How to Install Puppy Linux in Dual Boot Mode on Windows 10 PC

Of all the Linux distributions available on the internet, Puppy Linux is the quickest to load and still able to provide all the useful components of a standard Linux distribution. I personally use it from time to time when I have to recover files from a messed up Windows installation or just want to access some suspicious sites without the fear of getting my Windows installation infected with unknown malware. But like some other Linux distributions (e.g., Ubuntu Linux or Mint Linux), it does not provide an easy in-built method to install it in a dual-boot configuration on a Windows PC.

While using Puppy Linux from a bootable USB flash disk is no problem at all, you can make it much faster and easier if you install it in the dual boot configuration on your Windows PC. Here is how:

Note: These steps will disable fast-boot in Windows. So your Windows perhaps won’t boot so fast next time.

  1. Download latest version of Puppy Linux ISO from http://puppylinux.com/ or http://distro.ibiblio.org/puppylinux/. The 64-bit version of Puppy Linux requires your PC to have a 64-bit CPU. You can use 64-bit Checker to determine if your PC is 64-bit ready. If confused, just download the 32-bit version of Puppy Linux ISO.
  2. Download LICK from https://github.com/noryb009/lick/releases and install it in Windows.
  3. Launch LICK and then drag-n-drop the downloaded ISO file on the LICK window.
  4. You can change the ID, name and install location, but the default values work better for everyone. Just click on the Install button.Dual Boot Windows 10 and Puppy Linux
  5. In a few seconds, you will see a message confirming that installation was successful. This means that you are ready to dual-boot into Windows or Puppy Linux.Dual Boot Windows 10 and Puppy Linux
  6. Reboot your PC and you will see the boot manager from where you can select either Windows or Puppy Linux.Dual Boot Windows 10 and Puppy Linux

This method works even on newer systems with UEFI and secure boot. In these systems, you will have to take a few extra steps when you boot into Puppy Linux for the first time by selecting Help → Nothing happens on reboot. But this is only one-time process. After first reboot, you will be able to boot into Windows or Puppy Linux without any problem.

18 comments

  1. Just to say thank you, this method seems to have worked for me to install Puppy Linux (actually BionicPup) on to an old Vista laptop. I didn’t have internet connection with the Vista laptop, so I downloaded the image file and LICK from another computer on to a USB and plugged that into the Vista laptop to access them. So far so good.

  2. Thanks, this looks great. Do you recommend setting up partitions before installing, or does that not matter?

  3. I tried Puppy and Ubuntu 64, both fail to find *.SFS file, and failed.
    I see there is a directory under C drive, slacko64-6.3.2-uefi
    and the file puppy-slacko64_6.3..2…sfs

    any suggestion please ?

  4. i get installed puppies
    but just xenial 64 lasttt and xfce xenial 64

    they show up at reboot

    others some hibernate …. messages

    bbut xenials both dont pick up the save file
    at reboot

    so its always the raw puppy

    sad to give up puppy for ever

    any idea?

    1. Linux cannot access drives if hibernate option is on in Windows. Turn off hibernate in Windows, reboot into Windows once and then you can use Linux. For this press Win+X, select “Command Prompt (Admin)”, type “powercfg /hibernate off”.

  5. using Acer Aspire notebook with Win10 64-bit.
    Bios is UEFI, Secure Boot disabled.

    Followed all instructions – no luck.
    Puppy distro was Slacko64-6.3.2-uefi

    After rebooting there is no Boot Manager screen, so Windows just bypasses Linux install and goes straight to normal Windows menu.

    Thanks for any suggestions

    1. Reinstall the bootloader by launching LICK again and choose File -> Install/Uninstall Bootloader.
      Check settings by using the command “bcdedit”, you should see an entry with description “LICK Boot Loader”. Then give command “bcdedit /timeout 15” to set the timeout to 15 seconds.

      1. thank you for your reply Trish, unfortunately…..

        Did what you suggested but there’s no entry for Lick bootloader via BCDEDIT, there are only entries for Win Boot Manager and Win Boot Loader.

        also, when selecting File-> Install/Uninstall Bootloader there is only the option to uninstall the bootloader? If I go ahead and uninstall the bootloader it seems to defeat the purpose? so I had to enter no for that option.

        I suspect that something else is going on with my ACER Aspire ES 15 laptop.
        I’ve previously failed to install Linux Mint dual-boot on it (but have been successful with a Toshiba Satellite laptop and others – no problems at all). Mint fails due to VESA Bios Extensions not detected and when it finally loads will ony do so via graphics software rendering which of course is useless.

        Anyhow, back to Puppy Linux – if you can think of any other suggestions I’ll be happy to try them, but I have the feeling my ACER Aspire is a piece of junk heade for the bin….

        Best Regards.

        1. just a follow up to my last reply – LICK reports successful install, but I can’t find Puppy anywhere on C: There’s certainly no partition showing Puppy, so my guess is that Puppy is not in fact being installed at all. That’s why it doesn’t show up in BCDEDIT.

          1. LICK bootloader can be removed and then reinstalled from File-> Install/Uninstall Bootloader. This will fix any problems with bootloader files and entries. If the BCDEDIT entry is not showing even after reinstalling, then choose Help-> Nothing happens on reboot. This step is risky, so before taking this step make sure you backup your C:\ partition using Macrium Reflect (https://www.macrium.com/reflectfree) and create a bootable USB for Macrium Reflect (so if PC becomes unbootable, you can restore C:\ using pendrive along with backup stored on some other partition).

  6. Hi, I had successfully installed Puppy Linux (Tahrpup) in dual boot mode with Windows 10 following your instructions. Now I want to install Xenialpup… do I just download the ISO file of Xenialpup and use LICK to install that file? Do I need to remove the previous version? If so, how?

    1. You can use LICK to uninstall the previous version. All installation are listed under “Uninstall” tab, select one and remove. You do not have to remove older versions though – you can install more than one version using LICK, just make sure to give them different ID and names before clicking on Install button.

    1. Try installing on the C: drive. It looks for C:boot.ini and throws this error when it cannot find “[operating systems]” section in this file.

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