Dual-boot Windows and Ubuntu Linux

Running Linux from a CD in Windows doesn't get you much closer to computing in a Windows-less world. To make Windows and Linux and either-or proposition, you have to set your PC to dual-boot. With Canonical Ltd.'s Ubuntu 7.10, a.k.a. Gutsy Gibbon, the repartitioning is done for you during installation.

Before you install Ubuntu, create a full system backup. Creating a system restore point may not be sufficient, because a misstep during installation could render Windows unbootable. Make sure that you've got your restore CD/DVD handy, and that your system is set to boot from its CD/DVD drive.

Once your backup is completed, insert the Ubuntu installation CD and restart your system. When the Ubuntu logo appears, the option to Start or Install Ubuntu will be selected. Press Enter, or wait 30 seconds for the installation to begin on its own. This runs the OS from the CD. To install it on your hard drive, double-click the Install icon in the top-left corner of the screen that appears after Ubuntu finishes loading.

The first of the seven-step installation asks you to select a language, the next to choose a location, and the third to pick your keyboard layout. Now you're ready to set your disk partitions for dual-booting. You can let Ubuntu do the partitioning by going with the Guided - resize option that's selected by default. This sets the new partition size automatically. You can also choose to set the partition sizes manually by choosing the Manual option.

Once you've set your partitions, you're given the option to migrate some of your Windows settings to Ubuntu. Select the user account, and the folders you wish to make available to your Ubuntu account (you'll also create an Ubuntu account and password to import the folders to). When the account is complete, you'll see a summary of the options you selected. Click Install to confirm the choices and begin the installation. When all the files are loaded, you'll be prompted to restart your PC.

When the PC restarts, you'll see a menu of your OS choices, one of which will be Windows. Make your selection, and get to work.

Tomorrow: Troubleshooting Ubuntu hardware glitches, and getting to know the OS's applications.

[vacektomy]

I've found that several Linux distributions make it almost fool-proof to create a dual boot drive. I've been experimenting with Linux for about a year on a second PC and finally decided to have a Linux drive in my main system. I used a redundant SATA drive I'd been using as a back-up to install openSuse, thinking I'd just use the whole disk. At least, that's what I intended to do. When I completed the install and rebooted, I saw there was a Windows option in the boot menu. Sure enough the installer created a small partition for the existing XP install. At first I was a little miffed, but as I've started to use this "back-up" disk more and more I've found that I'm still not a total Linux convert, and for no logical reason like to boot into Windows from time to time.

[rodericj]

Your instructions work fine in XP but they will trash the partition in VISTA. If you are dual booting with Vista you need to shrink the partition from within Vista first.

[guru2you]

This works great but now I need to remove the Ubuntu partition. How can I do that?

Thanks,
JWL

[marker11]

First - BACKUP YOUR WINDOWS FILES

Use parted magic (www.partedmagic.com) live boot to delete and resize your xp partition back to the size you want. Then replace the grub/lilo bootloader with these steps:

1. Boot up with your Windows XP disc.
2. Select the option Recovery Console.
3. At the prompt, type "fdisk /mbr" (without the quotes of course)
4. Restart your computer.

-> from www.neowin.net/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t292614.html

[markforstneger]

Good luck if your hard drive is already partitioned, as mine is. I added a new 250gb drive to my PC, sliced it into several 20 and 10gb partitions so I could play with other OS in my freetime. Downloaded Ubuntu Server on accident, but its install program was able to work within my partition scheme to install itself. After downloading Ubuntu Desktop to replace Server, I found its install program will only repartition; it will not accept an existing partitioning scheme and install itself into the partition I want it in. Unless I'm missing something? Caveat emptor... back to Fedora and Slackware!

[joeprusa]

Hi, if you have got ubuntu server already installed you can issue "sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop", enter your password and you should be fine. For a fresh install into pre-partitioned hard drive you should download an alternate-install CD. This way you will be able to install it any way you like it, but be prepared for a text-mode install.
Cheers

[joe23002]

Can you please advise me on the best Linux software to buy please, is it Ubuntu?

Also, can all computers dual boot?