Hi. I’ve not really used Windows since the early 2000. Even then not much.
I have a single mini PC with windows on. And use it only for device firmware updates. As a ham radio nerd. You get many devices that can only be modified via windows.
Anyway it was set up with dual boot the normal way. Windows first as it came with it. Then make a real Linux partition to use the PC on my boat while travelling.
Now the issue is I am upgrading the Mini PC. Basically replacing memory and the tiny 128gb ssd. So need to install it all from scratch.
I have order a copy of windows 11 from ebay. (At a price I consider acceptable for the crap)
But its going to take several days to arrive. And I would like to be more efficient.
So I am hoping folks can advice me on the best way to set up the PC with Linux first then install Windows 11 later. Knowing windows has a habit of messing up grub etc.
You can use windows in indefinite trial version with Activate Windows watermark. Grab a windows iso from the website. Put it on USB stick (I use Ventoy). And install. I would keep windows bootlaoder and grub on separate partitions.
There’s a lot of people saying not to pay for windows or not to use eBay or to download from Microsoft directly or to use massgrave instead but there are very few possibly no responses explaining why that’s a better option than buying from eBay.
First things first, and I know this is gonna get some people responding with the ol’ “nuh-uh”, but there’s compromised counterfeit install media for sale. You most likely don’t know how to tell the good from the bad. The bad can also look very, very good.
If you want to know you’re getting the good stuff straight from Microsoft, use uupdump to create an updated install media for whatever sku(version of windows) you want and use rufus to make the usb installer (you’ll need to be inside a windows vm or on your old version of windows). The reason I say use Rufus is because it gives you the opportunity to turn off some stuff like requiring a Microsoft account in the 11 install process.
Once that’s done and installed, you can activate however you like, either with massgrave or with a key for your sku purchased from Microsoft directly.
- Stop using GRUB, it’s a horrible legacy sprawling mess, most of which you don’t need
- Windows doesn’t delete the bootloader with EFI boot, just make sure you have free partition space for it to create the system partition and a large enough EFI partition.
I have no experience with setting up Windows after Linux. I’ve always done it the other way around.
However, what version of Windows was it running before? If you haven’t switched the components yet, you can use Windows to make a Windows boot flash drive or DVD officially using the “Windows Media creation Tool.” It’s a free download from an official Microsoft page. I don’t think you needed to buy Windows 11 at all. Both windows 10 and 11 will recognize that your hardware (motherboard mostly, I believe) is registered with a license, and it will simply activate your Windows online, no hassle. It’s like the one thing Microsoft got right.
