A simple guide
Download and install Linux in this tutorial that covers how to choose a distribution, how to use the install command with Windows Subsystem for Linux, create a bootable USB for Bare-metal, or set up a Virtual Machine.
From a trustworthy source 😉
Of course this article exists to advertise WSL.
Eh, WSL is still enough like Linux that it could be the best option for a lot of people. No risk to the computer being unable to boot whilst still giving you the ability to play with Linux tooling.
And credit where credit’s due: Microsoft details how to do a bare metal install, which is the most likely option to wipe Windows from your machine in the first place.
I only ever got problems with my Arch install on my main PC (testing repos, updated every boot/shutdown) once, when NVidia drivers updated. On my servers, also Arch and testing repos, but updated monthly, there never were any problems.
In contrast, Ubuntu/Pop stopped booting properly after a year or so, and due to the more closed, out of the box and undocumented nature (while one knows their Arch system to the single package if one installs it themselves) it was nearly impossible to debug.
Do people really have problems with Linux failing to boot? In the ~10 years I've used Linux, I've had it fall to boot like 4-5 times, and all of those were on a rolling release distro, and most were from a bad NVIDIA driver. I've had Windows completely get borked at least that much in the ~10 years prior to that, sometimes even failing to boot (I remember Windows completely killing itself on a rented computer in college; that's why I initially switched to Linux).
I always recommend stable distros like Debian to new years. I've recommended stable distros countless times to friends and never had them report any issues like that. Usually it's mundane stuff like noy knowing how to install something, and once they figure that out, I don't hear from them anymore. Linux just works for most people.
Wait.. Its actually not bad. Apart from advertising WSL there's some decent instructions for installing Linux in place of windows. This could be a tutorial not affiliated with Microsoft.
