Newbie to Dual Booting

[roaming_builder]

I started using linux a while ago for school for computer science, and i am going to be going back in a few months...

I am so out of practice i need to go in and try to re-aquaint myself with Linux so I was wondering how to do this.

I have a Mandrake Linux set that my teacher gave me about 3-4 years ago. Should i use that? Or should i go and get another one? These things are open source, so can i just go and download a newer version?

I tried to read about dual booting and all i can find are problems that people have posted. I had a dual boot setup a while ago, but had alot of problems with it. My computer has 500Gigs of HD space, currently all set to Windows. I remember that i did not like GRUB and i couldnt get it to un-install. Is there an easier boot loader? I am not the onlyone that uses this computer, so if i could get a loader program that could by defalut just go to windows if nothing is pressed that would be cool, anyone know where i should start

I couldn't find another thread like this one so i appreciate any help,

-Roaming_builder

[glc]

Do you have an old computer available? If so, you might want to look at Ubuntu to get you back into it. I'm running it on a 500 MHz machine with 256 ram and a 20 gig hard drive and it runs quite well. I've got it on a KVM switch with this one.

[roaming_builder]

unfortunately i dont have any other coomputers that i could install it on, i wouldnt mind dual boot, because it would be something i would probably keep permenantly

[mikeL]

I find that putting linux on a separate hard drive, is the easiest way to go. I have a separate 30 gig with slackware that way if I screw up my slackware system it's pretty easy to reinstall, and I don't srew up my windows hard drive.

Mike

[Panama Red]

I tried a mulit-boot setup with Ubuntu, 98se and Win2K a while back and had trouble with the boot loader. Finally got fed up and did as mileL has suggested. Ubuntu is now on it's own hard drive and 98se and Win2K are on the other. I don't even leave both drives connected. Since mine is a testing rig, I only connect the hard drive I choose to use and leave the other disconnected.

[faulkner132]

The only problem you will really run into if you use GRUB instead of NT Loader, is when it comes times to upgrade/reinstall Windows. Windows does not like GRUB at all.

[roaming_builder]

so... If i get a seperate HD to put Linux on, what would i use for a boot loader? Will I still have to install GRUB or will Windows or my mobo have a bootloader to select the linux HD?

not sure here...

[faulkner132]

Depends. If your master hard drive has Linux with GRUB on it and Windows is on a secondary hard drive, Windows will not like it come time to upgrade. If you are using Windows on the primary hard drive with NT Loader, you should be fine. Just don't count on Windows keeping your dual boot settings.

I would recommend completely removing the hard drive which has Linux on it when you are upgrading Windows. Once Windows is installed, put the Linux hard drive back in and reconfigure your bootloader if needed.

[roaming_builder]

is the NT bootloader something that will just pop up?

Windows is all installed and going right now and i just wanted to add a Linux Drive

and as far as the updating, do you mean like the liveupdate type stuff or just the initial installation?

[faulkner132]

Just the initial stuff should be fine, but just to be 100% sure, apply all your updates and restarts first.

Personally, I've never modified NT Loader, so take anything I say here as heresay. There should be a boot.ini file on your C:\ directory which controls all your boot images. If you don't see it, configure the folder options to show hidden and operating system files. It should just be a matter of adding an entry and specifying the title and location of your Linux install.

[mikeL]

I use LILO, windows is my primary hard drive, and linux is set as primary slave, when you install linux at some point it will ask about installing a boot loader, and where you want it installed ie: floppy, MBR, etc. I always choose the MBR on my primary master (hda1). although this is my personal preference.

Mike

[roaming_builder]

So if I add another HDD to my computer and just boot up with the linux CD in, i should be able to just install it to the new HDD without changing anything in Windows? What exactly is NT Loader, will it just recognize that i have 2 OS's and just pop up? Sorry if I am re-asking the same questions again, just trying to be sure i understand what is going on before i buy a new HD.

What Linux distro should I be looking into? should I just look for one that i can download for free? I saw info on the PcMech homepage that was talking about Unbutu Linux, will it matter? I remember using it alot for programming when i was in school, but that was just basically for the program that was installed. I know VERY little about Linux itself, other than about 5 commands...

thanks again,

-Roaming Builder

[faulkner132]

The Linux installer you use will install GRUB or Lilo to the Master Boot Record of your Primary IDE hard drive. On Windows machines, NT Loader is loaded to the MBR by default.

