Dual boot Linux and Vista
in [UK Linux]
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From: Gordon on 19 Dec 2008 13:44 I'm not a stranger to dual-boot, but with prior versions of Windows! I also am aware that there are possible problems when the Vista version I have comes with a recovery CD and not an OS CD. Any tips on how to make this work properly? -- Asking a question? Please tell us the version of the application you are asking about, your OS, Service Pack level and the FULL contents of any error message(s)
From: Folderol on 19 Dec 2008 13:58 On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:44:53 -0000 "Gordon" <gordonbparker(a)yahoo.com.invalid> wrote: > I'm not a stranger to dual-boot, but with prior versions of Windows! > I also am aware that there are possible problems when the Vista version I > have comes with a recovery CD and not an OS CD. > Any tips on how to make this work properly? > Use a second hard drive for linux, but put a very tiny sacrificial FAT partition on it from Windows. Configure the BIOS to boot from the new drive and install your distro. Fiddle with LILO/GRUB to boot the windows drive - works for *98 and *XP. If you want to do any upgrades etc on the windows side, change the BIOS boot back to normal. -- Will J G
From: Jim Price on 19 Dec 2008 18:31 Gordon wrote: > I'm not a stranger to dual-boot, but with prior versions of Windows! > I also am aware that there are possible problems when the Vista version I > have comes with a recovery CD and not an OS CD. > Any tips on how to make this work properly? First, run disk defragmentation in Vista. Next, use the disk manager in Vista to resize the Vista partition. Do research on the linux distribution you're going to use to see what (if anything) needs to be done to dual boot Vista, and if anyone else has had any problems doing it. You might get more useful answers here if you told us which distribution you are thinking of installing. -- JimP
From: Tony Houghton on 19 Dec 2008 18:56 On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:31:55 +0000 (UTC) Jim Price <d1version(a)hotmail.com> wrote: > Gordon wrote: > > > I'm not a stranger to dual-boot, but with prior versions of Windows! > > I also am aware that there are possible problems when the Vista version I > > have comes with a recovery CD and not an OS CD. > > Any tips on how to make this work properly? > > First, run disk defragmentation in Vista. > > Next, use the disk manager in Vista to resize the Vista partition. > > Do research on the linux distribution you're going to use to > see what (if anything) needs to be done to dual boot Vista, and if > anyone else has had any problems doing it. > > You might get more useful answers here if you told us which > distribution you are thinking of installing. I think the OP's specific worry is that if he ever has to reinstall Vista, some OEM restore discs zealously reformat the HD to "factory" condition, so he'd lose his Linux partition(s). I think the only way around it is to have some way to completely back up the Linux side to external storage before restoring Windows. -- TH * http://www.realh.co.uk
From: Jim Price on 19 Dec 2008 20:37
Tony Houghton wrote: > I think the OP's specific worry is that if he ever has to reinstall > Vista, some OEM restore discs zealously reformat the HD to "factory" > condition, so he'd lose his Linux partition(s). I think the only way > around it is to have some way to completely back up the Linux side to > external storage before restoring Windows. Vista is pretty much an image based install, so it's worth seeing if the recovery CDs can be reconstructed into a target partiton with some semblance of control. If there is a command line invoking something like Ghost, that could be tweaked not to overwrite the whole disk. We are in the dark about what is on the restore disks in question though. He could use Clonezilla (from SystemRescueCD) to make a compressed backup of the linux partition, and be armed with how to re-install grub (or $bootloader) should that be needed. It should be possible to use the same technique to back up the Vista partition, or indeed the whole disk once it is in a state worth backing up. He's going to need an external USB drive or something to back up to. -- JimP |