This article explains how to install Windows 10 on a computer that already has an Ubuntu Linux installation. The first step is to make sure you have a valid Windows license and the corresponding Product Key. Don't worry if you don't have Windows 10 installation media yet, you can create one using a USB stick and downloading an ISO image of Microsoft's operating system from the web. When the installation of Windows 10 is complete, you will need to download and install on your computer a program called EasyBCD that will allow you to choose which operating system to load each time you start the computer.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Create a Primary Partition with NTFS File System for Windows
Step 1. Install the Gparted program if you haven't already
This is a free application with a very easy to use graphical user interface. You can install it directly from the Software Center Ubuntu or by running the sudo apt-get install gparted command from a "Terminal" window.
If you've already created a hard drive partition that can accommodate your Windows installation, but haven't configured it as your primary partition, you'll need to create a new one
Step 2. Launch Gparted
You will see a list of all hard drives and partitions on your computer appear.
Step 3. Click on a partition or hard drive with the right mouse button and choose the Resize / Move option from the context menu that will appear
In this way, you will have the possibility to create a new partition starting from an already existing one.
Step 4. Enter the size (expressed in MB) that the new partition should have
Type the chosen value into the "Free space after" text field. You should create a partition that is at least 20 GB (20000 MB) large in order to install Windows 10. If you think you want to install additional applications and programs and use Windows 10 regularly to work and perform your tasks, you will most likely need to create a much larger partition.
Step 5. Select the Primary Partition item from the "Create As" drop-down menu
It is displayed on the right side of the pop-up that appeared.
Step 6. Select the ntfs option from the "File System" drop-down menu
It is displayed on the right side of the dialog box.
Step 7. Type the text Windows 10 into the "Label" field
This will simply help you identify the new partition easily.
Step 8. Click the Add button
It is located in the lower right corner of the window.
Step 9. Click on the button with a green check mark
It is located at the top of the Gparted window. This will create the new partition. It takes some time for the program to complete this step. When the partition is ready, click on the button Close located in the lower right corner of the window.
Part 2 of 4: Create an Installation Drive for Windows 10 in Ubuntu
Step 1. Install the UNetbootin program from the Ubuntu Software Center
This is a free app that allows the user to create a bootable USB drive for Ubuntu. If you would like more information on how to use Unetbootin, visit this webpage:
- To perform this step you need to get a blank USB stick with a capacity of at least 8GB. Remember that during the installation media creation process, all data on the USB memory drive will be erased.
- If you need help installing new programs or apps on Ubuntu, check out this article.
Step 2. Visit this web page using the Ubuntu internet browser
If you don't already have Windows installation media (DVD or USB drive) available, you will need to create one now by downloading the ISO from Microsoft's official site.
Remember that you will need to have a Windows 10 license in order to install the operating system. This means you must have already purchased a copy of Windows 10 and have a valid Product Key available
Step 3. Select the latest version of Windows 10 available and click the Confirm button
Additional options will appear at the bottom of the page.
Step 4. Select the installation language and click the Confirm button
You can select the language by clicking on the "Select product language" drop-down menu.
Step 5. Click on the Download 32-bit version option or Download 64-bit version.
This way, the Windows 10 ISO file will be downloaded to the default folder intended for web downloads.
Step 6. Launch UNetbootin and connect the USB drive to the computer
The main UNetbootin screen will appear which will allow you to configure the parameters for the bootable USB drive.
Step 7. Open the "DiskImage" menu
It is located in the lower left corner of the program window.
Step 8. Select the ISO option from the "DiskImage" drop-down menu
It is located to the right of the "DiskImage" button.
Step 9. Click on the… button with three dots
The computer file manager will be displayed.
Step 10. Select the ISO file you just downloaded from the Microsoft website
The file will have the extension.iso.
Step 11. Select the USB Drive option from the "Type" menu
It is located in the lower left corner of the window.
Step 12. Select the USB drive you want to use as Windows installation media from the "Drive" menu
You will need to select the label that corresponds to the USB drive you connected to your computer.
If you cannot select the USB drive, it is very likely that you will first need to format it using a "FAT32" file system. You can do this using Ubuntu's file manager, right-clicking on the USB drive and choosing the option Format from the context menu that will appear.