The Linux install would overwrite NT Loader and replace it with one of the above mentioned boot loaders. This will allow you to dual boot.

[roaming_builder]

gotcha, does anyone know if I will be able to specify the default OS?

i.e.: If nothing is selected after the timer runs out, i want it to load XP, not Linux...

thanks,

-Roaming_builder

[faulkner132]

Yes, you can certainly do that. Depends on which bootloader you use though as to how you actually configure it.

[roaming_builder]

sweet, i just went out and bought the HDD and am installing it in about 2 minutes...

wish me luck,

Roaming_Builder

[roaming_builder]

well,

I am now writing this from my new Ubuntu Linux HD =)

This leads me to a few new questions tho, dont know if I should start a new thread with this stuff, but I will if i have to.

My WinXP install is on a RAID 0 which is actuall sda3 and sda4, if i understand the naming correctly. I actually have to go into the BIOS and select to boot from this HDD to get it to go to Linux. IT doesnt look like grub installed to the RAID drives. When i do select the Lin drive in the bios, the first thing i see is loading grub, for about a second. I was thinking that since the RAID'ed drives are higher on the list it must have installed it on the Linux drive.

Is this correct?

Also i was wondering if i am going to have to do something special to mount the Windows HDD in Linux, i really want to because i am gonna use this for backing up some important files too.

in the Ubuntu install guide that was up b4 it had a command:

/sudo gedit /etc/fstab

where i was supposed to type:

/dev/hda1 /media/windows ntfs ro,nls=utf8,umask=0222 0 0

to associate it with the /media/windows directory i made,

but it isnt even in the list, so not sure how to add it

not sure how to get a boot loader working either

thanks in advance,

-Roaming_builder

OH Yeah, GRUB did not give me an option of where to install the Loader...

[roaming_builder]

i tried juat replacing it with sdb, but that didnt work....

maybe i need some kind of raid drivers =S lol

[RRS]

in the Ubuntu install guide that was up b4 it had a command:

/sudo gedit /etc/fstab

where i was supposed to type:

/dev/hda1 /media/windows ntfs ro,nls=utf8,umask=0222 0 0

to associate it with the /media/windows directory i made,

but it isnt even in the list, so not sure how to add it


The directory you made was simply to assign a file path to the windows partition. Editing fstab tells linux to mount the partition using the assigned path. Simply add the entry to the end of the file (make a new last line).

Be advised that linux can only read, not write to windows, you can copy windows files but not past new files in or edit existing files while they're in the windows partition.

Since Ubuntu can run comfortably one 10gb or less, you might want to use part of your new drive to create a FAT32 partition which both windows and linux can read and write to.

Not sure what happened to Grub but I've heard linux has problems with Raid so it may not have ben able to install to the MBR.
BTW, what procedure are you using to boot Ubuntu?

I'm currently running XP and Ubunto dual boot setups on both my machines, each with only 1 drive. I used "bigpond.net.au/hermanzone/index.htm" as an installation guide. (don't have enough posts yet to insert links, hope this was allowable)

[roaming_builder]

for me to log in, i have to go into the BIOS and change the boot order of the HD's

switching the Win for the Linux

I think I might put part of this drive into the FAT 32 like you said

I understand what that command did, but my Windows installation isnt hda1

it must be like sdb3 and sdb4 or something, not sure, really....

I have 4 serial ports the first is the Lin HD, the second is empty, and the last 2 are the Windows RAID 0

[RRS]

System>Administration>Disks>Partitions
Scroll down the list till you find the one with windows NTFS as the file system.
This will provide the device name for your system, simply substitute it for hda1.

When using the command line tutorials I usually copy/past to my prompt and then change any individual items if needed before hitting enter, saves me from typo's.

Probably the easiest way to add a fat32 would be with the install cd, when it gets to the partitioning section select manual, resize the ext3 and formatt the new free space as fat32.

When finished with partitioning select back and scroll to the bottom of the list and cancel the install to eject without fully reinstalling Ubuntu.

If you haven't already I'd visit "Ubuntu Forums" and bookmark the site. You'll find far more expertise then my limited experience can provide.

Hope I've been able to help some.

[roaming_builder]

I went to try to get onto those forums and i am having problems with firefox too. I can visit most sites, but as soon as i click a link that would open a new window, it doesnt do anything..... not sure about that, but i can get onto windows and have a look at that

I can see the drives in the Disks menu, but it is seeing them as 2 seperate drives, i'll see what i can figure out