Someone was asking about just how easy is it for Linux to get along with Windows on a dual-boot system. Here's most of my answer.
Ok, let me state this right up front. I'm no masteryoda, but I have been Dual and Triple booting on a Dell 400Mhz Laptop for over 3 years - Windows 2000, Mandrake 9.1 & Redhat 8.0 - have 1 desktop dual booting with XP and Mandrake at work and 3 Mandrake 9.1 only systems at home. I also have an old Powerbook 3400c running Yellow Dog Linux (yes, it dual boots Mac OS 8.1 perfectly). YDL is based on Redhat and I must say it's very Redhat based but also very sweet!
What appears to be the problem for most people installing Linux? One word - Partitioning. You should also be aware this is something a Windows installation can hose for you if it doesn't detect your old partitions correctly. Believe me, it has happened to destroy many a good days-months-years work.
Valid setup for partitions on most systems:
MBR (invisible in disk druid and PQmagic - but Critical to booting your system)
"/boot (25-100mb),
"Windows" partition,
"/" root Linux Partition),
"/home" for Linux data,
swap (linux NEEDS this),
and the rest as FAT32 for data sharing between Windows and Linux. Oh, and make sure you use either the "ext3" or the ReiserFS... the later is easier to recover from when you have power failure or inadvertantly power down the system.
Especially painful for many people is installation of Linux on a Windows XP box.
1. Backup your data.
2. Partition as above (ignore the labels for the Linux partitions when making in pqmagic - Linux will ask for them when you install).
No,
you do not have to delete or re-format your windows partitions. If you're lucky, you will not have to even reinstall windows or restore any data. Get a copy of Partition magic... or have a friend come over with his copy and assist you.
3. Start the CD Install of Mandrake 9.1 (or some other very good new distribution).
4.
STOP!!!!
5. DO NOT USE THE WIZARD or IDIOT mode for ANY of the Distributions...
.... no matter what your grandmother said to do!!! You'll surely hose it.
6. Use the disk druid (advanced partiton editing) to set up your partitions.
7. Check the list above.
8. Make sure you do not choose to format your Windows Partitions.
9. Continue the install.
10. At the boot setup (after the main installation), modify the settings. Again, this is where the Wizards will kill your data.
11.
Do not allow the Linux installer to modify your master boot record (MBR).
12. Instead place the boot in the "/" root directory....and USE GRUB if possible. It's easier to keep track of just what has been changed as you update the kernel versions... and Lilo gets confused sometimes.
13. MAKE A BOOT DISKETTE for Linux.
14. Reboot computer...
15. What, no Linux screen?
16. Don't panic. It's there.
17. Breath. In.... Out.... slowly.
18. Here's the magic.
19.
Modify the NTLDR file using Jaeger's description.
Brief description of the boot loader in Win2k/XP
quoted from jaeger's site above. I have done this and it works - even with 3 versions of Linux and Windows 2000!!!
The bootsect.lnx file is basically your linux boot sector. It will go on the NT/2000/XP partition, and be loaded by NTLDR. To add this to your NTLDR menu, you only need to edit the boot.ini file located in your Windows root directory (usually c:\.) Here's a sample boot.ini:
[boot loader]
timeout=10
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows NT Workstation Version 4.00"
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows NT Workstation Version 4.00 [VGA mode]" /basevideo /sos
C:\="MS-DOS"
To add the bootsect.lnx file we created to the NTLDR configuration file, simply add a line that looks like this, reflecting your own decription:
C:\bootsect.lnx="Red Hat Linux Release 4.2 (Biltmore)"
Once you've edited the boot.ini and saved it, you should be good to go. When you reboot the machine, the NTLDR menu has a new option at the bottom, "Red Hat Linux Release 4.2 (Biltmore)" in this case. Select it, hit enter, and linux boots.
If you want linux to be your default cjoice, just change the default line to: default=C:\bootsect.lnx.
Really, it's not too difficult a task. You just have tell yourself you can do it, be persistant, brave and
careful.
Backup your data as most OS' can be reinstalled relatively painfree.
What reward will you have for all this work? Tons!!
1. Linux is very stable
2. 1,000s of programs included on Right on the distribution CDs - 1,000s more on the internet.
3. Fewer viruses / worms will attack you - Martha S. would say this is a good thing ;-) .
There is a very steep learning curve - i.e. Read the Linux documentation. Extensive docs can be found on your system after the install, on the CDs, or the Internet
The Linux Documentation Project. Also read the errata on your particular Distro's web site as these provide valuable for solving common problems, which may be fixed in an Update.
As for updates, make sure you go out and get them. Linux is constantly being "patched" similarly to MS products, but more frequently as there are many more developers working on making Linux and applications for Linux than are trying to fix Microsoft's bugs.
