Dual Booting Windows Laptop with Ubuntu 24.04: A Step-by-Step Guide

Dual booting your Windows laptop with Ubuntu 24.04 is a great way to experience the power and flexibility of both operating systems. Ubuntu is a free and open-source operating system that is perfect for tasks such as web development, programming, and system administration. Windows, on the other hand, is still the dominant operating system for most users, and it is essential for running many popular applications.

In this post, we will show you how to dual boot your Windows laptop with Ubuntu 24.04 using a USB stick. We will also provide some tips for using Ubuntu and Windows together.

What You Will Need:

• A Windows laptop with at least 4GB of RAM and 20GB of free hard drive space, however, a higher configuration will be advantageous
• A USB stick with at least 8GB of storage
• A copy (ISO image) of Ubuntu 24.04, which can be downloaded from official Ubuntu downloads page.

Step 1: Create a Bootable Ubuntu USB Stick

The first step is to create a bootable Ubuntu USB stick. This is a simple process that can be done using a tool called Etcher.

1. Download Etcher from the official website: https://etcher.balena.io/
2. Insert your USB stick into your laptop.
3. Open Etcher and select your Ubuntu ISO file.
4. Select your USB stick as the destination.
5. Click the “Flash!” button to start the process.

Step 2: Back Up Your Important Data

Before you proceed with the dual boot process, it is important to back up your important data. This is just in case something goes wrong during the process.

Step 3: Disable Secure Boot (Optional)

If your laptop has Secure Boot enabled, you will need to disable it before you can install Ubuntu. Secure Boot is a security feature that prevents unauthorized operating systems from booting.

To disable Secure Boot, you will need to access your BIOS or UEFI settings. The exact steps for doing this will vary depending on your laptop manufacturer.

Step 4: Boot from the Ubuntu USB Stick

Once you have created your bootable Ubuntu USB stick and disabled Secure Boot (if necessary), you can proceed with the dual boot process.

1. Restart your laptop and press the appropriate key to enter the BIOS or UEFI settings.
2. Look for an option to change the boot order and select your USB stick as the first boot device.
3. Save your changes and exit the BIOS or UEFI settings.
4. Your laptop will now boot from the Ubuntu USB stick.

Step 5: Install Ubuntu

1. Once Ubuntu has booted, select the “Install Ubuntu” option from the desktop.
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to install Ubuntu.
3. When prompted, select the “Install Ubuntu alongside Windows” option.
4. Choose the amount of disk space you want to allocate to Ubuntu.
5. Follow the remaining instructions to complete the installation.

Step 6: Reboot Your Laptop

Once the installation is complete, your laptop will reboot. You will now be prompted to select your operating system. You can choose to boot into Windows or Ubuntu.

Tips for Using Ubuntu and Windows Together

• To switch between Ubuntu and Windows, simply restart your laptop and select the desired operating system from the boot menu.
• You can use both Windows and Ubuntu applications on your laptop. However, some applications may not work properly if they are not designed for both operating systems.
• If you are new to Ubuntu, there are many resources available online to help you get started. Prefer to go with official Ubuntu documentation and tutorials.