Installing Linux in a G3 3779

Question

Good day, I recently bought a G3 17 with Windows 10 preinstalled. The laptop has a 128GB SSD and a 1TB HDD. What I'd like to do, is to install Linux in the SSD, side by side with Windows 10. I'd need maybe 3GB for it, because I'd mount the home folder in the HDD, but I'd use the faster SSD to boot/load the programs. The problem I see, is that the SSD has already a lot of partitions in it: Partitions So the question is, is there a safe way to achieve what I'd like to have on my system? * a very small Linux root partition (3GB) on the SSD * the Linux bootloader placed in the HDD, and I'd get the choice whether to boot Linux or Windows * the bootloader would boot from the HDD, but both systems would actually reside in the SSD * the current SSD bootloader wouldn't be touched This is the system I have on another machine and it works well, so I'd like to replicate it.

help123a · Answer

Use one of the downloadable tools to get your Windows Key and write down before proceeding. Back up all your files before proceeding.

I tried putting Linux Mint on a new laptop and found it was unstable and would freeze because its kernel is not compatible with new Dell’s. Ubuntu will likely work.

As for side by side with Windows, it has been done with no problems I can ever remember.

mg979 · Answer

Isn't the Windows 10 licence supposed to be bound to the hardware, without Windows Key? Which is this downloadable tool? Sorry I got this PC just today.

mg979 · Answer

Apparently the G3 wifi device isn't recognized by the distro I'm using so I'll have to wait for some upgrade on their part, in any case.

ChochFries · Answer

Hello. I want to start out by saying I am relatively new to Linux. I got Fedora 29 KDE running on the G3 successfully with wifi working and the Nouveau driver working. All of this happened by default after I somehow (I couldn't replicate the steps) managed to get Fedora installed after trying Pop OS first. The only issue I seem to have is that I cannot get the video ports to work. I tried using USB-C and USB 3 dongles and the provided the HDMI port to get 2 other monitors attached and every time I plug 1 screen in via any of the dongles or HDMI port the screen either goes black or the GUI gets all fuzzy. I tried using different DE like GNOME and MATE with no luck. Can you point me in the correct direction?

ChochFries · Answer

I also forgot to mention that I was never able to get a 2nd monitor to work. I need the 2 additional monitors for work

speedstep · Answer

The 128 SSD will have many issues and die completely after a windows 10 feature update booting to a black screen of death.

The Safe Way to do this is to REMOVE The NVME SSD and install Windows onto he hard drive.

Then Shrink the win10 OS partition using diskmgmt.msc to have at least 80 gigs Free to install UBUNTU 18.04.2 onto side by side.

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