Posted: 8/22/2008 3:08:58 PM EDT
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Well? Why? What do you need to do it? I'm liking the ubuntu, so any info on that? |
| If you go with ubuntu (good OS, I also recommend zenwalk) it will install the grub bootloader when it finishes the installation. This will be a menu that you will see when you boot up and it will give you the option of selecting which OS you want to boot into. You can configure the timeout it gives before it selects the default OS (probably would be ubuntu, but you can change that). If you want to remove ubuntu afterwards you'll probably want to boot into the windows recovery console that should be on your windows installation disc. You'll want to run fixmbr (fix master boot record). Theres also tools available on the internet that can do this without you needing a windows installation disc that has recovery console (such as if you're using windows fundamentals for legacy PCs). |
| I've had too many dual-boot setups go bad when I try to remove one of the OS'es, or even sometimes the boot record breaks. I just prefer to have 2 HDD's, and when I want to run an OS, I just plug in it's drive, and unplug the other one. Only takes a few seconds, and no mess! |
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Not really needed nowadays. Back in the day, it might have been useful for trying out various flavors of Linux, with the option to boot back into Windows if necessary, or if there was some application that only ran in Windows.* Now, except for a few rare programs, you can use Linux and do pretty much everything. I have plenty of Linux servers running, a dual-boot XP/Fedora laptop for the wife, and a XP laptop from work, but my personal laptop I'm posting from right now is running a straight (no dual-boot, no Windows, etc) Fedora 8 install. No need to dual-boot this badboy. *Dual booting might still be a good option for letting someone test out Linux (beyond a live CD) without having to blow-away their tried-and-true Windows install. |
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I use VMWare for running Linux on some of my computers. I used to dual boot, but the only thing I did that for was for full graphics support for NVidia cards. I don't beta test any Linux games anymore so I really don't have a need to dual boot, and VMWare works damn good on a fast machine, and no more having to use NDISWrapper for my wireless on my laptop(s). I run straight up Debian (installed via the net installer) for all my Linux needs. I do have other dedicated linux boxes, but most of those are headless servers. I just rebuilt my old desktop computer and gave it to my youngest son; it's running Debian as a Linux gaming rig. Runs the hell out of ET Wolfenstein, and has full 3d graphics support via a nice NVidia card. It too is wireless and had to use NDISWrapper for the USB wireless adapter, but it runs like a champ. Ubuntu is good, but it sometimes messes with stuff it shouldn’t (just my opinion). Plus it is a little bloated compared to Debian (which Ubuntu is based off). Don’t get me wrong, Ubuntu is a great alternative to Windows, but just not what I want in a Linux OS. |
I'll have to try that on my dell my wireless card is detected in ubunutu but won't work properly, never detects any networks even though normally at any given time there are 5 or 6 visible, but locked, networks at my house from various neighbors plus my network |
That's how I did it on one of my systems. I had both ide 33 and 66 connectors and the bios would let me select which had priority when booting on a later system I used a boot floopy when I wanted to dual boot and it let me select which physical drive |
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I primarily use Ubuntu on my home systems. However, I still keep a dual-boot setup because I sometimes need to use Visual Studio and you can't run that in Linux. * Yes I know about VMWare as well a Mono. I specifically need to do some development in VS and also need performance while doing it. |
I'm not a computer tech, I'm a layman that specializes in crash prevention and recovery. After crashing my share of computers, I learned a thing or two. When I first started learning about Windoze, it was on a Compaq crash-o-matic. Biggest electronic POS on the planet. I friend told me about partitioning hard drives and dual booting. I started partitioning my hard drives with the OS in it's own partiton and data on another partition. Dual booting allowed me to have a OS to use day to day, and another one to tweak the hell out of to learn how Windoze works, or doesn't work as the case may be. I don't trust Windoze. An extra OS can be a good thing when Windoze has a hiccup and I need to do something now and my main OS decides not to cooperate. I used a Dell desktop for years with W2K and XP. My wife downloaded that damn Huntbar twice on the XP side. System Restore wouldn't remove it nor would any of the usual spyware removal tactics. After identifying the files pertaining to the Huntbar, I booted over to the W2K side and delete the offending virus. That works for some trojans and files that like to replicate themselves or resist deletion. Those episodes have been rare, but it doesn't hurt to have a back up. We carry back-up-guns, why not have a backup OS handy? I haven't seen a BSOD for years, but Murphy is still a technical advisor to Microsoft. Better safe then sorry. On my current new laptop, I run XP/Vista. I prefer to run XP when I'm running on batteries or in the car. XP boots up faster and is ready to use faster than Vista. I run most of my virus scans from the XP side. At home when the laptop is plugged in all day, I run Vista. I prefer using Vista but there are still a few things XP does better. As long as I run Windoze, I'll be running a dual boot system. ZM |
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I am currently dual booting Vista x64/Ubuntu. There is a learning curve involved in moving to Linux - both from the OS side and new applications. Being able to boot back into familiar territory when you need to get something done quickly is a necessity early on. As I learn more about Linux, I boot into Windows less and less. |