Need help setting up a dual-boot

vikiradTG2007

vikiradTG2007

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During Computer Programming laboratories at University, we're working on workstations which have a variation of Ubuntu installed on them (xUbuntu I think). I've got a laptop which I intended to use for school work, and it would be appropriate to use Ubuntu as an environment for the programming tools (we're using Codeblocks IDE).

At the moment, the laptop is running XP. I need some help setting up a dual-boot with XP and Ubuntu... but my issue is that I've only set up a single partition on the HDD at the moment. Can dual-boot with these two be done with a single partition? And if not, what do I have to use to split the partition and set up the dual-boot?
 
I haven't tried it, but Ubuntu has some cool options to integrate with Windows. Run the installer from Windows and see what choices it gives you; I'm almost positive you can dual boot from a single partition that way.
 
Well... looks like both the installer within Windows and the Live CD boot version offer the option of "side-by-side" installation. :) That was easier than I expected. I'm installing it now and hoping that it works properly. Will post here if anything goes wrong.


EDIT: It might have some issues. Had to abort the setup, loaded up XP and now it's showing up in 4:3 aspect ratio with black bars on the side of the screen. It's checking the disk, maybe that's why.


EDIT 2: Will try to install it from under Windows.
 
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Do you use Ubuntu because of licensing issues over Windows or is it a superior base for you programing needs? Because we used XP for Pascal and later Turbo Delphi in high school. Gonna find out Thursday what we'll use in Uni
 
Here's the guide I used when I set up my Ubuntu/XP dual boot machine:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsDualBoot

My config differs from yours as I had Ubuntu installed first and wanted to put XP on a separate physical drive, but from what I've gleaned you will have to resize your windows partition to make room for the ubuntu install.

The trickiest part I've found is figuring out whether you want Ubuntu or Windows to handle the boot loader.
 
Paco said:
The trickiest part I've found is figuring out whether you want Ubuntu or Windows to handle the boot loader.
Click to expand...

Let ubuntu handle it. Unlike the windows one, ubuntu's boot loader is designed to work with different operating systems.
 
maxtortheone said:
Do you use Ubuntu because of licensing issues over Windows or is it a superior base for you programing needs? Because we used XP for Pascal and later Turbo Delphi in high school. Gonna find out Thursday what we'll use in Uni
Click to expand...

Most CS departments will use Linux simply because it's more "nuts and bolts" than Windows, Windows is not a "typical" OS in many ways which makes programming on it a bit more convoluted.
 
I think that Vista's disc manager can do it, but XP can't. You'll need to get a third party program to edit the partition. I haven't done this myself, so I can't recommend any particular programs, but I think there are a number of free options.
 
Yeah, I've done that before. Sadly, the only resolution I found was to put the drive in another computer with a working OS, wipe it clean, and convert it back to a basic disk.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309044

Basically a full reformat/reinstall, so back up your data. Like me, you just learned the hard way that dynamic disks are retarded.
 
Paco said:
Basically a full reformat/reinstall, so back up your data. Like me, you just learned the hard way that dynamic disks are retarded.
Click to expand...

Thing is... Should I install Ubuntu first with this method, and then add XP? Or split the partition in the XP setup and then install Ubuntu? And the main issue in this case would be losing the hardware drivers. :|

I'm open to advice in the next 24 h or so. Friday is going to be an off-day(-ish; a single class in the morning), and I'll be doing the system overhaul during that day.
 
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There isn't really a wrong way to do it as you can make both ways work.
My approach would be to install Ubuntu first, making sure to partition the drive with spaces for both Ubuntu and Windows, then install Windows afterward.
Then you can boot with a Live CD and edit your GRUB loader in Ubunto to add the option for Windows, as well as specify which one to load by default and the timeout duration.

Your windows hardware drivers will be lost when you delete the partition while changing the disk from dynamic to basic, so make sure to save them to a thumb drive or other hdd. I usually just save the NIC drivers and let windows update get the rest, but if you've got the installers it doesn't hurt to save them.
 
Simplest Method:

Install Windows, but don't allocate the whole disk to NTFS (leave X GBs at end of disk for linux).
Install Linux into remaining space, it'll then put grub right at the start of the whole disk.
 
I'll be thinking tomorrow as to what course of action to take, but I will be starting with a format after saving the drivers. I haven't got anything on the laptop which isn't present on the main PC, so I won't be losing anything, so... Currently leaning towards WillDAQ's course of action. (Too late to do anything today, though)
 
WillDAQ said:
Simplest Method:

Install Windows, but don't allocate the whole disk to NTFS (leave X GBs at end of disk for linux).
Install Linux into remaining space, it'll then put grub right at the start of the whole disk.
Click to expand...
This is the best way. If you do it in the other order, windows will overwrite the bootloader, and you'll have to recover it from a linux boot CD.
 
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