I"d like to set up dual boot capabilities on my computer.
The 200 gig HD currently has a single partition.
Currently running Windows XP SP2 want to add abitlity to boot to
ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn)
Windows XP should remain as the default primary boot if no action at
boot time is selected.
Bob, I suggest you do NOT install the Linux boot loader (Lilo or Grub) in the main partition or youâll replace the Windows boot loader.
I suggest, you resize your partition: with 6 Gb for Linux is more than enough and you can create a third partition for Home (Linux). Then you can have the operational system files of Linux in the second partition and your files and data (Home) in the third. For the boot Linux partition () 6 Gb and for the \Home 8-15 Gb should be enough.
Then you can install Linux by the âalternate ISOâ download (not the common one). Choose not to install the boot loader in the main boot sector but rather in the boot sector of the second partition (this should remain an inactive partition).
Use Bootpart to add an entry for Linux in the Windows boot loader (http://www.winimage.com/bootpart.htm).
Be happy 8)
Tech, for a simple dual boot, thatâs overly complicated, and unnecessary for someone new to Linux. Ubuntuâs suggested way of doing it works fine, or they wouldnât have it in their document base, as the proper way to install. Besides, those are the instructions I followed, and I havenât had one bit of a problem. Letâs try to get them into Linux, with the least amount of griefâŚ
If he followed the installation instructions, heâll have both operating systems available to him. But, by default, it will boot Linux first. However, changing the boot order is a simple process. I posted a link on how to do it, in my first response to Bob, and there are many more instructional sites, if he simply Googles âchanging the boot order in Ubuntuâ.
Bob - If you spend any amount of time on Ubuntuâs forum, you will see the following tutorial referenced many times. Itâs very good, and worth bookmarking for future reference:
Thanks every one.
In my case, Iâll use the simple solutiuon and stay safe.
Iâll continue to boot from the CD whenever I want to play with Ubuntu.
I have to much running at all times to mess with re-partitioning.
Hi Bob
Youâve probably thought of this already but safest simple dual-boot is to install the second OS on a separate drive and change the boot drive in the BIOS when you want Ubuntu. Even easier if your BIOS has a hot-key to choose the boot device at startup.
If you have you have a 32 bit computer (Standard personal computer (x86 architecture, PentiumTM, CeleronTM, AthlonTM, SempronTM), the file to download is
ubuntu-7.04-desktop-i386.iso
Once downloded, Youâll need to burn it to a CD.
You can download the file or get a CD from: http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu
The above quoted file is also available from MySharedFiles in the Linux folder.