Ok so what i have is Windows 7 RC installed to my hard drive. I have a seperate partition which i would like to install Ubuntu on. Granted i could just go ahead and straight install but then i would be using the Grub bootloader and i don't want to.
What is my best option? That NeoGrub thing?
Don't forget that *nix uses more than one partition. It's been a real long time since I installed and used any version, but I think by default it uses one each for boot, system and paging. So you may want to consider that.
A possible way to do what you want might be to install Ubuntu, then boot to Windows 7 using Grub. Then use EasyBCD manage bootloader tab to reinstall the Vista bootlader.
I never tried to use that before, so if it doesn't work out, don't blame me. Get a second opinion about this, first.
Good luck. Final thought: I'd probably use an entirely different physical drive to install Ubuntu to, while the 7 drive was unplugged. Then you could just add Ubuntu to 7 bootloader later on.
I don't think it uses that many partitions. My Ubuntu install only has two partitions, the main partition and a swap partition. I don't think the swap partition is necessary.
As to the original poster, why don't you want to use grub? I think using grub would be as easy as installing Ubuntu, and going into gparted and removing the "boot" flag from the Windows 7 partition. If you leave the Windows 7 partition with the "boot" flag, it will over right the MBR every time you boot, meaning you won't ever see grub.
Those two simple steps would leave you with a dual booted machine, not sure why you don't want that.
I had a little more trouble yesterday as I was installing Windows 7 on a machine with Ubuntu and XP already on it, but I only had to mess with grub a little bit to get everything working back to normal, none of which was grub's issue.
Think i got it figured. I'm just using GRUB now. The Windows option doesn't load Windows automatically though it loads the Windows boot loader then i select Windows 7. Damn i have to do a whole extra press of enter! lol.
In the Win 7 boot loader, is Windows and Ubuntu then listed?
If so and you want to get rid of that screen and having to choose 7, use EasyBCD to remove Ubuntu from the Win 7 boot manager.
When you boot up, GRUB should ask Win 7 or Ubuntu and if choosing 7, it will go straight to desktop.
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