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Is there any way to create a partition on my drive and use it to boot and install another system on the same drive as if it was a bootable USB, for example?

My scenario: I have one single drive in this machine (Arch Linux), an SSD with ~400GB free space. I want to create a partition (~8GB for Win10) and burn the Windows image there, so my machine boots from it after rebooting, and I can install the system on the same SSD.

UEFI boot, btw. I already have an EFI system partition alongside my system.

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2 Answers 2

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I have two crazy ideas which might be feasible.

Download first a Windows 10 ISO and reduce the Linux partition to a minimum, then:

Idea 1

Run the setup program from the ISO using WINE and install into the empty space.

Idea 2

Create a new FAT32 partition of a few gigas and copy the ISO contents to it. Add the partition to the EFI boot menu and boot from it. If it works, you may format the Linux partition and install Windows into it.

Notes:

  1. In all cases, don't take chances with your Linux installation as long as it's the only tool you have.
  2. Getting a USB key of a few gigas would really be much simpler.
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  • First don’t work. Second is my own suggestion. Basically make Fat32 file system and copy the ISO content in it. Then boot from it and install onto other partition
    – Tonny
    Commented Nov 12, 2020 at 17:11
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Try this

  1. Get a windows iso

  2. install virtualbox on linux

  3. create the ntfs partition {used for future win installation} using gparted and also make sure the efi partition has boot flag

  4. Prepare virtualbox for Using a Raw Host Hard Disk From a Guest

  5. Tweak virtualbox to - Access to Entire Physical Hard Disk

  6. Boot using windows iso in virtualbox

  7. Select the desired partitions and let the setup copy the files to the disk (first phase of installation) and when first phase is complete and virtual machine is about to reboot stop/shut down your virtual machine and

  8. Restart your pc (not the virtual machine ), press f12 {or similar key} to access boot menu, select windows boot manager and complete post installation

If this doesn't work

  1. Boot from windows iso in virtualbox
  2. Install win 10 on virtual disk
  3. Boot from completely installed windows and
  4. Prepare virtualbox to Access to Entire Physical Hard Disk and make sure they are accessible from virtual machine
  5. Run WinNT SETUP It will ask for

Select location of windows installation file - mount windows iso in virtualbox and select it

select location of boot drive - efi partition

select location of installation drive - partition where you want to install windows

List item

The setup will complete the first phase of installation.

  1. After setup is done copying files , shutdown the vm and reboot your pc and complete post installation

Helpful articles Read this to get an idea : use-physical-harddisk-in-virtual-box

Not completely linked to your case but still helpful to read -how-to-dual-boot-and-virtualize-the-same-partition

Read this : virtualbox-using-physical-partition-as-virtual-drive

Adding to harrymc 'idea 2' - should work

1.create a bootable media parition on the disk for windows installation 2 gb bigger than windows iso itself

2.install WoeUSB on linux

3.Run

sudo woeusb --partition Windows7_x64.iso /dev/sdX1

Windows7_x64.iso - replace it with your iso name with localtion

/dev/sdX1 - desired partition for creating bootable media

This will create bootable windows partition.Reboot and start installing

Note - WoeUSB/issues/226

More ideas

Use grub to boot directly into winpe.iso {like hirensbootcd} and then run winnt setup from it

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