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Currently I have Ubuntu 14.04 installed on one hard drive, and I'd like to install Windows onto a second hard drive. I've read that I need to boot into a LiveCD, usually I'd use my memory stick for this, but I need to use it to install Windows with. Unfortunately I don't have a second memory stick big enough to have the Windows installer on it. Can I still install Windows alongside Ubuntu without the need for an Ubuntu LiveCD? Can someone guide me through this so I don't mess anything up?

Thanks in advance!

3 Answers 3

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The easiest way to do what you want given your resources of two hard drives and one USB stick, where one hard drive has Ubuntu already installed:

  1. Erase the USB stick and prepare it as an Windows installation USB.
  2. Turn off the computer and unplug it.
  3. Open the computer and disconnect the Ubuntu hard drive.
  4. Put the new hard drive in its bay and connect all the wires.
  5. Install Windows as if you have just one hard drive, the second one.
  6. Turn off the computer and unplug it again.
  7. Reconnect the Ubuntu hard drive. Keep the Windows hard drive connected as well.
  8. Start the computer and get into its BIOS.
  9. Make sure the Ubuntu hard drive is the first in the list of drive to boot from, save BIOS settings and reboot the computer.
  10. The computer will boot directly to Ubuntu. This is normal.
  11. In Ubuntu open a terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T and enter:

    sudo update-grub

This will add the option to choose between Ubuntu and Windows in the GRUB screen. The GRUB screen will show every time you start/ restart the computer.

Hope this helps

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  • I'll have a go at this, I'll tell you if it works!
    – user328859
    Oct 9, 2014 at 17:20
  • I've done that, but I'm only getting two Windows Recovery Environment (loader) options, I'm presuming that /dev/sda2 (the filesystem) is the one I should pick, and the other being the windows Recovery partition.
    – user328859
    Oct 10, 2014 at 20:53
  • You should pick the bigger of the two partitions. It can be/Dev/sda2.
    – user68186
    Oct 11, 2014 at 4:00
  • Is it possible to reorder or rename items in the GRUB menu?
    – user328859
    Oct 11, 2014 at 16:51
  • Yes, it is possible. Search for similar questions. Also Google search.
    – user68186
    Oct 11, 2014 at 20:55
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You have multiple options.

  1. Install Windows first using the bigger stick, then use something like (or) Unetbootin, to create an Ubuntu disk on the same stick (Ubuntu will fit on any stick that can manage windows :P). Ubuntu will auto detect windows. I'll recommend this.
  2. Install Ubuntu first, use winusb to create a windows disk, and update grub. Be sure to have os-prober.
  3. If you prefer an adventure, you can try this for VMware or this for VirtualBox. This method is advanced and somewhat overkill. You have been warned. You can use this method to install both operating systems with an Ubuntu sized stick.
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  • Can I install Windows on my second disk then use the Boot-Repair tool from Ubuntu?
    – user328859
    Oct 8, 2014 at 18:49
  • Ubuntu made a friendly version of what I described. It'll do the exact same thing.
    – xyz
    Oct 8, 2014 at 18:59
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You can also install it as a virtual machine. To do so download and install virtual box from here

Then follow these steps:

  1. Go to the site of Microsoft.

  2. In virtual machine select MSEdge on win 10 stable.

  3. Select platform as Virtual Box.

  4. Clik on the DOWNLOAD .Zip

  5. After successful download go to the folder in which it has been downloaded and copy it to your virtual box directory(VirtualBoxVMS) in your Home directory.

  6. Open your virtual box(Go to show applications and search virtual box and hit enter).

  7. Double click(hit enter after selecting the file) on the .zip file. It will open an .ova file.

  8. Double click on the .ova file and go to your virtual box. A window will come asking to import.

  9. Click on import.

  10. On the part of your Virtual box select(click on) MSEdge windows 10 and then go to settings.

  11. In settings go to System and change the base memory to 1GB but if you have 16GB of ram then make it to 2GB and select ok.

  12. Click on start button.

  13. It will ask you for password. The password is (Passw0rd!)

  14. To activate your windows machine go to command prompt, run it in administrative mode(click right on command promt while selecting command prompt and select run as administrator).

  15. Run command slmgr/ato.

Now you have successfully installed your windows 10 virtual machine go ahead and enjoy it.

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