Dual Boot Ubuntu and 7

[ARosch]

I need some help getting Windows 7 and Ubuntu to dual boot. My PC currently only has Ubuntu installed but I would like to install 7 and have both of them to use for different scenarios. So I have ubuntu installed on a solid state and I have a download for windows 7 from the MSDNAA to use. I am really wanting to know what the best way to get ubuntu and 7 installed on the same drive. I have nothing on my current hard drive that I cannot lose, if I need to format it I can certainly do that. Is there any easy way to download 7 and partition my hard drive to install 7 or would it be best to download 7 to a flash drive or my spare hard drive then format my solid state and install 7 on it then partition it to install ubuntu? Or perhaps there is just a much easier way to download and install 7 on my solid state and get ubuntu installed as well.

Thanks!

 

[lxskllr]

Offhand I don't know how to do Windows after GNU/Linux, but switching the order is very easy. I'd use Gparted to partition the drive as you'd like(losing Ubuntu in the process), install Win7 to the partition you setup for it, then install Ubuntu to the other partitions using the advanced installer. You could omit setting up the Ubuntu partitions in Gparted, and do it at install time. It doesn't make much of a difference either way.

Edit:
For Gparted, the PartedMagic disc is a good one to have. It's bigger than using only Gparted, but it makes a great rescue tool to keep on hand for broken systems of all kinds...

http://partedmagic.com/doku.php

 

[ARosch]

Everything I have found says installing Ubuntu after 7 would be way easier. I am thinking about installing ubuntu on my secondary drive then formatting my ssd. After that I will install 7 on my ssd followed by partitioning the ssd in windows so that I can install ubuntu. After all that I will format my secondary drive. Seems like a long process but hopefully it will not be hard.

 

[lxskllr]

Everything I have found says installing Ubuntu after 7 would be way easier. I am thinking about installing ubuntu on my secondary drive then formatting my ssd. After that I will install 7 on my ssd followed by partitioning the ssd in windows so that I can install ubuntu. After all that I will format my secondary drive. Seems like a long process but hopefully it will not be hard.

That's pretty time consuming. If you used the method I mentioned above it would save a lot of time.

 

[ViRGE]

If you're installing Windows 7 second, just install EasyBCD after that. It should be able to create a BCD entry for Ubuntu (or rather its bootloader, GRUB), which is going to be the easiest way to chain the bootloaders together. There's no need to get crazy with partitions.

Currently: GRUB -> Ubuntu
After Win7: BCD -> Windows
After Win7 + EasyBCD : BCD -> Windows |OR| BCD -> GRUB -> Ubuntu

 

[Red Squirrel]

Funny I was JUST going to post this as I'm planing to do the same. I have not done a dual boot in a while, but one thing I noticed is windows 7 has a "boot" partition, I guess similar to Linux /boot. Is it safe to push this further up and put the Linux stuff first, or does it have to be at the start of the drive (ex: within cylinder 1024 if I recall)? Idealy I want grub to be the main bootloader.

 

[ViRGE]

Funny I was JUST going to post this as I'm planing to do the same. I have not done a dual boot in a while, but one thing I noticed is windows 7 has a "boot" partition, I guess similar to Linux /boot. Is it safe to push this further up and put the Linux stuff first, or does it have to be at the start of the drive (ex: within cylinder 1024 if I recall)? Idealy I want grub to be the main bootloader.

If you want to install GRUB after Windows 7 that's fine, even with Windows' boot partition. Just don't overwrite the Windows boot partition.

 

[KillerBee]

The one thing that sucks about Win7 and Linux on the same drive for dual boot is you lose the old Win7 System Restores everytime you boot linux

 

[Red Squirrel]

Well that sucked. I totally botched my windows install. Don't move the windows partition, whatever you do. I wont hijack this thread with my issue, I made my own, but yeah just thought I'd point that out.

 

[ARosch]

I ended up downloading 7 as an iso image and putting it on a disk. I then wiped my ssd and installed 7 there. That is as far as I have made it. I am still setting up 7 and getting everything to work right. I will soon partition my hard drive and install ubuntu. Only problem I have had so far is that my computer does not recognize my second hard drive for some reason... any idea why it would not be recognized? (the drive has ubuntu installed on it but I want to wipe that)

Vtx what do you mean about the system restores? Are you just referring to if your system crashes when using windows and then you boot up in linux it then loses the restore for 7 or something?

 

[KillerBee]

Well if you only have win7 installed it will usually make sytem restore points when updating or you can make your own at anytime too. These are great to have if you install something that totally hoses your system. The area where these are kept will be wiped out by linux..well the last time I tried anyway...I would try to verify again but I have no power at the moment..only my phone to post this.

Sent from my SGH-T679 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ARosch]

So are you saying it might be better to create a partition on my secondary drive and store my linux there?

 

[KillerBee]

woohoo - power is back. So checking again after creating 2 restore points and then booting Ubuntu - it didn't erase them - so forget I mentioned it :whiste:

It may just be lack of space on my C: drive and Windows deciding on it's own to get rid of the older ones.

 

[ARosch]

Haha okay cool. I guess this afternoon I will proceed with installing Linux on my main drive. How much space do you suggest I make for it?

 

[KillerBee]

If your going with Ubuntu there is a Wubi Install
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/WubiGuide/

It installs it as a file on regular Windows partitions
this way there is no re-partitioning needed

You even remove it by using the Windows Programs Control Panel

I usually give it 20G if you can afford the space.

 

[ARosch]

That program is wonderful, thanks for telling me about it!

 

[ViRGE]

That program is wonderful, thanks for telling me about it!

Just keep in mind that Wubi isn't intended for long-term use. Putting Ubuntu inside a monolithic file on a Windows partition has notable disk performance consequences, which is why it's primarily intended to be used as a way to try out a full install of Ubuntu.

 

[beginner99]

if you need both and hence pay for window I would just install Ubuntu in a VM.

 

[stevech]

disk drives are cheap compared to the dual-boot hassle.

 

[Red Squirrel]

disk drives are cheap compared to the dual-boot hassle.

Yep, I gave up on mine. Ordering another SSD.