How to maintain DualBoot with Windows 11

Issues & Assistance Unsupported hardware | Dual boot
1

I have a question about Dual booting and long term stability considering MS W11 Updates.

I just did a fresh install of Windows 11 on a separate drives and actually disconnected all other drives while installing.

Is there a chance that Windows can write on other drives and mess up the grub?

If so, What can I do to avoid that?

Systems config:

System:
  Kernel: 6.1.6-zen1-2-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.1
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
    root=UUID=0f309958-7881-489f-869b-afc74fd9b0e0 rw rootflags=subvol=@
    quiet quiet splash rd.udev.log_priority=3 vt.global_cursor_default=0
    resume=UUID=f551f9c4-353d-45f8-b453-fd3936591bd1 loglevel=3 ibt=off
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.26.5 tk: Qt v: 5.15.8 info: latte-dock
    wm: kwin_x11 vt: 1 dm: SDDM Distro: Garuda Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: ASUSTeK model: PRIME B450M-A v: Rev X.0x
    serial: <superuser required> UEFI: American Megatrends v: 3604
    date: 02/25/2022
CPU:
  Info: model: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Zen+ gen: 2
    level: v3 note: check built: 2018-21 process: GF 12nm family: 0x17 (23)
    model-id: 8 stepping: 2 microcode: 0x800820D
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 8 tpc: 2 threads: 16 smt: enabled cache:
    L1: 768 KiB desc: d-8x32 KiB; i-8x64 KiB L2: 4 MiB desc: 8x512 KiB
    L3: 16 MiB desc: 2x8 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 3639 high: 3700 min/max: 2200/3700 boost: disabled
    scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq governor: performance cores: 1: 3700 2: 3700
    3: 3700 4: 3700 5: 3700 6: 2735 7: 3700 8: 3700 9: 3700 10: 3700 11: 3700
    12: 3700 13: 3700 14: 3700 15: 3700 16: 3700 bogomips: 118397
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
  Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GP106 [GeForce GTX 1060 6GB] vendor: Micro-Star MSI
    driver: nvidia v: 525.78.01 alternate: nouveau,nvidia_drm non-free: 525.xx+
    status: current (as of 2022-12) arch: Pascal code: GP10x
    process: TSMC 16nm built: 2016-21 pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16
    bus-ID: 09:00.0 chip-ID: 10de:1c03 class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.6 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.7
    compositor: kwin_x11 driver: N/A display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 3840x1200 s-dpi: 93 s-size: 1049x321mm (41.30x12.64")
    s-diag: 1097mm (43.19")
  Monitor-1: DVI-D-0 pos: primary,right res: 1920x1200 hz: 60 dpi: 94
    size: 518x324mm (20.39x12.76") diag: 611mm (24.05") modes: N/A
  Monitor-2: HDMI-0 pos: left res: 1920x1200 hz: 60 dpi: 94
    size: 518x324mm (20.39x12.76") diag: 611mm (24.05") modes: N/A
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 525.78.01 renderer: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
    6GB/PCIe/SSE2 direct render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GP106 High Definition Audio vendor: Micro-Star MSI
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 3-3:3 pcie: chip-ID: 0d8c:0004
    class-ID: 0300 gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 09:00.1
    chip-ID: 10de:10f1 class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: AMD Family 17h HD Audio vendor: ASUSTeK driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 0b:00.3
    chip-ID: 1022:1457 class-ID: 0403
  Device-3: C-Media CM6631A Audio Processor type: USB
    driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid
  Sound API: ALSA v: k6.1.6-zen1-2-zen running: yes
  Sound Server-1: PulseAudio v: 16.1 running: no
  Sound Server-2: PipeWire v: 0.3.64 running: yes
Network:
  Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter driver: ath9k
    v: kernel pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 07:00.0
    chip-ID: 168c:002b class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp7s0 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet
    vendor: ASUSTeK PRIME B450M-A driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: gen: 1
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 port: f000 bus-ID: 08:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168
    class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp8s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Cambridge Silicon Radio Bluetooth Dongle (HCI mode) type: USB
    driver: btusb v: 0.8 bus-ID: 1-2:3 chip-ID: 0a12:0001 class-ID: e001
  Report: bt-adapter ID: hci0 rfk-id: 1 state: up address: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 2.65 TiB used: 17.16 GiB (0.6%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Silicon Power
    model: SPCC M.2 PCIe SSD size: 476.94 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B
    logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 type: SSD serial: <filter>
    rev: H211011a temp: 40.9 C scheme: GPT
  ID-2: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Crucial model: M4-CT128M4SSD2
    size: 119.24 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s
    type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 000F scheme: GPT
  ID-3: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 vendor: Western Digital
    model: WD20EARX-00PASB0 size: 1.82 TiB block-size: physical: 4096 B
    logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s type: N/A serial: <filter> rev: AB51
    scheme: MBR
  ID-4: /dev/sdc maj-min: 8:32 vendor: Kingston model: SUV400S37240G
    size: 223.57 GiB block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s
    type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 96R9 scheme: GPT
  ID-5: /dev/sdd maj-min: 8:48 type: USB vendor: Wilk model: USB DISK 3.0
    size: 28.91 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B type: N/A
    serial: <filter> rev: PMAP scheme: MBR
  SMART Message: Unknown USB bridge. Flash drive/Unsupported enclosure?
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 234.38 GiB size: 234.38 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 17.16 GiB (7.3%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 497 MiB size: 496 MiB (99.80%)
    used: 608 KiB (0.1%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/nvme0n1p5 maj-min: 259:5
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 234.38 GiB size: 234.38 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 17.16 GiB (7.3%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
  ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 234.38 GiB size: 234.38 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 17.16 GiB (7.3%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
  ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 234.38 GiB size: 234.38 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 17.16 GiB (7.3%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 15.53 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: 100
    dev: /dev/zram0
  ID-2: swap-2 type: partition size: 15.62 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%)
    priority: -2 dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 36.6 C mobo: N/A gpu: nvidia temp: 26 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A gpu: nvidia fan: 0%
Info:
  Processes: 373 Uptime: 3m wakeups: 0 Memory: 15.53 GiB used: 3 GiB (19.3%)
  Init: systemd v: 252 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers:
  gcc: 12.2.1 Packages: pm: pacman pkgs: 1393 libs: 334
  tools: octopi,pamac,paru,yay Shell: fish v: 3.6.0 default: Bash v: 5.1.16
  running-in: alacritty inxi: 3.3.24
Garuda (2.6.14-1):
  System install date:     2023-01-18
  Last full system update: 2023-01-19
  Is partially upgraded:   No
  Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager mkinitcpio nvidia-dkms
  Windows dual boot:       Probably (Run as root to verify)
  Failed units:
3

