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I know the process is a little bit more complicated in this direction, and grub has to be updated and/or repaired after installing Windows. Is there another reason, besides the more complicated installation process, that it is not recommended to install Windows on existing Ubuntu? Does it lead to stability issues or anything once the installation is completed?

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    just because it is linux installation who is doing windows & other OS's detection & generates choice menu for boot procedure, Windows isn't able to do that.
    – francois P
    Oct 17, 2021 at 16:22
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    That WAS the case before UEFI. Nowadays not too important. "Does it lead to stability issues or anything once the installation is completed?" No.
    – Rinzwind
    Oct 17, 2021 at 16:29
  • Think it was done for the people are were new to installing OSs. It took one minor pain in the neck problem out of the process(for people used to it).
    – crip659
    Oct 17, 2021 at 17:00
  • I think it is rarely needed to install Windows alongside Ubuntu for dual-boot. Usually Windows is either preinstalled on the machine or someone who already used Windows wants to switch to Linux, so installing Ubuntu alongside Windows for dual-boot makes sense. However, if someone who already uses Ubuntu wants/needs Windows, he/she will probably install Windows in a virtual machine rather than for dual-boot.
    – raj
    Oct 19, 2021 at 16:26
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    @francoisP Windows could if Microsoft would, but it is not in their interest to make that easier. Oct 19, 2021 at 21:42

1 Answer 1

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It is possible for sure to install Windows after Linux, and once everything is set up, it technically does not make any difference which OS was installed first. The only reason it is recommended to install Windows first is because the latter is a bit more easy.

  • If you install Windows after Linux, your system will not display the Grub menu, but directly boot into Windows: you will have no access to the Ubuntu installation. It requires extra actions to restore displaying the Grub menu again. With legacy boot mode, users were required to reinstall Grub. With UEFI boot mode, which is standard nowadays, it is sufficient to change the bootorder in BIOS to the Ubuntu system. Still, this is an extra technical hurdle to users.
  • If you install Linux after Windows, the Grub menu is automatically set up. The user has access to any operating system that is installed on the computer without extra interventions. Thus, it is easier for technically less proficient users.
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    Thank you for your answer. Regarding re-installing grub, I have read contradictory accounts: Some guides like this one (itsfoss.com/install-windows-after-ubuntu-dual-boot) claim updating grub via sudo update-grub does the trick, while others like this one (alphr.com/install-windows-10-alongside-ubuntu) claim that boot-repair is needed to get it back. Would you mind weighing in on this?
    – Pentaquark
    Oct 17, 2021 at 17:56
  • Ok, it appears the difference lies in EFI. If an EFI System is present, updating grup should be sufficient. Did I understand that correctly?
    – Pentaquark
    Oct 17, 2021 at 18:29
  • The Linux install puts two copies of the grub bootloaders onto the EFI partition: 1)under .../EFI/ubuntu/shimx64.efi and 2)under .../EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi. An nvram entry is made for the ...ubuntu entry, so simply rearranging the bootorder may be sufficient to boot grub first again. However, if your boot is off the device default in .../EFI/Boot, then the bootx64.efi may have been overwritten by a Windows bootloader.
    – ubfan1
    Oct 17, 2021 at 18:34
  • there's no bootloader in UEFI so the first point is moot nowadays
    – phuclv
    Oct 18, 2021 at 5:29

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