As for the second question: Windows 11 IoT LTSC has yet to be mentioned here - the only things that can stop you from using it are legality and convenience.
I'm not sure if W10 has an IoT LTSC version, but W10 LTSC does exist.
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As for the second question: Windows 11 IoT LTSC has yet to be mentioned here - the only things that can stop you from using it are legality and convenience.
I'm not sure if W10 has an IoT LTSC version, but W10 LTSC does exist.
Windows on external USB drive, disconnected after each use
Letting windows install on its own drive by removing the linux drive (otherwise it will select that drives efi partition), I use systemd boot and I just copied the EFI/Microsoft folder from the windows drive efi partition to the linux efi partition systemd-boot will auto detect it. As for minimal, just use windows 10 ltsc, or windows education and use a debloater tool that is trustworthy (I like winutill).
You can (at least the last time I ran an install) get both 10 and 11 installed without a Microsoft account, 11 just requires this process to do it. If you have an old ISO of 11 around it should allow a local account if you don't connect to the internet, but they apparently patched that out now.
I have Windows EFI and Linux EFI partitions on same srive. Secureboot is set to load Linux EFI Grub, a chainloader entry in Grub will handoff to Windows boot loader if I choose that. it has stayed intact for 7 years this way without windows knowing or touching the other EFI partition. But separate drives is probably even better
Windows 11 iot enterprise + opensuse tumbleweed kde works flawlessly
Get a second pc and a kvm switch
I use a Windows VM (Tiny10 works ok here) in whatever lightweight linux OS I'm fucking with at the time. All my files and stuff are on a local server so I can swap distros easily if I want.
Usually it runs ok, can game, and I dont have to deal with restarting a bunch of stuff. I've been using CachyOS, not sure if I like it yet
For minimal Windows, there's Tiny11 (german).
My setup (partially in planning):
I'm playing with the idea to use Windows on the (not yet completed) beefy box, since some modding tools and multiplayer games don't work on linux.
This setup avoids hassles with dual boot/virtualization. And you don't have your beefy box running 24/7.