4 Ways to Run Linux on Windows
4 Ways to Run Linux on Windows: The Complete Breakdown There is more than one way to get Linux running on your machine. Here is the deep dive into the architecture, resource allocation, and best use cases for each method. 1. Dual Boot (The "Native" Experience) 🏠 This is like having two different houses on the same plot of land. You can only live in one at a time. Startup: You see a black-and-white menu (the GRUB Bootloader) for a few seconds. You must manually choose "Windows" or "Linux." Storage Allocation (User-Defined): You have total control here. Using "Disk Management" in Windows, you can shrink your Windows drive by exactly 50GB, 100GB, or 200GB to create a "Home" for Linux. Once set, that space is strictly reserved for Linux and is invisible to Windows. Resource Allocation: Full Power. The OS you pick has 100% access to your RAM, CPU, and Graphics Card. The other OS is completely "asleep." 2. Type 1 Hypervisor (Mi...