this post was submitted on 25 May 2025
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I want to have a dual-boot laptop where half is Windows and half is Debian. If i encrypt Debian during installation, will it break Windows? I just want to be safe. Thanks in advance

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[–] muusemuuse@lemm.ee 51 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

No. Windows will, however, find other reasons to break.

[–] bhamlin@lemmy.world 8 points 6 hours ago

Microsoft, uh, finds a way.

[–] nous@programming.dev 1 points 6 hours ago

If you want to be safe backup anything you care about before hand. Assume that you might end up needing to wipe the system and reinstall everything. Encrypting the Linux partitions should not affect windows but there are so many other steps that could go wrong when partitioning and installing a system it is better to backup everything you care about just incase.

[–] _thebrain_@sh.itjust.works 17 points 13 hours ago (2 children)

I got tired of windows updates breaking my dual boot. After some research I found that it's possible to have two uefi partitions: one for windows and one for Linux. It's not standard but there is nothing expressly written into the efi spec that prohibits it. And it just works. My bios doesn't care, and works with them both just fine.

I only use Windows for that 1% of business stuff I can't accomplish in a vm under windows. Invariably after I boot into widows once ever 3 months it installs so.e update and would kill my ability to boot into Linux. Since setting up 2 partitions I haven't had this problem.

[–] Eyedust@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Hopefully the day comes soon when we can just leave Windows behind altogether. I wouldn't be surprised if they ruin dualboot on purpose with every update.

[–] KazuchijouNo@lemy.lol 4 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

What is that 1%? I've got windows on a vm and I'm curious

[–] _thebrain_@sh.itjust.works 3 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

My company uses a VPN where the client is so slow inside the VM it is functionally useless. 99%of the time I can still get away with it because my connection amounts to a couple of telnet sessions, but when I actually need data or a spreadsheet or something transferred local, I need to fire up windows directly to snag it.

Sonicwall has a VPN client that will run fine on Linux (or so they say), but the company won't switch over to it. And sonicwall considers the windows only version eol and won't add a Linux version

[–] jamescrakemerani@feddit.uk 1 points 7 hours ago

One example I have is the university breaking their VPN on Linux. They moved us from an open source VPN to some proprietary crap but I found an open source client that worked on Linux. Then they did something on the config that broke that client, and IT told me to use the proprietary client instead. But the proprietary client crashes if you even so much move the window slightly. So I gave up, and just use my Windows partition instead.

Stuff like this is why my Windows partition still exists. I've also thought about getting a cheap Mac Mini for this sort of thing, and for dealing with the MS Office suite when the web version craps out (as it often does).

[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 8 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

No, encrypted or not won't matter, because the boot partition is still unencrypted.

I don't think anyone recommends dual booting these days. If you're not watchful, an upgrade on one system might break the boot config for the other.

[–] Rubanski@lemm.ee 2 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

But if the OS are installed on two separate hard drives they shouldn't interfer?

[–] catloaf@lemm.ee 1 points 4 hours ago

Depends. A naive installer will always install to the first drive in the boot order. I haven't dual booted in years, so I don't know how smart they are these days.

[–] dysprosium@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 10 hours ago

That's been my go to solution for years. Only had one failure. I'm still suspecting Windows 7.

[–] Shadow@lemmy.ca 11 points 14 hours ago

Windows wont care either way, it's just an unreadable partition to it.

[–] Fizz@lemmy.nz 3 points 14 hours ago

Nah it should be fine.

[–] bad_news@lemmy.billiam.net 2 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (1 children)

Microsoft intentionally broke dual boot for like 9 months. Windows is malware. Use two systems if one needs to be malware.

[edit: I love how you cowards downvote me despite never actually articulating a counterpoint🖕🖕]

[–] pitcher@lemm.ee 2 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Amen. If not this at least separate drives.

[–] bad_news@lemmy.billiam.net 1 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (1 children)

Corporate boot stack IS malware, if you have the money or skillz x hardware, open boot, kids. Just say no to corporate stacks where possible from boot to network one day!

[edit: love the no actual objection downvotes, you cowards are standing up for... something...]

[–] Pirata@lemm.ee 3 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (1 children)

[edit: love the no actual objection downvotes, you cowards are standing up for... something..

You just come across as abrasive.

Even though i agree with you, I still think you're a bit of an ass.

[–] pitcher@lemm.ee 1 points 11 hours ago

Honestly I don’t see where he could be “abrasive” aside from the edits addressing those who are downvoting, which is well-deserved imo, and definitely not grounds for a downvote for information that you do agree with.