Will be installing either Mint or Pop_OS on a new laptop which has a 512gb SSD. Will keep Windows for gaming, at least for now, with the games installed on an external HD. But otherwise, this is to experiment with living in Linux.
I understand that I can unallocate HD space from Windows in order to make room for the LInux OS, leaving at least 25 or 30gb for the Linux OS itself.
Do I then extend that space further, so to speak, to allow for any other programs I might install as well as for data? Do I create a third partition for data that will be shared between the two OS?
What’s a reasonable breakdown?
e.g.
Windows 100gb; Linux 400gb or
Win 100gb; Linux 30gb; Data (NTFS) 370gb?
I know this is not an answer to your question, but I’ve found everything to be immensely easier with a second drive. I’ve screwed my pooch before!
This is my comment. 2 drives and you won’t have to worry.
This is with a laptop. So one would have to be on an external drive. That wouldn’t slow it down?
I would check out your laptop, especially if it’s somewhat new. I have one that is dual booting from an M.2 NVMe drive and a SATA SSD. Even if it didnt, I have easy panels that pop off when I wanted to swap.