Linux Dual Boot Installation Fears and Complexities.

[Rogue_Yun]

I am new here, please correct me if I do something wrong.

Background: I purchased my asus rog off of craigslist and I am very pleased with it, even though it seems to be an older model.

Now I want to try to dual boot it's initial windows 8.1 OS with Debian Linux but I have run into some snags and fears that prevent me from fearlessly advancing forward...

1.) Access to the hard drive seems complex and possibly destructive, so I fear making any mistake during installation might mean game over for my computer. That would be unacceptable because I cannot afford another.

2.) There is no CD/DVD drive.
a.) Installing linux would have to be done via USB and I have had installations go awry this way in the past.
b.) Complexities arise in restoring windows 8.1 should anything go awry. I believe all the restore information is on the hard drive itself. However, please correct me if I am wrong.

My options as they appear to me are:

1.) Do nothing (which Is agonizing for me because I miss linux dearly).
2.) Run the risks, because they are not as bad I am making them out to be and which I am hoping some of you can prove to me.
3.) Buy an external hard drive and run linux from there.

My questions are:

1.) Have any of you had good success dual booting on your computers? Yes or no?
2.) If I format my hard drive and install just linux on it would it be possible to revert back to Windows 8.1?
3.) Is there some other possible solution that I am missing?

Your help in answering these questions and in resolving this matter would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[theCoder]

I am a big fan of Debian Linux, and while I do believe it is completely possible to install Debian on an Asus ROG, I would recommend using Ubuntu LTS instead if you are nervous. Ubuntu LTS is stable, easy to install, and the user support is stellar. I've been dual booting Ubuntu LTS on my G56SX for a couple years. I even had OpenIndiana, PC-BSD, and NetBSD in a quadruple boot setup with Windows 7 on my gaming laptop. So what you ask is completely do-able. I would recommend finding out the exact model number of your laptop, then google around. If it is an older model, you are more likely to find information about gotchas other users have run into dual-booting Asus ROG laptops with Windows. Your mileage may vary. I just purchased the GL551JW, and will be dual-booting with it soon. I just hope Linux plays nice with the Optimus graphic card selector.

[Retired]

theCoder wrote:
I am a big fan of Debian Linux, and while I do believe it is completely possible to install Debian on an Asus ROG, I would recommend using Ubuntu LTS instead if you are nervous. Ubuntu LTS is stable, easy to install, and the user support is stellar. I've been dual booting Ubuntu LTS on my G56SX for a couple years. I even had OpenIndiana, PC-BSD, and NetBSD in a quadruple boot setup with Windows 7 on my gaming laptop. So what you ask is completely do-able. I would recommend finding out the exact model number of your laptop, then google around. If it is an older model, you are more likely to find information about gotchas other users have run into dual-booting Asus ROG laptops with Windows. Your mileage may vary. I just purchased the GL551JW, and will be dual-booting with it soon. I just hope Linux plays nice with the Optimus graphic card selector.

I'm looking at purchasing a G551JW, and would like to hear if you had any trouble with the drivers for the newer hardware. On an unrelated topic, anyone know if it's possible to get a refund on the Microsoft tax for these machines?

[D_Pain]

Hi, I wrote the whole process I went through to install ubuntu 14.04 a long while ago. Today, I installed 15.04 on it again by going through my post again. Yiu might want to take a look.

When you install linux, you're more likely to face driver issues, but they're pretty easy to fix as well as the shortcut keys.

https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?54342-Dual-booting-Windows-8-1-amp-Ubuntu-14-04-in-G751JT&...

[Korth]

If your machine supports USB boot then you can just run your OS "live" from the USB drive, without properly installing it on a fixed drive. Mint supports this (I've done it myself, many times), most other modern distros probably do as well. I recommend an ubuntu for linux noobs, it's generally more popular so there's wider availability of tools and support - debians are very good but some tend to cling a little to traditional "user hostile" cryptic tools/configurations for the powerful linux elite.

[neutum]

DUAL-BOOT Windows/LINUX on UEFI
ITS easy ! When your LINUX-DISTRO supports it
( for Ubuntu its since Version 12.xxx )

everything works ! but u must install in GPT-UEFI - MODE

ON Windows:
PUSH the the linux-install.ISO AS --> GPT-UEFI --< into a fresh USB-DEVICE !
With a tool like RUFUS see PICTURE

REBOOT:
( press n hold F2 Make your PC-BIOS ready for USB if its NOT )
press n hold ESC -> boot your UEFI : LINUX-INSTALL-USB

Install Important:
Install LINUX with boot option: nomodeset
( I INSTALL on sda4 free ssd PARTITION and YES you can share sda1-System -EFi with Windows )