Dual Booting Ubuntu/Vista

[cinohpa]

So, I've never dual booted before, or even used a linux related os extensively.

I'm getting a new hard drive and I will have to format it for Vista, how should I partition drive space to make acessing my data between both operating systems as smoothly as possible? How big should the ubuntu partition be?

At what point should I install ubuntu? I've heard that it has better free partitioning programs, would there be an advantage to install ubuntu first and then vista?

Thanks.

[DeaconFrost]

If you are new to Linux, as am I, you'll probably want to go about this another way. I hate dual boot setups because the OSes aren't independent of each other. I end up rebuilding a Linux box often because I mess something up. Get VirtualBox and load ubuntu up in a VM. It will run plenty fast enough to use and try out, and if you mess something up, you can simply restore a good copy of the VM and boot right back up.

[digital_exhaust]

If you choose to dual boot instead of taking Deacon's advice.... here's what I would do....just my advice that's all......

You really need to install Vista first. You can either use Vista's partitioning utility or you could grab PartedMagic (http://partedmagic.com/wiki/PartedMagic.php) and use that. I personally prefer to partition my drives first, then install everything.... just my preference, that's all. Set up your Vista partition, and then make another partition in ext3 format. Chop off little bit for your linux swap partition, and then install Vista. Once that is done, go ahead and install Ubuntu on the other partition. Be sure and use the manual install method and not the guided, as that would overwrite your Vista install. During the Ubuntu install, grub will be installed as your bootloader, so when you reboot you'll be given the choice of which OS to boot into....

I'd really recommend reading up as much as you can before doing this, and understand that once it is done, you will likely have troubles if you decide to get rid of Ubuntu, so be sure and image your Vista install....

Good luck.... and in all honesty, Deacon's advice is probably best until you become more familiar with Linux...

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/206797/18/0.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&tnum=33&id=206797)

[cinohpa]

hmm I really appreciate this advice, but I'm wondering if virtual box will run on my system. I use 64 bit vista and virtualbox seems designed for x86 systems.

I'm not too worried about being able to take ubuntu off as long as the partition doesn't eat too much hard drive space. vista takes somehwere around 40gb, I'm wondering about much ubuntu would take.

Thanks.

[digital_exhaust]

Ubuntu doesn't take much space at all.....10g would be plenty.....

The reason you need to be concerned with removing Ubuntu is in doing so you will need to repair Vistas bootloader which is a huge pain in the ass, in my opinion....

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/206797/18/0.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&tnum=33&id=206797)

[Met-AL]

Here is what you do....

Install your Windows, get it all done and up and running.

While in Windows, pop in your Ubuntu CD and follow the prompts. It will do everything for you from within Windows and then ask you to reboot with the CD removed, you will then have two options, Windows or Ubuntu. Boot to Ubuntu and it will finalize it's setup.

You will have a entry in your Windows Add/Remove programs for Ubuntu if you ever decide to remove it.

[digital_exhaust]

Shit.....I forgot all about that.

Neat new feature in 8.04.......can't believe I forgot about that..

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/206797/18/0.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&tnum=33&id=206797)

[cinohpa]

haha wow, so I guess it isn't that complicated after all?

Thanks guys.

I'll post back in a couple days when my new HD comes in.

[eeyrjmr]

And this is why Wubi was created

Ubuntu (in fact any linux) can be installed (in part) from within Windows leaving behind a nice add/remove programs entry for Ubuntu


no need to worry abt partitioning (it installs into a loopback file within windows NOTE this isn't a virtual-machine jobby) or dealing with bootloader (windows ntldr is used)

[tgrimley]

Here is what you do....

Install your Windows, get it all done and up and running.

While in Windows, pop in your Ubuntu CD and follow the prompts. It will do everything for you from within Windows and then ask you to reboot with the CD removed, you will then have two options, Windows or Ubuntu. Boot to Ubuntu and it will finalize it's setup.

You will have a entry in your Windows Add/Remove programs for Ubuntu if you ever decide to remove it.

I'll say this is okay for occasional use, but many people on ubuntuforums (and myself) notice a much slower install/boot time using the wubi method.

If you want to do a real dual boot, definitely install vista first and leave 10GB or so for Ubuntu (safer) or resize Vista during the ubuntu install.

[cinohpa]

Well. I've never used ubuntu before. I tried the wubi method and it's pretty cool. I think I'll keep it like this until I get better acquainted with ubuntu and then I can delete it as a program and do a real dual boot.

Thanks everyone.

Ubuntu is so cool! haha one of the most enjoyable things I've noticed so far is that in vista my system idles with about 35-40% ram usage (I have 4gb) but in ubuntu I'm only using 8.8%.

[Met-AL]

Did you enable the nvidia drivers and turn on the enhanced desktop effects yet?

It's pretty snazzy. :D



..you can't really compare Vista's RAM usage to any other OS as Vista preloads allot of what you use as far as applications on a day to day basis ahead of time.