Best order and partitioning for Linux Windows dual-boot on a modern NVMe system

[Brandon75]

I'm setting up a new desktop for both software development and gaming, and I want to create a stable dual-boot Linux Windows system, likely with Ubuntu and Windows 11. I've done this before on older machines, but I'm concerned about potential driver conflicts, secure boot issues, and correctly partitioning my NVMe SSD on this newer hardware. For others who have recently configured a dual-boot setup, what is the recommended order of installation and partitioning strategy in 2025? How do you handle shared data drives between the two operating systems safely, and are there any specific BIOS or firmware settings I should adjust beforehand to avoid bootloader problems?

[Scott.T]

Plan: install Windows 11 first, then Ubuntu. In BIOS/UEFI, set mode to UEFI (not Legacy/CSM), enable AHCI for NVMe if the option exists, and ensure Secure Boot stays on (Ubuntu supports it, and Windows 11 requires it). Use the same NVMe drive with one EFI System Partition (ESP) and let Ubuntu install GRUB to that ESP so you get a single bootloader that can chainload Windows. Start by shrinking Windows to leave space for Ubuntu (roughly 60–120 GB for the OS plus 20–40 GB for /home if you like). After Ubuntu is installed, GRUB should detect Windows automatically.