Solved Dual Boot Setup

[blockie]

I occassionaly help other residents here at this Assisted Care Facility. Several of them have asked about getting another operating system because of the demise of Win XP.
In this regard, I am thinking of familiarizing myself with a second operatring sytem. I am thinking of dual booting an Ubuntu system. My computer has plenty of space on the hard drive for this. I am running W7 Ultimate without any hardware problems.So, I would expect the computetr to support installing another operating sysytem.
What do you guys think?

Bill

 

[Golden]

Good move Bill.

There are 2 ways to do a dual boot of Linux:

1. To the same hard disk - complex
2. To a separate hard disk - easier

The second option also has the added benefit, of it something goes wrong, the Windows installation is not affected in the least - as a Linux beginner, i would recommend this route.

There are a good few free Linux distributions. Some are complex, others not. Those that mimic the Windows functionality to a large degree are LinuxMint and Zorin.

Zorin actually has a useful function to make the entire desktop look and behave like either XP or Windows 7 (incl. a classic Start menu)

I would suggest trying Zorin first.

With an XP look & feel:



With a Windows 7 look & feel:

 

[blockie]

Boy! That was a quick reponse. Thanks.
The following is a site with instructions for a dual boot. What do you think?
Dual-Boot Windows 7 and Ubuntu in Perfect Harmony
I probably use the free ZORIN.

Bill

 

[Golden]

If you don't have a 2nd hard disk, than that would do nicely. You could also try this one if you like - its Mint specific but the same applies to other distros:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/257048-dual-boot-windows-7-linux.html

:tip: Create an image of Windows 7 before you start installing Linux, regardless of which way you go about it.

 

[blockie]

If you don't have a 2nd hard disk, than that would do nicely. You could also try this one if you like - its Mint specific but the same applies to other distros:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/257048-dual-boot-windows-7-linux.html

:tip: Create an image of Windows 7 before you start installing Linux, regardless of which way you go about it.

I created a image of c: (System) drive
I completed PartA of the tutorial and got a complete satisfactory. see attached capture2.
I'm not sure I really got a GOOD flash drive because of the errors (12) that were displayed in the dialogue. see attached capture 1

 

[blockie]

As I read further to see what to do next I find some further possible obstacles.My drive management setup is not the same as you have.I have no 100Mb partition as well as a data partition. also note that the boot option is already in the C; partition..What does that do to the instructions in your tutorial?

Also, I tried to boot from the flash drive. Couldn't. If I remember correctly I got into BIOS some time ago and could not b oot from a USB port. The only options available were DVD rom drive and the Hdd. I am using a ASUS P53E Notebook computer. Can I use a CD?

 

[Golden]

Your Zorin download looks to be corrupted. I would download it again.

Yes, you can boot from DVD.

The 100MB system partition should not matter.....I'll confirm that once I'm home this evening.

 

[Golden]

Bill, you don't need to be concerned by the lack of 100MB system reserved partition. Simply Skip Part D Step 2 of the tutorial.

 

[blockie]

I'm between a "rock and a hard place". I downloadecd Zolin again and ran part A again. Got the same errors.
So I tried to use a DVD instead of a flash drive. Ran Part A again, had to click on "see all drives". Got an error immediately,"cannot boot from this media" or something like that. Continued with Part A and wasn't able to copy ANY files. Last error msg was, "media write protected". I was able to copy to the DVD, however, using the W7 native command. Also I changed permissions on the DVD media to ALL.
I am presently downloading the 32bit MINK. Petra I think. Will try that. If that doesn't work will try the other tuitorial.

Bill

 

[Golden]

Bill. You will need to use a writable DVD.

 

[blockie]

Even tho I ordered some write DVD's (they won't be here until Monday), I continue trying to get there from here. I managed to shrink the C: partition to half it's original size and then created a partition (D in the unallocated space. I also was ( after an internet search) write the zolin.iso to the DVD. I tried several free burners before I got on that would write to this DVD. I was getting an invalid DVD type error on the ones I discarded.
Now I have the empty space to put the Zolin OS on and an installation disk I don't know whether to wait to do the dual boot thing by tutorial or try to muddle through now. I think I will probably wait as I am afraid of scewing things up.

Bill

 

[Golden]

I think its worth waiting.

Just to be clear, you can save the .ISO to your existing hard drive, but the installation files have to ne written to the DVD in a special way - you cannot just put the ISO on the DVD, then boot. That will not work.

 

[blockie]

So far I cannot use your tutorial. My notebook will not boot from USB, so thats out. And when trying to use a DVD the first thing I get when I press Create is an error in being able to autostart upon doing a restart for installation of Zolin.
I was able to install Ubuntu. Doing that, gave me confidence that there was nothing wrong with my machine or wriing a ISO to disk. I cannot even get a disk that will install Zolin without your tutorial.I'm going to go to Zolin support or forum to try to find what I'm doing wrong.

 

[blockie]

i ran a checksum and did NOT get agreeing nunbers. Althoigh ran the image file to DVD as slow as I could, 2 X the checksums die NOT match. That explains why it did't work. I have ordered the disk from the company, hoping this will allow installation as well as support. Let's conclude this thread. I'll start a new one if required.
Bill

 

[blockie]

Golden,
The new thread is named Boot menu with three options.
Bill