how to dual boot windows 11 and arch linux on hp pro 3120 microtower pc

[thecyberninja]

hp pro 3120 microtower pc

[WAWood]

Despite my using Linux distros on my desktop for many years. I would advise AGAINST doing that on any HP PC -- for several reasons.

First, HP provides no support for Linux, so if you run into difficulties during the install, which you WILL, you will get no assistance in those from HP.  If you replace the Window OS with a Linux distro, or add a Linux distro, then you assume full responsibility for maintaining that PC -- including solving any problems with booting the other OS and/or installing the other OS.  Modern PCs with UEFI, instead of the older BIOS, are especially difficult to install because you have to go into the UEFI settings and make several changes before you can even boot from a USB stick -- and we are unable to assist in that work.

Second, PCs (especially laptops) use specialized drivers that only the OEM (in this case, HP) supplies.  Those drivers are usually not available in the Linux community, forcing you to use generic drivers which even if they do work, will often not provide the full functionality of the hardware.  You will then be coming back here asking for drivers, and we will then be telling you that HP does not have any Linux drivers.

Third, if your plan is to dual-boot Windows and Linux, you need to know that BOTH OSs have to in installed in the same mode. So, if you change the mode to Legacy to install Linux, then when you try to reboot into Windows, it will not boot because it has been installed in UEFI mode. If you then change back to UEFI mode, Linux will no longer boot.

Since we provide no Linux support from here, your best bet is to contact the support forum for the distro you are using or going to use.