# How to set up dual boot with Windows on Fedora with encrypted hard drive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Linux\ **Tags:** fedora\ **Created:** [March 14, 2025, 2:28am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/how-to-set-up-dual-boot-with-windows-on-fedora-with-encrypted-hard-drive/66082 "2025-03-14T02:28:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Agnes](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/agnes/32/18588_2.png) [@Agnes](https://community.frame.work/u/Agnes)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 2:28am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/how-to-set-up-dual-boot-with-windows-on-fedora-with-encrypted-hard-drive/66082/1 "2025-03-14T02:28:22Z")
Hi everyone, Prerequisite information: - Framework Laptop 13th Gen Intel Core (i5-1340P × 16) - Fedora Linux 41 (Workstation Edition) - `uname -a` returns this: `Linux fedora 6.13.6-200.fc41.x86_64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Fri Mar 7 21:33:48 UTC 2025 x86_64 GNU/Linux` - BIOS: INSYDE Corp. (Version: 03.07, Release Date: 12/26/2024) What I want to accomplish: - **[This](https://itsfoss.com/install-windows-after-ubuntu-dual-boot/)**, except I’m on Fedora and aiming to dual boot with Windows 10 downloaded from [here](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10ISO). Below is what I see in Disks: ![partitions](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/uploads/framework3/original/3X/d/d/dda80a5f8ad6264ed87b4bdf4b41ce6ca23aee4e.png) My questions: - I set up disk encryption (LUKS) when I first set my Framework up, and I assume it’s necessary to undo this (is this even possible?) if I want to set up dual boot. If I’m correct, what are the steps to accomplish this? - Just for my understanding, is the “fedora” and “Partition 3” two separate partitions? Why is this the case, and what are the purposes of each? (If I remember correctly, I went with whatever the default was at the time of initial setup.) - Referencing the image below (from the article above), the author set up 3 partitions (including the free space for Windows). So should I have the 2 filesystem partitions + fedora + Partition 3 + free space for Windows = 5 total? Is that how it works? ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/uploads/framework3/original/3X/a/0/a03288ab8efde2a0f8aa28a818a567f5fc405d68.jpeg) Worst-case-scenario, I’m OK with saying goodbye to Fedora and starting over from scratch, maybe with Ubuntu or Linux Mint for a fresh start. Please lend me your thoughts and expertise. Thank you so much! ---
**Author:** ![Abraham\_Toriz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/abraham_toriz/32/35113_2.png) [@Abraham\_Toriz](https://community.frame.work/u/Abraham_Toriz)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 3:04am UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/how-to-set-up-dual-boot-with-windows-on-fedora-with-encrypted-hard-drive/66082/2 "2025-03-14T03:04:16Z")
From my understanding of things: - having an encrypted linux install does not have to conflilct with dual boot, because encryption is at the partition level, not at the disc level. That being said, I don’t know what happens if an encrypted partition gets shrunk. - Fedora is the result of decrypting Partition 3. Not tecnically two different partitions. That’s why one appears on top of the other. - just four because fedora and partition 3 are the same. Chances are you need to reinstall fedora anyways. If that is the case you can set stuff up from the begining using the desired partition layout. What I did back in the day (because I no longer dual boot) is install first windows, then linux. And use the grub loader instead of the windows one. ---
**Author:** ![Agnes](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/agnes/32/18588_2.png) [@Agnes](https://community.frame.work/u/Agnes)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2025, 8:04pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/how-to-set-up-dual-boot-with-windows-on-fedora-with-encrypted-hard-drive/66082/3 "2025-03-16T20:04:36Z")
Thank you so much @Abraham_Toriz! Is this actually your first post here? If so, welcome! 🙂 Just to report back on what I chose to do: - It seems that [it is possible](https://www.golinuxcloud.com/resize-luks-partition-shrink-extend-decrypt/#Can_I_resize_a_dm-crypt_or_LUKS_partition) to shrink an encrypted partition, but because the process is rather intensive, I took your advice and installed Windows 10/said goodbye to Fedora. (I haven’t activated Windows 10 yet.) - For anyone else doing the same, you may also see the "Windows did not detect any networking hardware” error message and entirely lose the ability to connect to the internet. I recommend having the Framework driver bundle .exe (e.g. [this](https://knowledgebase.frame.work/en_us/framework-laptop-bios-and-driver-releases-13th-gen-intel-core-BkQBvKWr3) for my Framework 13) downloaded to a separate USB, though of course this can be done via the Linux live USB post-Windows-installation. - After installing Windows, I created free space using Disk Management (using GParted during the live USB installation process wasn’t working for some reason) then created the partitions and installed Pop!\_OS without a problem. As a side note, the reason why I need to dual boot is for remote proctoring for online certification exams with Kryterion Webassessor and Pearson VUE, so I may post a future update if I run into any issues for this use case with my current setup. ---
**Author:** ![Abraham\_Toriz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/community.frame.work/abraham_toriz/32/35113_2.png) [@Abraham\_Toriz](https://community.frame.work/u/Abraham_Toriz)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2025, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/how-to-set-up-dual-boot-with-windows-on-fedora-with-encrypted-hard-drive/66082/4 "2025-03-17T17:32:07Z")
Yes, first time posting here. Found your request on mastodon (: I think I’ll hang out more often on this forum… Good luck with your certification! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/uploads/framework3/original/1X/64c81a89f963ddb07633887baceb642a4b056046.png) [@system](https://community.frame.work/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2025, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.frame.work/t/how-to-set-up-dual-boot-with-windows-on-fedora-with-encrypted-hard-drive/66082/5 "2025-09-13T17:32:53Z")
Closed on September 13, 2025, 5:32pm UTC This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.