post.

Myself, I am currently running ZorinOS 17.2 Core only. I would like to also install windows 7 as a secondary OS.

Putting in a second HDD to install it on is an easy option for me. I have plenty of spares.

Windows 7 because I have old games and gaming hardware that works with 7 but not 10 or 11. Of course the windows os would have no network connection. I have a retail boxed 7 and the patches to bring it to SP1.

What I don't know at this point is how to make the bootmanager list both Zorin and Windows as choices when I cold boot the pc.

Why not use wine/lutris for this so you can stick with 1 distro.

I personally would install Windows first and then Zorin because to create a Dual-Boot System in this Row is easier in my Opinion.

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Installing W7 on modern hardware (if that's what you have) can be problematic.
Not saying it can't be done but from what I understand there is a fair bit to do in order for it to work. It isn't a simple install.

I'd have a look at @Michel's idea.
Or, maybe try W7 as a VM.

Because I don't want to go through the difficulties of getting my games and hardware to work in wine.

I researched one title "Star Wars Episode 1 Race on linux" and what I found was it won't work 100%

True, I've considered dual boot on my windows 11 pc's but the requirements of 11 make the hardware settings incompatible with 7.

I also looked at running it in a vm but the same issues apply. I can't create a gen 2 vm in hyper-v using win 7 for an os. I can create a gen 1 vm and put 7 on it but then I can't access the usb ports to connect hardware.

This pc I'm running Zorin on is an older Intel Z87 mobo with a i7-4790K.

Can I like/hate your reply? :sob:

I've got Zorin running smoothly on this pc doing everything I need from it.

I can start from scratch if I have to and install win 7 first the reinstall Zorin 2nd

On steam it works with proton and in lutris it works too. Do you have the cd version ? If yes did you ever gaved it a shot in linux ?

Status Paltinum -> https://www.protondb.com/app/808910

For lutris -> Star Wars Episode I: Racer - Lutris

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If you have access to a second drive, disconnect Your Zorin drive first, then install Windows 7 on your second hard drive. (I had issues installing Windows 7 Pro 64-bit on my rig as it was geared for Windows 10. So wireless keyboard and mouse did not work. I had to use a ps/2 keyboard to install Windows 7). Once you have Windows 7 installed, reconnect your Zorin drive. Go into your BIOS and select Boot option and select the drive with Zorin on. Once in Zorin, open a terminal and enter:

sudo update-grub

This will then update your GRUB to include your Windows 7 drive. Alternatively, if you are installing Windows as mbr, use NeoSmart's EasyBCD software (the free one) to add Zorin on Windows bootloader as per my dual-boot video here:

This video is for dual-booting on one HDD. The NeoSmart option is if you want Windows to boot first and adds the option to boot into Zorin without messing up your mbr.

You are free to do that, hahaha!

I went this route. Keeping Win7 offline was automatic, my wifi adapter is for linux not windows. :wink:

My gaming periphrials are all working as expected too.

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When it worked for You, good. That is at the End what matters.

You know what else works? The games broke by windows 11 updates!

I installed Assassin's Creed Odyssey on windows 7 and it runs perfectly.

I'm now going to setup my new windows 11 pc with 11/10 dual boot.

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I had this trouble, yesterday. I discovered that the Nvidia 565 driver hopelessly destroyed the graphics on Assassins Creed Valhalla. You could see nothing except angled lines.
I rolled the driver back and now it works perfectly, again.

Nvidia seriously needs to get its act together with its shoddy drivers. They won't... because they cornered such a large market, they can afford to be very sloppy.