Most Linux distributions are free to download and install. All you need to get started is an ISO and a thumb drive to host the installer. While we prefer to run Linux on a dedicated hard drive or SSD, we’ve yet to come across an installer that won’t offer to repartition an existing internal drive. Do that and you can run Linux alongside an existing Windows installation.
STEP 1 DOWNLOAD BALENAETCHER
BalenaEtcher extracts ISOs onto USB drives and sets them up for booting. All of the distributions on test, unless they had a media creator, were installed in this manner, either from the live OS or. When it’s finished downloading, install and launch it.