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I have a laptop with a blank hard drive and I want to install Windows 8.1 Pro along with Ubuntu 14.04 (dual-boot)

Which should I install first??

But before I install anything, I'm going to split the 1TB hard drive in 2 partitions, should I use "GParted" on the Ubuntu live USB or the partitioning UI on the Windows installation USB??? does it even make a difference??

Thanks in advance

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  • The Ubuntu website has a ton of information on how to dual-boot Ubuntu and Windows on it. Have you read that information?
    – Ramhound
    Jul 18, 2014 at 2:55
  • yes, I did but it seems that the guide is for people who already have Win 8.1 installed meanwhile I have a laptop with a blank hard drive and I'm still confused which to install first. I do know how to install them though
    – Taher Elhouderi
    Jul 18, 2014 at 23:33

2 Answers 2

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First install Windows, and the Ubuntu. Because any Linux will find the Windows record in MBR (or records of other OSes and menus) and keep the jump(s) to Windows (and other OSes). So when Linux overwrites MBR it keeps all other OSes combining them in one mencu.

To be efficient in terms of time spending, I would choose to create NTFS from Windows installation and leave a part of disc as unallocated place for Linux.

Later in Ubuntu installation you just select Something else, create ext4 and swap partitions (or whatever you like) and install Ubuntu there.

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There is a nice instruction guide here - I tend to use GParted to set things up in advance btw. http://www.everydaylinuxuser.com/2013/09/install-ubuntu-linux-alongside-windows.html -- If you install windows first you will have less hassles.

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  • Thanks for the link. 1 more question if you don't mind. Is it right that I have to format the Windows partition to NTFS and the Ubuntu partition to EXT4 before installation??
    – Taher Elhouderi
    Jul 17, 2014 at 23:19
  • Windows 8 didn't like ext4 when I installed it, assuming you want to be able to read the Linux partition when in windows. Windows ntfs should be fine.
    – Jeff Clayton
    Jul 17, 2014 at 23:25
  • EXT2FSD claims to now handle it, I used that in the past for ext2 and 3 ext2fsd.com - It may not work yet with Windows 8 though. I have had good luck with Paragon however- they now have ext4 support apparently paragon-software.com/home/extfs-windows/download.html
    – Jeff Clayton
    Jul 17, 2014 at 23:27
  • I don't really mind if the Linux partition is not accessible from Windows since I will be using Windows most of the time. Thanks again
    – Taher Elhouderi
    Jul 17, 2014 at 23:34
  • One suggestion though, paragon's tool is free, but I have had a problem with say, OS X and Windows 8... if I have them both reading eachother's file systems, and they want to run their system checks, they tended to screw up the other version's drives. At least it did a few months ago, and I am using the latest of both. So I turn off Paragon on the Mac side and Macdrive on the Windows side (similar good product) just to make sure that does not happen. I only enable them when needed.
    – Jeff Clayton
    Jul 17, 2014 at 23:37

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