Microsoft's latest security update has ruined dual-boot Windows and Linux PCs (opens in new tab)

And I know when I do it'll take probably an hour to get all the updates out of its system. Ugh.

I have an Intel NUC that has it's original Windows (10) install on it's internal spinning rust drive, and Ubuntu on it's NVME SSD (and a pair of USB drives in software Raid 1)

It's the Windows box I keep around for odd but specific tasks like the running the 3D wing and airfoil simulation software I have, or the CNC mill firmware update tool that only runs Windows. It's also got a few Windows only 3D modelling tools and GCode creation tools that I occasionally need for the laser cutter or CNC mill or one of the 3D printers.

99.9% of it's time is spent booted into Linux running Emby and PiHole and Home Bridge and doing file server duties.

I've had dual-booted until a couple of years ago, when i decided to ditch Windows for good, since i wasn't playing videogames, and the few i may wanted to play were playable on Steam. If i had needed Windows for a specific videogame or program, i would still be dual-booting today.

I also keep windoze in as minimal space as I can using linux full-time to update lenovo firmware on my tb4 dock and system periodically as I've been burned with firmware updates under linux, so 128gb of a disk for windoze is usually a small sacrifice as a fallback.

It doesn't hurt to have intact alternate OS's ready to go.

I might only use one Linux regularly but there's a devuan and a vanilla windows (+patches from ~1 year/6mo. ago) - it's really no big deal leaving them be. It's just disk space.

windows will probably get nuked soon cause it's on a gen4 NVME - not using that is a waste.

I have a stable/secure Linux and an experimental Linux on my trusty old T430, but I need a Windows instance for testing.

I haven't seen it used much in the enterprise though.