Alienware m15 linux

Always keep in mind,   Windows does not play well with others.  As an option, you can use Virtual Machines to run Linux with Windows being the base OS.  Kinda destroys the reason I want to run Linux, which is to get rid of the sloth/bloat/spyware aspects of Windows.

It is best that if you have anything, at all on in the computer you want to save, then you should back up your computer, several times.   In my experience, do not use a Dell created back up software, which more likely to just lose your personal data. I would prefer, while it is wasteful, in how many hard drives you need,  to use Acronis back up software to create clones to several different external hard drives, which you can reserve, and not use for anything else for awhile.  If one of the drives involved in the save, then you can use the free software created by Seagate or Western Digital, and clone your drives.   Interval based backups are, in my experience, great at finding new and creative ways to fail just when you need them.  I think the rules of the forum prohibit me from mentioning some freeware disk clone things. 

Well, I have for some time, booted Linux on my Alienware 15 R2 from a USB flash drive.   I started with GUI based versions of a Live version of Linux.  Mint Linux, as it is supposed to be a highly tested version of Ubuntu, and very stable.   My process is like this;  

Starting with being in Windows.   

Download Mint Linux image or ISO. You might verify the download.  

Take an empty USB flash drive, at least 8GB. 

I would write Linux onto drive with "Universal USB installer" (hint it does not matter which version of Linux you pick off it list, it will not change anything.  I just go to to the bottom of the list and pick generic, in case they change something)   Program is pretty clear on what you can do.

If It is an Linux image instead of an ISO file, I use balena Etcher.  Which works pretty straight forward.  

Back to Windows not playing well with others.   Windows 10 has a feature where it does not, usually shut down the hard drive when the computer is shut down.  Instead it puts the hard drive in hibernate mode.   If you try to boot to a Linux Flash Drive.   My computers used to give a message about drive is unstable, if you proceed, you may lose information on the hard drive.   The way to stop this, hard drive going into hibernate on a Windows 10 Shutdown, you need to make changes in the Power configurations in the Windows 10 "Settings/System/Power and Sleep"  and now you are the mercy of different manufacturers having different options to lead you into advanced settings, where you set it to do and explicit drive shut down on power off.   Not hibernate. 

Of course you realize that shutdown of Windows from the little windows icon on the lower left is needed to be used instead of the Power Button.  

Now you

To boot into Linux:

Shut down Windows., from the lower left of Windows.  

Put flash drive with Linux into USB Port.  

Turn on the power button, pressing f12 every two seconds.  This should bring you into BIOS/EFI,   I usually click down to "BIOS Setup"  Press enter. 

Click over to 'Boot"

click down to "Secure Boot"  change it to disabled. 

"Boot List Option:  change UEFI to Legacy.   Usually then the firmware will point to the USB key to start from, although their is another option to start the USB key.

click over to exit.  Exit and save, you will need to reverse this to get back into Windows. 

When running Linux.   Be very careful;  You will see disc partitions that are part of Windows 10.  If you change the Windows 10 partitions in any way, Windows may do bizarre things and refuse to function.   I choose to never touch those partitions.   

You should now have a Live version of Linux running.  The problem you would now say is;  Hey, I can make changes and keep them, I need an installed version of whatever Linux I am running.  I am very leery of the consequences of using the Install option on the Live version of the USB install to create another completely installed version of Linux on another USB key, as I am a bit afraid of overheating the USB on the board.   So there are other ways to create a full install version of your chosen Linux distro.

Alienware support says that Alienware does not allow for dual boot.   Which means they will not talk to you about it.  

I apologize if I covered things you already knew.  I just felt I should be thorough in how this works up to this point.  

Be very careful not to write on or over any of the Alienware partitions created for Windows. 

I am tired of typing, please let me know about any adventures you have with Linux.