On Thu 05 Dec 2024 at 22:03:52 (+0000), Andrew M.A. Cater wrote: > On Thu, Dec 05, 2024 at 03:15:36PM -0600, David Wright wrote: > > On Thu 05 Dec 2024 at 20:01:29 (+0000), Andrew M.A. Cater wrote: > > > > > Use the Microsoft tools to create a Windows .iso file > > > > > > Install Windows from a .iso file. Use Windows drive tools to shrink > > > Windows > > > on the drive to make some space. > > > > > > Then use something like gparted to move the Windows to the end of the > > > drive. > > > > Do you mean specifically the end of the drive, > > or just at one end or the other? Reasoning? > > > > 1. Install Windows to the whole drive - it's what Windows does :) > 2. Use gparted to move Windows (maybe apart from the EFI partition) to the > end of the drive - move the blank space to the front of the drive after > the EFI partiton. > 3. Install Debian in the blank space.
Last time I installed Debian on a Windows computer, I used W's own Disk Manager to defragment, optimise, and shrink the main Windows partition, which meant it was at the /start/ of the free space. (W's DM for peace of mind of the system's owner.) I may be repeating this fairly soon, and am interested about the difference between W at the start and W at the end of the drive, particular now it's solid state rather than a spinning disc. > You might be able to do it all with one EFI partition. I think I found it > easier to put Windows on first - because it's fussy, then install Debian > but I may have done it both ways round in the past. Installing Windows > second is definitely harder if I recall correctly. Yes, I'm used to Microsoft first, then Debian. In the days of MSDOS, this was essential on some of my disks, because DOS had to choose its preferred disk geometry, or it wouldn't work at all. Cheers, David.
