Windows 7: When setting up dual boot, anything to watch out for?

I don't know if this is the best forum for this topic, but it seems to be the best fit.

The machine that I've installed Windows 7 on is an older machine that I would like to use for trying out various operating systems, and even installing a small DOS partition so I can play around with some old DOS stuff I used to enjoy.



The computer currently has four smaller hard disks installed: two 30 gigs, two 20 gigs. Win 7 is installed on one of the 30 gigs.

Initially, I want to keep things simple, and pretty much dedicate one drive to one OS. For sure, I plan to install Linux, probably the Ubuntu distribution. And possibly OS/2.

What I don't want to do is find unpleasant surprises after I try installing other OSes, such as not being able to get into Windows 7 anymore.

I have a copy of System Commander v9, but I am not all that enthusiastic about the way it chooses to set up OS installations.

There's bound to be folks here who have dual (or more) boot setups they're running with Win 7 as one of the OSes, and I'd appreciate hearing from you if you have any pointers to share.

Thanks!

Best,
Michael

Really interesting. win 7 and ubuntu no problem (ubuntu port works in win 7 window if you want), OS2 (boy does that bring back the past) as long as you can get drivers. DOS you could even run from a dvd (or maybe a cmd window in 7). One drive per OS is perfect. You could use easyBCD to do the boot work ( SYS commd) im not sure of.

Anyway seems like you thought it out and I dont see any real impediments.

BTW welcome to SF

Hope this helps

Ken

Well, I had a problem while dual booting widows xp and win 7

you can have a look at this thread for more info.

For setting up a dual boot of XP with 7 there's nothing better then a tutorial for that. Dual Boot Installation with Windows 7 and XP

The main problem you will start seeing right off trying to run 7 on the old system there is the lack of any Vista updates at least for the main board as well as any addon devices like possibly an old video or sound card. For configuring the 7 boot loader for seeing both XP and ubuntu added into that there's nothing better then the EasyBCD 172 presently available at Download EasyBCD 1.7.2 - NeoSmart Technologies

The documentation for that is seen at EasyBCD Documentation Home - NeoSmart Technologies Wiki

One thing to mention here when planning to add any Linux distro into an existing dual boot of two versions of Windows is not seeing Grub replace the Windows mbr! It's good you plan things out with ubuntu going to a different drive where you can see to it that the root partition is also made the "/" mount point with Grub installed to that drive when reaching the point to select where Grub will be installed to.

Once ubuntu is installed the NeoGrub found in the EasyBCD tool is set to "Grub isn't installed into boot sector" to prevent the mbr changes while you are pointing NeoGrub itself to the root! when adding the new entry in. That will see ubuntu load when selected from the 7 boot options.

I tried dual booting Vista and 7, made a second partition and loaded win 7 on it. Due to a CD error I lost all data on both partitions and had to reinstall Vista (now decided just 7).

How did you manage to lose everything on the Vista primary when installing 7 onto the second primary you created?

You would have had to nuke the Vista primary itself by selecting that during the 7 install or reformat, partition deletion while booted in GParted. The Vista mbr could have been restored otherwise with the repair tools on the Vista dvd.