Step 13. Click the OK button
This will create an installation USB drive for Windows 10 using the ISO image you just downloaded. When the media is ready, you will see the "Installation Complete" message appear on the screen.
Step 14. Click the Exit button to close the UNetbootin program window
Part 3 of 4: Run Windows Setup
Step 1. Reboot your computer to access the BIOS / UEFI
The steps to follow to enter the computer BIOS / UEFI vary by device brand and model. Normally, you need to press an appropriate key (often the F2, F10, F1, or Del key) as soon as the computer starts the boot phase.
If you haven't already, insert the installation USB stick into a free port on your computer
Step 2. Set the USB drive as the computer's first boot device
Normally, you need to go to a menu called "Boot" or "Boot Order". Again, the precise steps to take vary depending on the make and model of your computer, but normally you need to select the option USB Drive and set it as 1st Boot Device. See the official website of the computer manufacturer for more information regarding your device's BIOS / UEFI.
Step 3. Save changes and close the BIOS / UEFI interface
Most BIOS / UEFI have a clear and easy to understand legend, where the buttons related to the "Save" and "Exit" options are clearly visible. After closing the BIOS / UEFI, the computer will automatically restart using the USB drive you created and you will see the Windows 10 installation wizard screen appear on the screen.
Step 4. Click on the Custom option: Install Windows only (advanced option)
It is the second item in the window that appeared. The list of available partitions will be displayed.
Step 5. Select the partition named Windows 10 and click on the button Come on.
This is the partition you created earlier. Windows will be installed on the indicated partition.
Step 6. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows 10 on your computer
When the configuration is complete, the Windows desktop will appear.
Step 7. Configure the internet connection in Windows
Now that Windows 10 has been installed on your computer, you will need to install an additional program that will allow you to choose which operating system to load (Ubuntu or Windows 10) each time the computer starts.
For more information on how to create a Wi-Fi network connection in Windows 10, read this article
Part 4 of 4: Configuring the Computer for Dual Boot
Step 1. Launch Microsoft Edge browser
It is listed under the "Start" menu located in the lower left corner of the desktop. The last step of the whole procedure described in the article is to configure the computer so that it can start both Windows 10 and Ubuntu, according to your needs.
Step 2. Visit the web page
EasyBCD is a free program that allows you to configure, directly from Windows, the startup of a computer on which multiple operating systems are installed.
Step 3. Scroll down the web page and click on the Register button located in the "Non-commercial" section
You will be redirected to the page where you can create a new user account.
Step 4. Provide your name and the e-mail address you normally use, then click the Download button
This will start the download of the installation file. In some cases, you will need to click on the button Save or Download to confirm your choice.
Step 5. Click on the file you just downloaded
The name is characterized by the following text EasyBCD. It should be visible within a box located at the bottom of the browser window. Alternatively, press the key combination Ctrl + J to view the list of all the files you have downloaded from the web and to be able to select the indicated file.
Step 6. Click on the Yes button to be able to run the program
Step 7. Follow the on-screen instructions to install EasyBCD on your computer
Once the installation is complete, you will find it in the Windows "Start" menu.
Step 8. Launch EasyBCD
Click on the corresponding icon in the "Start" menu which you can access by clicking on the button depicting the Windows logo located in the lower left corner of the desktop.
Step 9. Click on the Linux / BSD tab
It is displayed at the top of the program window.
Step 10. Select the Grub 2 option from the "Type" menu
The latter is located at the top of the "Linux / BSD" tab.
Step 11. Type the Ubuntu text into the "Name" field
It is located below the "Type" drop-down menu. This is the name that will distinguish the boot option linked to Ubuntu and will appear in the menu that will appear every time you turn on the computer.
Step 12. Select the Automatically locate and load option from the "Drive" menu
Step 13. Click the Add Entry button
It is located under the "Drive" drop-down menu. This will add the Ubuntu related option to the standard Windows boot menu.
Step 14. Disconnect the installation USB drive from your computer and restart it
Go to the Windows "Start" menu, click on the "Shutdown" icon and choose the option Reboot the system. When the PC starts the boot phase, a menu will appear that will allow you to choose which operating system to load between Windows 10 or Ubuntu. Choose one of the two options, according to your needs, to boot the corresponding operating system.
