Hey everyone! I’m studying Computer Science and making the switch to Linux Mint for my main OS. While I’m excited to dive into the CLI for development, I still want to keep gaming on Windows for some of those titles that just don’t run as well on Linux. So, I’ve decided to set up a dual-boot system with Windows and Linux.
I’m reaching out for advice on how to best partition my drives:
– I have a 1 TB NVMe SSD that I plan to prioritize for Linux Mint but I’m not sure how to allocate space for the OS and development tools, or if I should leave some room for Windows games.
– Additionally, I’ve got a 500 GB SATA SSD that I want to dedicate to Windows 10 and my games.
– Lastly, there’s a 500 GB HDD that I’d like to use as shared storage (in NTFS or exFAT format) for both operating systems to access data and maybe install older games.
Here are my specific questions:
1. Should I dedicate the entire 1 TB to Linux and explore gaming there, or keep a chunk for Windows?
2. What’s the ideal way to partition the NVMe SSD? Would it be better to allocate a larger portion to Linux and leave Windows on the SATA SSD?
3. Is it a good idea to use the HDD for shared data? What format should I choose for compatibility?
4. Are there any potential driver issues, especially with NVIDIA, that I should be concerned about in a dual-boot setup?
I’m looking for guidance to optimize my hardware while minimizing wasted space and slowing performance. Appreciate any insights! Thanks in advance!
4 Answers
I switched to Linux about a year ago and took a bit of a gamble, installing Linux on an NTFS drive. It’s worked surprisingly well for me—games run faster and I’ve had no major issues. Just know that some games might not work right away but that’s pretty standard. Windows can hog resources, while my Linux setup feels lighter, using much less RAM. Not saying this is the norm, just sharing my experience!
1TB really isn’t too much space these days since many games balloon to 200 GB or more. It’s safer to have separate drives because Windows can mess with the bootloader if it shares space with Linux. I’d suggest dedicating 200 GB for Windows and leaving the rest for Linux. You can then use the SATA SSD for your game installations, while making adjustments based on what works best later on.
I’m currently dual-booting Arch Linux and Windows, and honestly, gaming on Linux has gotten pretty solid lately, especially with SteamOS pushing for more compatibility. You’ll find many games will work well right away or with just minor tweaks. Just a heads up, though—some anti-cheat systems and certain games (like Monster Hunter) have known issues with Linux, so keep an eye on those compatibility sites like ProtonDB.
As for your partitioning, I’d definitely recommend keeping Linux and Windows on separate drives to avoid bootloader issues. Use your 1 TB drive fully for Linux Mint and let the other drives handle Windows. For shared storage, going with NTFS makes sense since Windows defaults to that, and Linux can read it without problems. If you’re dedicating a partition for Linux, ext4 is a solid choice.
For the 1 TB NVMe SSD, 128 GB is probably adequate for the Linux OS unless you’re planning to install loads of software. I personally have 256 GB and only use around 80 GB, but I’ve hit some limits and wish I had left more space for flexibility. If you run out of space, creating folders and symlinking can be a workaround, but it’s not ideal.
Totally agree with you! Having separate drives for each OS just makes things smoother. Plus, you avoid potential headaches with Windows messing up Linux stuff.