Installation Beside Windows

JerryC

I just discovered Solus today and would like to try it. I have a laptop that came with Windows 10 that I use to run a couple programs that I can't get to run on Linux Mint. My question is: Can I install Solus beside Windows 10 in another partition like many other versions of Linux? Also will I have a problem with the new BIOS? (EF what-ever-it's-called).

inkbug

I am afraid there I must add a 'however' here:
On an EFI system, Solus will install its boot manager to the same EFI partition that Windows 10 uses - but the partition, by default, is too small: it is set, by Windows 10, to a size of 100 MB, I believe.
The result is, that while Solu's installation will go without a hitch, the next system update may not be able to upgrade the boot manager due to lack of space, and so the next boot will fail.
Changing the size of the EFI partition using either Windows' partition manager, or GParted, will break your Windows installation.

This is an issue I have long suffered through in my first months with Solus.

The solution I found was as such:

Use a Windows installation media (such as a rescue USB), to manually create a large enough EFI partition - I chose 2GB, to be on the safe side.
Install windows.
Install Solus.

Once I completed these steps, Solus has been running without a hitch for a while now.

The following video shows how to handle the tricky EFI partition resize part:
https://youtu.be/0Jlbn9QWU1I
The video's author also demonstrates installing a multi-boot system in his other videos, but once you pass this hurdle, the rest is easier.

Good luck!

Nycticorax

inkbug I am not sure all the hassle with resizing the EFI partition is needed. I installed Solus on 2 PCs alongside Windows 10 and on 1 Mac alongside mac OS. The key is just to make sure you have enough space for Solus (between 10 and 20 GB I would say -- consider more if a swap partition is in order), and simply boot on a Solus Live image to then use GParted to assign Solus a partition on the free segment, specifying esp and boot as flags, and / as mount point. After installing, you can conveniently switch from one OS to the other by simply rebooting and calling the bootloader as soon as the reboot initiates (for example by pressing ESC repeatedly on a PC and holding Alt on the Mac.
edit: on the PC this assumes that Secure boot is disabled. If not you need to disable it from your UEFI/BIOS (called 'Windows Setup'). You can access it via the bootloader, which in turn you can access following the method described above.

JerryC

Turns out I'm having a problem writing the iso file to a USB drive. I tried using dd but it didn't work (USB drive won't boot). I have no idea why; there were no error messages. I tried Gnome MultiWriter but I can't figure out how to start it. I found the file meson_post_install.sh but it won't run. How do I start Gnome Multiwriter?

dbarron

I'm sure I've written any number (including Solus) with dd and had no issues.

brent

dbarron Was going to say the same thing. Save for the dev/sdx one could cut and paste the whole dd command from the solus install page. I've done it a few times, always with success.

JerryC

brent I cut and pasted the dd command and everything appeared to run to completion with no error messages. When I try to boot from the USB, it hangs without completing the boot. Further investigation shows that running the dd command makes sdb1 (the USB drive) invisible to the operating system.

JerryC

[unknown] I have Linux Mint. I am unable to find etcher in either synaptic package manager or Software Manager.

brent

JerryC try it without the '1' in sdb1. just sdb. then I think it will create it's own boot partition. It's possible I'm mistaken.

Justin

brent Yeah dd should be to drive, not partition. 😀

JerryC

I finally have a bootable USB drive. I used USB Image Writer that is on my Linux Mint system. Rather than fight trying to install beside Windows, I think I will back up and replace Mint. I thank everybody for the help and I probably will be back.
JC

brent

As long as you have windows then rufus is also effective. But as long as you accomplished it, congrats. Welcome to Solus.

otavioschwanck

You can install Solus on Legacy and keep Windows on EFI. No problem here.

Just need press F8 (depends of your hardware), and select legacy ou EFI.

Or you can install Windows in legacy.

brent

Justin That's what kept his command from working, without doubt. Always the little stuff.

JerryC

Just a follow-up. I found out this morning that the Codeweaver group does not support Solus. They sell Crossover which is software that allows you to run many Windows programs on Linux. If I can't run Quicken I can't use the distribution. Sorry folks.
JC

brent

JerryC I think you could work around closed-source stuff like codeweaver+quicken pretty easily with some effort. We live in a world where not one computer literate person needs M$ office anymore because of competent freeware alternatives. Barely need Adobe but I digress.
Not being preachy at all, so please forgive---change and experimentation=time and money and nobody has enough of the last two.

Justin

JerryC Time to move to an open accounting program.

JerryC

brent I am sure that's the case. I was introduced to the PC world when I got my first IBM PC in Dec of 1982. I became the first "PC Guy" at the office by default. We were using windows v3.0 at the office when IBM and MS went together and OS/2 was born. That was a great OS. Windows had to get to v7 before it even kind of matched OS/2. I am familiar with the failures of Windows which is why I switched to Linux several years ago. I am now almost 80 and no longer have the desire to expend the effort to "tinker".
Thanks for your time and maybe things will change for Solus. When that happens, we'll try again.

brent

JerryC
With utmost respect, sir. You are one of the original DOS/A-drive cowboys. I came of age in Win 98 and mac OS8. 98 a competent OS depending on your definition...