Linux and windows on one computer?

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Shocktrooper

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Basicly, i dont feel like buying windows for my new computer and i want to try out linux. Is there any way to have both operating systems on my old computer at one time? Do i have to make a new partition on my hard drive? If this is the case how would i do it, and is it advisable?

thanks a lot!
 
Shocktrooper said:
Basicly, i dont feel like buying windows for my new computer and i want to try out linux. Is there any way to have both operating systems on my old computer at one time? Do i have to make a new partition on my hard drive? If this is the case how would i do it, and is it advisable?

thanks a lot!
Click to expand...


yes.. it's called a dual boot.. and yes you need a separate parttition for linux

what i like to do is make 3 partitions.. one for windows, one for linux.. and one that is shared (i believe it has to be FAT32 though)

i haven't fooled with linux for a while.. but that will answer your first questions..

i'm sure someone else can give you more.. you can also check out linux forums and crap..
 
If you haven't done this before then the safest bet should be to empty out a windows partition and install linux on it(I'd reccomend Mandrake as it has a easy to understand installation you can go back to any point at any time).
 
chiron said:
If you haven't done this before then the safest bet should be to empty out a windows partition and install linux on it(I'd reccomend Mandrake as it has a easy to understand installation you can go back to any point at any time).
Click to expand...

I would actually reccomend Ubuntu as a first time Linux installation.
 
hmm... ok, they've got the free cds in the mail deals which is nice I guess ;)
 
You could load Windows than use Virtual PC to load linux or whatever else
Saver than messing with Dual Boot :D
Right now i have XP Pro SP2 on my Raptor
With a Virtual Partion using Virtual PC and i loaded windows 3.1 on it :D
 
You can also use a LiveCD to try out Linux without changing a thing on your Windows box.
 
I've been dual-booting for several years now. You don't necessarily need a third shared partition. Just know that linux can read but cannot write to an NTFS partition. And Windows doesn't recognize anything non-windows. FAT32 is fine though - both systems have full use of it. It's even a bit faster than NTFS. I would recommend Ubuntu if you want to go the installation route rather than a live-cd.
 
BoxDude said:
I've been dual-booting for several years now. You don't necessarily need a third shared partition. Just know that linux can read but cannot write to an NTFS partition. And Windows doesn't recognize anything non-windows. FAT32 is fine though - both systems have full use of it. It's even a bit faster than NTFS. I would recommend Ubuntu if you want to go the installation route rather than a live-cd.
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yea you don't need one.. that's why i said.. what i like to do is have a shared partition..
 
I'd go with djnes's solution and try Linux through liveCD before you determine whether you want to spend the time installing it. Knoppix and Ubuntu provide LiveCDs that you can download.

For something to install, I usually recommend SuSE and Ubuntu for intro to Linux and general use.
 
or you can get VMware and run linux and windows at the same time.

i use it for network troubleshooting, works great.
 
cool i checked out the linux forum and heard about somthing called "knoppix". Apparently all i have to do is burn it to a CD and i can boot from that. I think i'll go with the live CD route for now.

just to test it out...
 
That will work. I usually recommend doing it with Ubuntu, because if you seem to like it, you can install the OS from the same disc. This is the DVD image I'm referring to.
 
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