Windows 8 cuases problems for linux/dual booting because it, from what I remember, tries to lock the boot manager down, preventing dual booting.
Also, Arch is still hard to install, even with the wiki, Get mint and try MATE out. I hear it's bretty gud and lightweight. :U
It's pretty annoying. I have to do all this crap just to change from Windows 8 to Mint.
More than I should.