What you’ll do (high level)#

1. Pick & download a distro (Ubuntu/Mint/Fedora).

2. Verify the ISO (checksum = trust).

3. Flash a bootable Live USB (Rufus/Etcher/dd).

4. Prep your system (backups, BitLocker/Fast Startup, BIOS/UEFI toggles).

5. Shrink your existing partition to free space.

6. Boot from USB → test Live Mode.

7. Install Linux (auto “Install alongside” or manual).

8. Reboot into GRUB and choose your OS.

9. Post‑install tweaks + drivers + updates.

10. Troubleshoot edge cases (just in case).

💡 Vibe check: If anything feels sketchy, stop and Google your laptop model + distro + dual‑boot. Vendors have quirks.

0) Pre‑flight Checklist#

• 💾 Backup important files (external drive or cloud).

• 🔋 Charger plugged (laptops) + stable power.

• 🗃️ Free space: 30–50 GB recommended for Linux.

• 🔑 Know your boot‑menu key (see table below).

• 🧠 Decide: Automatic install (easiest) vs Manual partitioning (more control).

Common boot‑menu keys

• Dell/Lenovo: F12

• HP: F9

• ASUS/Acer: F8 or F12 (sometimes Esc)

• MSI: F11

• Gigabyte: F12

• Generic UEFI/DIY: Del/Esc to enter firmware, then choose Boot Override.

1) Pick a Distro (fast guidance)#

Distro

Why pick it

Notes

Ubuntu LTS

Beginner‑friendly, huge community

Easy NVIDIA & codecs, lots of tutorials

Linux Mint

Windows‑like UI, very stable

Great for everyday laptops

Fedora Workstation

Newer packages, GNOME tuned

Great on modern hardware

If you’re unsure, use Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or Linux Mint 22.

2) Download the ISO and verify it#

• Grab the ISO from the official site (Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora).

• Verify SHA256 checksum matches the website value (prevents corrupt or tampered downloads).

Windows (PowerShell):

Get-FileHash "C:/Users/you/Downloads/ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso" -Algorithm SHA256

Compare the hash with the one on the distro’s download page.

macOS/Linux (Terminal):

shasum -a 256 ~/Downloads/ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso
# or
sha256sum ~/Downloads/ubuntu-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso

3) Create the Live USB (8 GB+)#

Option A — Rufus (Windows)#

1. Insert USB (will be erased).

2. Open Rufus → Device: select your USB.

3. Boot selection: choose the ISO.

4. Partition scheme:

   • If your machine is UEFI (most modern PCs): GPT.

   • Legacy BIOS only: MBR.

5. Target system auto‑fills based on scheme.

6. File system: FAT32 (default).

7. Click Start → accept writing in ISO mode.

Option B — balenaEtcher (Win/macOS/Linux)#

1. Open Etcher → Flash from file → pick ISO.

2. Select USB drive → Flash!

Option C — dd (Linux pros)#

sudo dd if=~/Downloads/ubuntu.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress oflag=sync
# Replace /dev/sdX with your USB device (not a partition like /dev/sdX1)

Visual placeholder: Rufus/Etcher UI screenshots

4) Prepare Windows/macOS (important)#

On Windows 10/11#

1. Update Windows fully (Settings → Update).

2. Turn off Fast Startup: Control Panel → Power Options → “Choose what the power buttons do” → uncheck Turn on fast startup.

3. Suspend BitLocker (if enabled): Control Panel → BitLocker → Suspend protection.

4. Intel RST/Optane: If your BIOS uses RAID/RST, switch to AHCI (safer for Linux). If switching on an existing Windows install, use the safe‑mode method to avoid BSOD:

   • Run msconfig → Boot tab → check Safe boot (Minimal) → Apply, don’t restart yet.

   • Reboot, enter BIOS → change SATA mode to AHCI → save & boot.

   • Windows boots Safe Mode → open msconfig → uncheck Safe boot → reboot normally.

5. BIOS/UEFI:

   • Disable Fast Boot.

   • Secure Boot: leave enabled if your distro supports it; disable only if you hit driver/boot issues.

   • Ensure USB boot is allowed.

On macOS#

• Intel Macs: Dual‑booting Linux is possible but more advanced (rEFInd, APFS resizing, T2 Secure Boot adjustments). If you’re new, test via Live USB first.

• Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3): Use Asahi Linux project instructions (they handle the Apple‑specific boot chain). Treat this as a separate guide.

If your main goal is learning Linux quickly, do Windows dual‑boot or run Linux as your primary on a separate SSD—it’s smoother.

5) Shrink your existing partition (make space)#

Windows Disk Management#

1. Win + X → Disk Management.

2. Right‑click C: → Shrink Volume.

3. Enter shrink size (in MB):

   • 30 GB = 30720 MB

   • 50 GB = 51200 MB

4. Click Shrink → you’ll see Unallocated space.

Don’t create partitions here—leave it unallocated for the Linux installer to use.

macOS (Intel, advanced)#

• Use Disk Utility to shrink APFS and leave free space. Expect extra steps with boot managers; research your model.

6) Boot from the USB#

1. Insert the Live USB.

2. Reboot → spam your boot‑menu key (e.g., F12).

3. Choose your USB device (UEFI entry if available).

4. In the boot menu, pick Try/Install (Ubuntu/Mint/Fedora).

5. If you see a black screen on NVIDIA laptops, try “Safe graphics” / nomodeset option.

7) Test in Live Mode (optional but smart)#

• ✅ Wi‑Fi works

• ✅ Sound output works

• ✅ Touchpad/keyboard OK

• ✅ External display / HiDPI scaling acceptable

• ✅ Disk visible in Disks/GParted

If something critical is broken in Live Mode, installation won’t magically fix it—search your model + distro first.

