windows 10 on SSD and ubuntu on hdd

Question

Hello I have Windows 10 on SSD and want to install ubuntu 15 on my Seagate Barracuda Green 2TB. I have only found one tutorial that handles this issue.

http://linuxbsdos.com/2015/10/31/how-to-dual-boot-windows-10-and-ubuntu-15-10-on-two-hard-drives/

Has anyone tried this and have you encountered any problems? I will use Windows 10 for gaming and ubuntu for most other things I need. Will my performance drop a lot by using a non SSD for Ubuntu?

I am pretty new on Ubuntu so sorry for the newbie question

Solution 1

Agree to the above answer as well as comment from oldfred. If you are new to Linux(and not that comfortable and more comfortable with Windows) then some more suggestions:

• You might be using 2TB hard drive for Windows as well as Ubuntu so within Windows - just go to Disk management and create partitions for Windows and Linux according to your needs.
• Both Windows and Linux needs to be installed in EFI mode
• Completely disable secure boot in BIOS
• Disable fastboot and hibernation from Windows.
• Create a Linux bootable USB with your favorite ubuntu iso using this
• Then follow the instructions and install ubuntu with default settings.

Solution 2

It is quite easy to install this way.

You can install Ubuntu a normal way, just do not make a mistake when select the disk to install to.

To be 100% sure I would recommend to physically disconnect the disk where Windows is installed, or disable it in bios.

Comments

[oldfred]

Just be sure to install in same boot mode, UEFI or BIOS as Windows 10 is installed. If pre-installed it will be UEFI. If an upgrade from Windows 7, likely to be BIOS boot. And Ubuntu/grub will only install grub boot loader to sda. So if you do not disconnect drive, it will have /EFI/ubuntu in same ESP as Windows, but that should not be an issue. How you boot install media UEFI or BIOS is then how it installs.

[SarpSTA]

@oldfred Can you elaborate on the So if you do not disconnect drive, it will have /EFI/ubuntu in same ESP as Windows part a little? I'm thinking of installing Ubuntu on HDD alongside the Win10 on SSD and I really don't want to screw things up.

[oldfred]

If willing to disconnect drive, then that can be the safest way to install. But Windows entry in UEFI may disappear. Most UEFI find Windows entries, but not others. And entries are erased in UEFI when drive is disconnected. If drive disconnected then you will have Ubuntu's UEFI on HDD. Normally it installs to drive seen as sda, shared with Windows in different folder. I typically manually create an ESP on sdb, for my Ubuntu installs on sdb, but it really is just used as a back up for all the folders in ESP on sda. IF not disconnecting still use gpt and make an ESP on sdb.

[SarpSTA]

@oldfred By saying If drive disconnected then you will have Ubuntu's UEFI on HDD do you refer to GRUB? So it means GRUB will install inside the SSD with Win10 inside it if I don't disconnect?

[oldfred]

Only a small part of grub goes into the ESP. And it links the the rest of grub in your install. In the ESP will be /EFI/ubuntu folder. The Windows drive already has an ESP with /EFI/Microsoft folder and its boot files. The ESP can have many different boot loaders. I put an ESP partition on every drive (even if currently data) and on larger flash drives using gpt partitioning. That way I can later install Ubuntu to that drive without major repartitioning.