Linux + Claude Code on your Surface Pro 9

Which install should I pick?

Both run real Ubuntu Linux. The difference is how Linux sits next to Windows.

What matters to you	A · Dual boot	B · WSL
In a nutshell	Linux gets its own separate room on the disk. Pick Windows or Linux at startup.	Linux lives inside Windows as an app. Open it anytime, no restarting.
Family's Windows speed	🟢 None, ever. Linux is fully off while Windows runs.	🟡 None when idle. Shares memory/CPU only while you're actively using it (the SP9 copes easily).
How fiddly is setup	🟡 Bigger job: back up, shrink disk, USB stick, restart into installer (~45 min).	🟢 Easy: one command inside Windows (~15 min). No USB, no disk changes.
Switching day-to-day	Restart and choose from a menu.	Just open the app — Windows keeps running.
Risk to current setup	🟡 Very low, but it resizes the disk — so we back up first.	🟢 Very low — doesn't touch your Windows partition.
Undoing it later	A little involved (remove partition, tidy boot menu).	Trivial — uninstall like any app.

💡 Our suggestion: for just running Claude Code with least fuss and no disturbance to the family, go with Option B (WSL). Choose Option A only if you want Linux fully separate.

Jump to: Option B · WSL ↓ · Option A · Dual boot ↓

OPTION B WSL — Linux inside Windows

The quick, low-risk route. No USB stick, no restarting, nothing removed.

What actually happens

Microsoft built a way for Windows to run a genuine Ubuntu Linux quietly in the background. You get a Linux terminal window; Claude Code runs there just like on a "real" Linux machine. Close it and it stops using resources.

1 Open PowerShell as administrator

Click Start, type PowerShell
Right-click it → Run as administrator → Yes

Illustration — right-click the top result and choose “Run as administrator”.

2 Install Ubuntu with one command

Type this, press Enter, let it work wsl --install -d Ubuntu
Restart the Surface when it asks

Illustration — the command downloads and installs Ubuntu, then asks you to restart.

3 Set up your Linux account

After restart, an Ubuntu window opens on its own
Type a username and a password when asked Just for Linux — pick anything you'll remember

4 Install Claude Code

In that Ubuntu window, run these one at a time.

Get the basics sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y curl git
Install Node.js (Claude Code needs it) curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash - && sudo apt install -y nodejs
Install Claude Code npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
Start it and sign in claude

Illustration — typing claude launches Claude Code, ready to sign in.

From now on Open the Ubuntu app from the Start menu and type claude. Close the window when done and it stops using resources.

OPTION A Dual boot — Linux in its own space

The fully-separate route. More setup, but Linux is completely walled off from the family's Windows.

Why this protects the family's Windows

Only one system runs at a time. When the family uses Windows, Linux is fully off — zero memory or processor used. Everyone's Windows accounts and files stay exactly where they are; we add a second option, not replace anything.

1 Gather these first

A USB stick, 8 GB+ Everything on it gets erased — use a spare
The Surface plugged into power
Reliable internet and ~45 unhurried minutes

2 Back up the family's files

Copy important documents & photos to OneDrive or an external drive
Confirm each family member's key files are safe

3 Make room for Linux

Search Windows for “Create and format hard disk partitions”
Right-click the Windows (C:) area → Shrink Volume
Free up about 60,000 MB (≈60 GB), then confirm Leave the freed space alone — Linux uses it later

Illustration — enter 60000 MB, then click Shrink. The green block is your new free space.

Check this first Surface disks are usually encrypted with BitLocker. Search for “BitLocker” and save your recovery key (to your Microsoft account) before continuing.

4 Prepare the Ubuntu USB stick

Download Ubuntu from ubuntu.com/download/desktop
Download the free tool Rufus from rufus.ie
In Rufus, choose your USB stick and the Ubuntu file, click Start
When done, leave the stick plugged in

5 Start the Surface from the USB stick

Fully shut down the Surface
Hold Volume Down, tap and release Power, keep holding Volume Down Opens the startup menu
Choose to start from the USB stick

Illustration — highlight the USB device and press Power to boot from it.

If it jumps straight into Windows Hold Volume Up + Power to reach settings and turn off “Secure Boot” temporarily. We can do this together.

6 Install Ubuntu alongside Windows

Choose “Try or Install Ubuntu”
Pick “Install Ubuntu alongside Windows Boot Manager” The key step — it uses the free space you made
Choose a name, username and password for Linux
Let it finish, restart, and remove the USB stick when asked

Illustration — select the top option (alongside Windows). Avoid “Erase disk”.

7 Set up Claude Code

Once in Ubuntu, open Terminal and run these one at a time.

Get the basics sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y curl git
Install Node.js curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_22.x | sudo -E bash - && sudo apt install -y nodejs
Install Claude Code npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
Start it and sign in claude

8 Day-to-day

At startup, pick Windows for the family, or Ubuntu for Claude Code
Confirm Windows still starts and feels normal for everyone 🎉

Illustration — the menu at every startup. Do nothing and it defaults through on its own.

Reassurance for the family Nothing about their everyday Windows experience changes.

A combined calendar page for your Pixel

One page that shows the family's Google calendars and your Outlook work calendar together — built with Claude Code, then opened on any Google Pixel.

The simple idea

Both Google and Outlook can hand out a private "feed" link (an .ics web address) of a calendar. We collect those links, and Claude Code builds a small web page that reads them all and shows every event on one screen. You publish the page and open it on your Pixel — even add it to the home screen like an app.

Even simpler alternative If you don't need a custom page, you can paste the Outlook feed link straight into Google Calendar (Other calendars → From URL). Everything then appears in the normal Google Calendar app on your Pixel — no hosting needed. The steps below are for when you want your own combined page.

Build it step by step

1 Get the family Google calendar links

On a computer, open Google Calendar
Hover a calendar → ⋮ → Settings and sharing
Copy the “Secret address in iCal format” link Keep it private — anyone with it can see that calendar
Repeat for each family calendar you want included

2 Get your Outlook work calendar link

Open Outlook on the web → Settings → Calendar → Shared calendars
Under Publish a calendar, pick your calendar and “Can view all details”
Copy the ICS link it gives you

A work heads-up Some firms switch off calendar publishing. If you don't see the option, your IT team can enable it — or we can instead export a snapshot. Worth a quick check before building.

3 Let Claude Code build the page

In Claude Code (from Tab 1), start a new project and paste a request like this — with your links.

Ask Claude Code to build it Build a single web page that merges these iCal feeds into one month + agenda view. Colour family events green and work events blue, show a legend, and make it work well on a phone screen. Feeds: - Family: <paste Google secret iCal link> - Work: <paste Outlook ICS link>
Look at the preview; tell Claude Code any tweaks (colours, which calendars, week vs month)

Why this works nicely The page reads the live feeds each time it opens, so new events appear automatically — you don't rebuild anything.

4 Publish it and open on your Pixel

Click Publish to put the page online and get a link
On the Pixel, open that link in Chrome
Chrome menu ⋮ → Add to Home screen Gives it an icon so it opens like an app
Share the same link with the family so everyone can add it

Illustration — how the combined page could look on your Pixel: family in green, work in blue.

One privacy note Those feed links are secret keys to your calendars. Keep the published page's link within the family, and don't post it publicly.