If the other drives are disconnected while Windows is updating, it should be harmless.

If they are not, it is hard to say; Windows updates often have unexpected consequences, even for Windows users who do not use Linux.

As a side note, reinstalling the Grub bootloader if it gets wiped out by Windows (or anything else) is a fairly trivial process which is well documented here in the forum, and on many other sites as well.

8 Likes
6

If Linux and Windows are on seperate disks that’s hihly unlikely.

You can’t really avoid but if Windows takes priority, reverting may be as simple as going to UEFI and putting Linux back to top.

4 Likes
7

Well if both OS are on Different drives, then you will be fine and you won't go into any issue at all . Just make sure both OS boot config drive like (/boot/efi in case of linux) and (System drive in Windows) belongs to different drive as well.

2 Likes
8

Back on top. You mean first bootable drive in boot order?

9

If your UEFI has more explicit options for moving boot entries, use that to move Garuda on top. If it doesn't then change boot disk order.

2 Likes
10

Ok, thanks.

In 10+ years I never figure out how to do it properly. :sweat_smile:

Well, there is a nice summary in the this thread now and hoping we can add to this when needed.

12

Safest/best way to ever run windows is to run it off a 2nd nvme, and passthrough your dedicated gpu/nvme to a qemu kvm. Then no risks of Windows fucking up everything like it always does.