Two-step Ubuntu installitaion: first - together with win 10 and later - Ubunty only?

Question

I just wanted to shift to Ubuntu, while now I stick to Win10. Installation gives me an option to run it in parallel with Windows Boot Manager (or what's the name of that one?..).

My question: can I shift to Ubuntu in 2 steps? First - along with Windows, carefuly transfer all my data via cloud storage, ensure all password and sensitive info gets on Ubuntu and works well and then wipe Windows completely?

Will I be able to erase windows from Ubuntu? Would be be error prone or there is a reliable way to achive needed effect? May I mess both systems up?

That should work. But most dual boot for an extended period as they find one application or game that they must have and does not work in Linux. If you do decide to delete Windows you can reformat the NTFS partition to ext4 and use that as a data partition or if large move /home to it. You do need to have /home well backed up. Many of us like to separate data as in /home from system as in / (root) or go one step further and just have a data partition. But if removing Windows do not keep a NTFS partition as you need Windows for chkdsk or defrag. — oldfred, Feb 23 '19 at 19:48
Please ask one question at a time. See how do I install Ubuntu alongside a pre-installed Windows with UEFI? and Using gparted to remove Windows partition. — user68186, Feb 23 '19 at 19:48

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 23 '19 at 20:11

This reminds me of my first Linux installation. Glad to answer. I'll divide my answer into parts so that should be an easier reference:

1. Ubuntu in 2 steps

Yes you can install a dual boot Windows+Ubuntu quite easily following the installation indications that you mentioned.

When you installed Ubuntu alongside Windows, you'll find 1 or more new partition on your hard drive, on which Ubuntu was installed. Windows uses 2 partitions at least (one for the boot loader and one for C:), so that would mean you now have 3 or more.

2. Backup

The easiest way to backup files from Windows would be to simply copy them to the Ubuntu partition following these steps:

Boot into Ubuntu Open the file browser (Nautilus, the equivalent of Explorer) and search your Windows partition in the device list on the left. Click the device. Find the files on the partition, and copy them.

3. Remove the Windows partition

This is easily done with GParted.

If you don't have GParted install it with sudo apt-get install gparted

Open it: gparted &

In GParted find the Windows partition, select it, delete it and click Apply.

Warning! After you do this, the data on your Windows partition is lost forever!

Mark the space empty, "Create new partition" somewhere and choose a name ("Data", for example). You can format the drive as ext4 (if you plan to use Ubuntu only) If you may want to move back to Windows choose NTFS.

Open "Storage Disk Manager" (for example by searching for it in the Unity search box). Click the partition you created and configure it to mount at boot.

Instead of creating a new partition and mounting it, you could also start from a Live CD/USB and expand the Ubuntu partition.

Feel free to ask more info if you need.

Some time ago there was a gui tool that could do what you were asking, but I never used it so cannot really suggest it from experience, maybe you can collect some info around https://sourceforge.net/p/os-uninstaller/wiki/Home/ — Alex Barchiesi, Feb 23 '19 at 20:14

Two-step Ubuntu installitaion: first - together with win 10 and later - Ubunty only?

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