Sometimes the simplest of things might become some of the hardest things in life. Pop OS is no different here when you want to install it with Windows. Here’s our take on How to Custom Install Linux Pop OS with Windows to help you out.
Many of us wonder about the Coding life, while some even want the reward for being an IT expert. Whether you are a beginner starting out in the Cyber Field or someone who just wants to catch up to the Technological Revolutions, both have to start from somewhere. In that case, the best way is to simply get started with Linux and then make your way through a Coding Language (like Python).
More or less, there are various Linux Distributions available and one of the best ones to get started with is Pop OS. But, there is one certain stance where you can’t effortlessly get through, which is Custom Installing Linux Pop OS with Windows.
On other Distributions like Ubuntu, there is nothing to worry about because they offer you the option to install Linux along with Windows and that is missing when we are talking about Pop OS.
When you are installing Pop OS with Windows as your Primary and Linux as your Secondary, you will catch up with the option to either Custom Install or Clean Install. For Windows and Linux on the same PC, you need to select Custom Install, where you will have to Create Disk Partitions Manually. It is a nightmare, but I am here to help out. Let’s get started with our guide on How to Custom Install Linux Pop OS with Windows.
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What are the requirements?
For the most part, you will be requiring various basic things here;
- Free Space for Linux, having a minimum of 20GB and recommended 40GB. You can go as wide as you want to, based on your personal preferences.
- A USB with a minimum of 4GB is available and nothing is on it.
- Software to turn USB into Bootable USB Drive like Rufus or Balena Etcher. Our recommendation is to install Balena Etcher. Click the Link to download.
- Pop OS Burnable ISO File that you can download from their official site. Click the Link to download.
How to Create Disk Partition for Linux on Windows
The first thing that you need to make sure of is that there is Disk Space free on any Disk. It should be more than 40GB, which is recommended. I am sure you have it free.
- Right-click on the bottom left Windows Icon
- Click on Disk Management
- On the bottom Disk Mentions, you need to right-click the Disk that has free space
- Click on Shrink Volume
- Put up a number like 40000 MB (40GB; 1000MB – 1GB) or anyone you want to free up from that Disk. Don’t worry it won’t delete your data!
- Proceed onwards by clicking OK or Create and it will be done
- Right-click on the Unallocated space that was just created and give it a name
- You can call it L (for Linux) and then after that, for the Volume name, you can call it (Linux).
- The Unallocated space will be turned into a Disk that is free to use for anything you like. In our case, it is obviously for Linux.
That’s How to Create a Disk Partition for Linux on Windows!
How does the Linux Pops OS Manual or Custom Partitions work?
So, the Manual Partition for Pop OS means you have to create FAT32 yourself and then you have to create EXT4 the disk as well. When you Custom Install Windows, it takes you to the partition window, and from there, it does everything itself.
On Pop OS, this stuff is kind of hard because you have to do it yourself. The simple concept here is that you have to create a FAT 32 Disk with a minimum of 1GB. Remember, you can’t put 1GB there because the Disk itself will take some MBs from that. So put something around 1.5 GB or 1500 MB.
Then you need to Allocate higher space for Linux (Pop OS), just like you do for Windows. Imagine you had a Windows installed on 118 GB SSD and then you were using 1TB or 500GB HDD as your main Disk for all the activities like work, movies, games, pictures, and so on.
That’s the same concept here, but you have to remember that FAT32 is for your Linux to Install on and then the other space like 40GB, 24GB, or more is for you to put all the stuff on.
The FAT32 will have the /Boot after doing everything and the EXT4 will have the /Root. Hope you get a general idea here. Now we are going to show you how to do it step by step below.
Steps to Custom Install Linux Pop OS With Windows
Now let’s cut straight to the chase here. The first thing we will be mentioning here is installing Pop OS.
Install Pop OS
Take out your USB Stick and put it in the USB Slot of your PC or Windows or system you are trying to install Linux on, along with Windows.
Shut Down your System and get into Bios. You can check its Bios Button from Google, but in case you are using ASUS Laptop, it might be “F2”. Power on your System and after the initial screen appears, press and hold that button.
From the Security Options you need to find “Secure Boot” and make sure it is turned off because Linux ain’t gonna work with the Secure Boot turned on.
Sometimes you have to select the Boot Options yourself or you can also find it somewhere on the bottom screen with an “F” key mentioned. Click that and find your USB Drive there.
After the Boot is done, Pop OS will start installing. As the installation is done, you will be brought to the menu where you can either Clean Install (which is simple AF) or you can also do a Custom Installation (The hardest thing to exist… ever, but essential for Windows and Linux to exist together on a same system).
How to Custom Install Pop OS – Guide to Partitions
- Click on Custom Install
- On the bottom left, click on Manage Partitions
- On the window’s Top Right, you can select the Disk that had the free partition created from it
- In the Middle of the Window, you can identify which Disk was created through L for the Linux Volume name
- Check the Space it has!
- Right Click on it and click on Move
- Here there are three things; The upper one is identifying a new Disk created above the one you are editing, the middle one is the current one and the button one is the Disk that will be created below the partition
- Put 1500 MB on the Above one
- Put 1 in the Middle
- Put the rest in the Bottom
- Click OK
- Now, find the one with 1500 MB of Unallocated space and right-click on it
- Then, click on Create (Page with a Plus on it)
- On the right, pick the file as FAT32 and allocate the 1500 MB to it
- Now click on the other Unallocated Space you created before and do the same, but have EXT4 on its File Type and don’t mess with other things there
- Just click on OK
- Click on the Tick on top with Green Colo
- Wait for it to do its thing and then close the window
- On the Bars, you need to find the one with the 1500 MB space and right-click on it (Boot)
- Right-click on the Higher Space that you created for Linux (Root)
On the Bottom right, proceed and Linux Pop OS is just created along with Windows. You can enjoy both of them together.
How to Change from Linux to Windows or from Windows to Linux?
Remember, when you went to Bios and selected the Boot Drive there? Well, the same is the procedure for shifting from Linux to Windows or from Windows to Linux.
You just have to get to bios and from there to the Boot Menu. Here, you will find one named Windows and another named Pop OS. Both represent Windows you were using before and Linux.
Conclusion
Now that’s How to Custom Install Linux Pop OS with Windows. My Step-by-Step Guide will help you with installing Linux (Pop OS) and then keeping it alongside your Windows as well without deleting any of your present data.
Just follow the steps we mentioned and you will be good to go with your first step in IT, or you can call it Linux. Feel free to write down any troubles in the comment below or contact us, if you need any help.