8) Install Linux — Automatic (easiest)#

1. On the desktop, click Install.

2. Choose language, keyboard, and Normal or Minimal install.

3. Check Install third‑party software (codecs, Wi‑Fi, NVIDIA).

4. When asked for install type, choose Install alongside Windows Boot Manager (wording may vary).

5. Pick your time zone.

6. Create username & strong password.

7. Click Install → let it partition and configure GRUB automatically.

8. Reboot when done; remove USB when prompted.

If “Install alongside” is not offered (rare), use the Manual method below.

9) Install Linux — Manual partitioning (more control)#

Open the installer → choose Something else / Custom.

You’ll typically see:

• An existing EFI System Partition (ESP) ~100–500 MB, FAT32.

• Your Windows NTFS partition(s).

• Free space you created earlier.

Create the following inside free space:

1. Root: ext4, / (root), 30–50 GB minimum.

2. Home (optional but recommended): ext4, /home, remainder of free space.

3. Swap: 2–8 GB typically. If you want hibernation, swap ≥ your RAM size.

Important about EFI:

• Do NOT format the existing EFI System Partition.

• Set its mount point to /boot/efi so the installer can add GRUB there.

• Device for bootloader installation: pick the disk that contains the ESP (e.g., /dev/nvme0n1).

Full‑disk encryption (optional): Some installers offer LUKS (“Encrypt the new installation”). If you pick it, remember your passphrase—no passphrase = no data.

Start installation → wait → reboot.

10) First reboot & GRUB#

• You should see GRUB with entries like “Ubuntu” and “Windows Boot Manager”.

• Pick either OS.

• If it boots straight to Windows, enter BIOS → change Boot Order so Linux/GRUB is first.

• Some firmwares hide the menu until you press a key (e.g., Shift/Esc) during boot.

11) Post‑install must‑dos (Linux side)#

Run these in a terminal:

# Update system packages
sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade -y   # Ubuntu/Mint
# OR Fedora
# sudo dnf upgrade -y

# Firmware updates (many laptops)
sudo fwupdmgr get-devices
sudo fwupdmgr refresh
sudo fwupdmgr update -y

# NVIDIA (Ubuntu/Mint)
sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall

Quality‑of‑life:

• Timeshift (system snapshots):

sudo apt install -y timeshift

• Default OS choice (from Linux):

sudo grub-set-default 0  # 0 = first menu entry
sudo update-grub

• Set time sync (Windows/Linux clock mismatch):

timedatectl set-ntp true
# If Windows shows wrong time, consider setting Windows to use UTC or keep Linux on local RTC:
# timedatectl set-local-rtc 1 --adjust-system-clock

12) Safety & good habits#

• Backups aren’t one‑time—schedule them.

• Keep BitLocker suspended only during install; re‑enable after everything is stable.

• Don’t randomly format EFI or Windows partitions.

• Keep your system updated monthly.

13) Troubleshooting#

Boot goes straight to Windows

• Enter BIOS → put Linux drive/entry first.

• From Linux, try: sudo grub-install /dev/<disk> && sudo update-grub.

• From Windows (admin PowerShell): bcdedit /enum firmware to inspect entries; some firmwares let you delete/re‑add NVRAM entries.

Black screen on install/boot (NVIDIA)

• Use Safe graphics / add nomodeset at boot options; install proprietary driver after first boot.

Wi‑Fi missing

• Use a phone USB tether for first updates; install vendor drivers (rtl/broadcom packages) via Additional Drivers.

“No EFI system partition” error

• You’re probably on legacy/MBR or the ESP isn’t detected. Ensure UEFI mode and that ESP (FAT32, ~100–500 MB, boot,esp flags) is present.

Grub rescue prompt

• Boot Live USB → open a terminal:

sudo mount /dev/<root-partition> /mnt
sudo mount /dev/<efi-partition> /mnt/boot/efi
sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/<disk>
sudo chroot /mnt update-grub

BitLocker asking for recovery key after changes

• This can happen if you changed boot order or disk mode. Log in to your Microsoft account to get the key; re‑enable BitLocker after stable boots.

Time drift between Windows & Linux

• See time sync commands above; set both to the same RTC strategy (UTC vs localtime).

14) Removing Linux (if you ever need to)#

1. Boot Windows.

2. In Disk Management, delete the Linux partitions (ext4/swap), extend C: if desired.

3. Enter BIOS and make sure Windows Boot Manager is first.

4. Optionally remove leftover GRUB entries via firmware setup.

Do not delete the EFI System Partition itself; it’s shared.

15) Quick sizes & rules of thumb#

• Root /: 30–50 GB (more if you build or game).

• Home /home: as much as you can spare.

• Swap: 2–8 GB; for hibernation, swap ≥ RAM.

• ESP: existing 100–500 MB, FAT32, mounted at /boot/efi.

16) What’s next (the fun part)#

• Customize desktop (themes/icons/cursors).

• Install essentials (browser, code editor, media tools).

• Learn a few terminal basics (ls, cd, apt/dnf, top, journalctl).

• Try dual‑boot workflows: Windows for the apps you need, Linux for dev & daily drive.

TL;DR#

Back up → verify ISO → flash USB → prep Windows (Fast Startup/BitLocker) → shrink C: → boot USB → test Live mode → Install alongside (or manual) → reboot into GRUB → update drivers → enjoy Linux life.