Microsoft finally solve the Linux dual-boot issue after 9 months
Back in August 2024, Microsoft released an update for various versions of Windows including Windows 10 and 11 that broke dual-booting with Linux on some setups. They've now finally solved it.
Used to Dual-Boot Linux and Windows. I honestly can't be bothered anymore.
If something doesn't work in Linux, I'm just not using it.
I only buy games that work on Linux. I’m excited to live in a world where this is not an unreasonable choice.
It's pretty nice, can't lie about that.
I just figured that they'd decided dual-booting was for losers back when Windows 10 started overwriting GRUB with its own bootloader after every update. I have no doubt at least one middle manager over there whines constantly about how much developer time is wasted because they don't have total control over the hardware. Probably the same guy who keeps trying to make the Surface Tablet a thing.
Knowing how to do VFIO and putting windows where it belongs(In a VM) has been such a liberating feeling. Never ever do i have to deal with windows issues anymore.
The only down side of VFIO is that if you have never done it before the initial setup can be a bit tricky. That said, feel free to steal my configs https://git.xaetacore.net/jeroenmathon/vfio-configs :P
I did that, and since I got a dedicated SSD drive for it, I used it for the VM as a block device. Later after a GRUB update I discovered Windows in my GRUB boot menu. Turns out GRUB detected my VM, and now I can physically boot into my VM. Which I didn't even know was possible.
So yeah, I accidentally dual boot Windows without meaning to, even though it's a VM. Except when I boot into it, then it's not, apparently.
r it, I used it for the VM as a block device. Later after a GRUB update I discovered Windows in my GRUB boot menu. Turns out GRUB detected my VM, and now I can physically boot into my VM. Which I didn’t even know was possible.
Grub did not detect your VM, it detected a bootable operating system on the drive because you passed it through to your VM. So yeah its a nice way to be able to do both VM and Dual boot.
But i prefer using a raw disk file image on my btrfs FS because i have a sub volume for the windows 11 disk images that allows me to use btrfs filesystem snapshots with windows, so whenever i make a mistake on windows i can restore it to working state within 5 minutes.
I also prefer windows not running on bare metal, because i don't trust it or what runs on it enough for that.