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I originally had a laptop with Windows 8, but I wiped it and installed Strictly Ubuntu. However, I am realizing that there are some tasks that are better suited towards Windows. I was looking to Dual boot and install Windows 8 on a small partition alongside my Ubuntu, however, I would rather not lose GRUB, and last time I dual booted, I seemed to have messed up the boot order in my BIOS. So do you ladies and Gentlemen have and advice to me on how to successfully complete this task? Perhaps a tutorial you know of. I have seen many that are suited towards installing Ubuntu after Windows is already present, but I was hoping for the inverse.

Thanks everyone!

bross
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1 Answers1

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I would recommend reading Installing Ubuntu Alongside a Pre-Installed Windows with UEFI to give you an idea about having both together, especially the boot repair part. But the quick and easy steps, taking into consideration you already have Ubuntu installed and want Windows 8 now (Which means there is no need to worry about UEFI, Secure Boot and other issues) would be:

  1. With the LiveUSB of Ubuntu, use gparted to shrink the Ubuntu space in order to create empty space to install Windows. I am assuming Ubuntu took the whole drive. I recommend doing it this way since the Windows 7 and 8 partition tool in their installer has had several problems messing up the Ubuntu partition. After you have the space needed for Windows 8 you can keep on reading.

  2. Install Windows 8 like you normally would. Select the empty space and all the steps that are shown in the installer.

  3. Since you installed Windows AFTER Ubuntu, the boot part of Ubuntu will not work. To fix this, simply plug the LiveUSB of Ubuntu again, this time as I mentioned in the link above in the troubleshooting section, open a Terminal and type the following:

    sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair   
sudo apt-get update   
sudo apt-get install boot-repair

    Now run boot-repair

    Boot Repair will mention that you have some GRUB error, just click on Apply so boot repair fixes everything. Now reboot and you should see Windows 8 and Ubuntu side by side on the same GRUB menu. I again mentioned gparted and doing the partition with the LiveUSB or LiveDVD because it is really fast, saves you some issues that could appear when using the partition manager of the Windows 7/8 installer and it is easier.

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Luis Alvarado
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