On 5/26/25 11:23, Lee wrote:
For those of you that still use Windows, do you have a dual boot
system where you select linux or windows at boot time or do you boot
into linux and run windows as a vm?
My wife is trying to decide if she wants to keep windows on her laptop
or no. Obviously, it's easier not to decide & keep her options open..
but I don't know if dual boot or running windows in a vm would be
better, or what the tradeoffs would be.
Anyone care to say which is the better option, tradeoffs, pitfalls, etc?
Thanks
Lee
Irrespective of dual-boot vs. VM, I expect the following issues will
require running Windows on the laptop:
1. Motherboard Windows license -- manufacturers have been putting the
Windows license into the motherboard for several years now (firmware
EEPROM?). Windows must be running on the hardware to see the license.
2. Bundled software (e.g. bloatware) -- everyone loves to hate this
stuff, but the original buyer pays for it and the manufacturer expects
it to be there (for updates, technical support, warranty, etc.). The
bundled software expects to be running on the purchased hardware.
3. Windows installer -- I have not seen PC manufacturer Windows,
driver, utility, application, etc., installation media for a very long
time. The last time I wanted to wipe and reinstall Windows and bundled
software on a ~2019 Dell, I used the motherboard firmware Setup utility
and a fast, unmetered Internet connection.
I tried dual-boot back in the day. Updating either OS often broke the
ability to boot. It was a major PITA. Since then, my solution has been
to install mobile racks in my computers, use one drive per OS instance,
and to choose what OS to run by powering down, swapping drives, and booting:
https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/hsb220sat25b
https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/s25slotr
For laptops:
https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/usb3s2sat3cb
David
