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I need to install Windows 10 for some work but I already have Ubuntu 20.10 installed on my HDD. All the space on the HDD has been allocated so no free space.

I read that it's better to install Windows first then Ubuntu. So my plan is to back up my entire Ubuntu OS to an external drive using Timeshift, then to install Windows and reinstall Ubuntu and once this is done restore the Ubuntu system using Timeshift.

Will this work? My concern is that GRUB will be affected and also fstab with existing partitions assigned, as I think these will change after Windows/Ubuntu installation.

Is there a better way to do this while retaining my entire Ubuntu OS?

Output of lsblk:

lsblk output

BeastOfCaerbannog
  • 14,585
evancn7
  • 1
  • Does Disk Partitions No longer work? (G-Parted) Google.... – EODCraft Staff Feb 03 '21 at 15:11
  • @EODCraftStaff All space on my disk has been allocated so I can't make space for Windows install. Is it possible to resize an existing partition? – evancn7 Feb 03 '21 at 15:25
  • @karel can I resize a partition to make the space for these instructions? – evancn7 Feb 03 '21 at 15:28
  • How to resize partitions? – karel Feb 03 '21 at 15:29
  • @karel I'll give this a go thank you. Am I right in saying that data is saved from the starting sector onwards for example if I have 50GB on /dev/sda3 I can resize all the way back to that sector? – evancn7 Feb 03 '21 at 15:46
  • Is system UEFI or BIOS? And then is Ubuntu installed in UEFI or BIOS/CSM/Legacy boot mode. If drive is gpt partitioned for UEFI, you must install Windows in UEFI boot mode. If older BIOS system using MBR, then Windows must be installed in BIOS boot mode to primary NTFS partition with boot flag. If UEFI installing Windows after normally works, with BIOS Windows updates of partition table often "forget" to include the Linux partitions. Do not make partitions too small. NTFS wants 30% free to work welll, Linux formats need some extra space but not as much. – oldfred Feb 03 '21 at 15:49
  • @oldfred Hi, the system is UEFI and system is installed as UEFI with a gpt partition table. Would 25GB be enough?? – evancn7 Feb 03 '21 at 15:56
  • I normally suggest 25 to 30GB for / (root). I do keep /home inside /, but have all my data 100's of GB in other data partitions. A new user probably should have /home in another partition if only using 25GB for /. New installs now use a lot of snaps which take more space. I default to standard apps, not snaps and houseclean regularly. I use about 8.5GB in my /. Without knowing how much data you may have in Ubuntu cannot specifically recommend size. – oldfred Feb 03 '21 at 17:50

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