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This is a near duplicate of Ubuntu won't boot with windows 7 & Unable to boot into Windows after installing Ubuntu, how to fix? but the focus is slightly different. As commented, it is probably duplicate of How do I install Ubuntu alongside a pre-installed Windows with UEFI?

I am somehow more or less a Linux expert (and a research engineer and software developer, e.g. occasional contributor to GCC, and I designed and made GCC MELT but later abandoned it), and capable of installing both Debian and Ubuntu on PC laptops (with that Linux OS being the only one on the computer) even when slightly ill or a bit drunk.

However, I never used Windows in my life (and probably never will, since I am retiring in 2024 at most). My first Unix experience was around 1987 on SunOS3. Since then, I always used Unix-like systems (and Linux since 1993).

I do have some education about OSes in general (since I have a PhD in CS, and got courses on OS). E.g. I know well what is in Operating Systems : Three Easy Pieces and I even have read a few papers on Windows architecture. However, I never used Windows (and I really don't want to). I know quite well most Linux syscalls(2) and probably could teach a Linux programming course on them.

I have soon a meeting for the CHARIOT project (an H2020 research project I am involved in). I want to offer helping partners (which only know Windows, and never tasted Linux) to install Ubuntu 18.04 on their laptop. I am assuming they have 200Gb of free disk space in some empty partition. I also assume that their particular Windows is at least Windows 7 (and perhaps Windows 8, 9, or 10).

Here is my question.

When installing Ubuntu 18.04 on a laptop having Windows and a free partition of 200Gbytes, how difficult it is to keep Windows and obtain a dual boot system?

My feeling is that recent Ubuntu is practically designed for such a situation, but I am not sure.

Any instruction for a Linux "expert" but a complete Windows newbie are welcome. Found this.

In other words, I feel that I am able to tell partners: once you have a 200Gb empty disk partition, installing Ubuntu 18.04 is a piece of cake, and you won't lose your Windows system.

Basile Starynkevitch
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    This is a popular question to search for for information about how to install Ubuntu alongside Windows: How do I install Ubuntu alongside a pre-installed Windows with UEFI? – karel Oct 07 '18 at 14:19
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    Should I close the question then? – Basile Starynkevitch Oct 07 '18 at 14:22
  • Other possibilities: If their laptop is powerful enough, an Ubuntu VM guest on the Windows host might be an appropriate option. If they use Windows 10, WSL might be a simple solution. If you, a Linux sophisticate, do the dual-boot install, then we can be confident...it's a steep learning curve for folks without Linux experience. – user535733 Oct 07 '18 at 14:28
  • I heard of WSL, but I am understanding it is not X11 friendly – Basile Starynkevitch Oct 07 '18 at 14:29
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    Windows 7 which is usually BIOS with MBR partitioning & 4 primary partition limit is a lot different than Windows 8 or 10 with UEFI and gpt partitioning. And many vendors have made UEFI more difficult. Most now are better, but many systems need UEFI updates, possibly SSD firmware updates whether installing Ubuntu or not. Shows install with screen shots. Both BIOS purple accessibility screen & UEFI black grub menu screen https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI – oldfred Oct 07 '18 at 15:18

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