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I don't want windows at all. I want two Ubuntu OSes on the same hard drive on my laptop. I use one OS for security and the other as a regular laptop since linux is so much faster than windows on old laptops. How do I install two ubuntu OSes on the same hard drive? Any webpages that show a step by step instruction?

what ever
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    One OS per partition (all OS have this rule). No OS can 'share' a partition, just like your feet cannot 'share' one shoe. If you have two feet, you need two shoes. If you have two OSs installed, each needs it's own partition. – user535733 Aug 29 '19 at 17:39
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    Do you mean on the same drive? You can't install two OS on the same partition. But you could use a virtual machine runnning on one OS. – schrodingerscatcuriosity Aug 29 '19 at 17:40
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    See https://askubuntu.com/a/823400/77093 – cmak.fr Aug 29 '19 at 18:24
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    Since you mentioned security: unless you take additional security measures, an attacker gaining root access in one OS will be able to manipulate the other OS, too. – danzel Aug 30 '19 at 08:05
  • The setup that you propose is somewhat unnecessary. Linux is a proper multi-user OS, in ways that Windows generally has not been historically. Have two copies of the same OS is wasteful of diskspace and does not actually provide any meaningful increase in "security" over a single installation with multiple users and proper filesystem permissions. – James S. Aug 22 '21 at 12:58

2 Answers2

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Assuming there is nothing you want to preserve on your hard drive, you can do the following:

  1. When you install the first instance of Ubuntu, at some point during installation there will be a window called "Installation type". Choose "Something else".
  2. On the next window you can erase and create partitions. Make sure you create at least two partitions large enough for Ubuntu installations.
  3. Select the partition on which you want to install the first instance of Ubuntu and press Change. Select Ext4 under "Use as" and "/" under "Mount point".
  4. Go ahead, finish the installation.
  5. Boot from the installation USB again and repeat step 1.
  6. No need to repartition, as that was done in step 2. already.
  7. Select the second partition and repeat Step 3. for it.
  8. Go ahead, and finish the installation of the second instance.

The next time you boot the computer Grub will allow you to boot to whichever instance you want.

noravanq
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Each instance of Ubuntu or an Ubuntu family OS requires its own partition. You can run the installer for the second version you wish to install, and choose 'Something Else' when you get to Installation Type, and let it share the same drive; just not the same partition. See this step-by-step workflow illustration for Ubuntu 18.04 LTS.

mchid
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K7AAY
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  • yes, i meant hard drive. i know it cant share a partition. i just wrote it wrong. do you have a webpage that shows step by step instructions for installing a second ubuntu on the same hard drive? – what ever Aug 30 '19 at 01:18
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    UEFI or BIOS installs? Shared data partition, generally best not to share /home. Shared data lets you use some data in both systems. Second install will control booting, but grub will offer to boot first install. I have 3 installs on SSD & 6 on HDD most sharing one data partition. Some now obsolete like my 14.04 install which will get over written with 20.04, starting as soon as dailies are available. – oldfred Aug 30 '19 at 03:53