Comments on Dual-Booting Windows XP/Vista And Ubuntu 7.04

I have fixed the issue with the SWAP file. I apologize for the mistake.

I've used the following routine:

1. Partition your disk with PartitionMagic (alternatively GParted booting from a livecd) so that it would contain 2 NTFS partitions and an empty space for Ubuntu.

2.  Install WinXP to the first NTFS partition

3. Launch PartitionMagic again and hide the partition you just installed WinXP to. This will prevent Vista from screwing things up.

4. Install Vista to the second partition.

5. Unhide the WinXP partition.

6. Install Ubuntu letting it do automatic partitioning.

That's all. Grub will catch up the existing windows installations and a triple boot would work out. 

Under step seven you say:

so just give it 512 megabytes which will be more than enough for it to run

But should you not make this large enough to hold the contents of you RAM so you can use Hibernation under Ubuntu?

Thanks for this. I'm planning to install Linux on my sister's new laptop that has Vista on it, and was wondering about how to shrink the Win partition and set up new ones. Sounds like it's easier than it used to be. For those of us who don't know Vista and don't especially want to, the tutorial saves a lot of research effort.

There are two points you might want to clarify:

--Windows used to need defragging before shrinking the partition. Does the new Shrink utility take care of this automatically?

--What's the minimium recommended size for retaining a functioning Vista installation? 

 Good article about dual- booting using software.  However, dual-booting using hardware is way more versatile and much less hassle once you get set up.  Assuming you have a desktop PC and one SATA drive, buy another Sata drive.  Then build a SATA switch.  Go to http://www.thesataswitch.com/ for directions on how to build one.  Then you can do whatever you want to either drive, completely independent of each other.  If you add a third drive you can triple-boot any three different OS's!

Hi friend,

i had installed dual operating system last week, i first installed xp and then dual. it worked well and also asking when we start the system like ubuntu or xp and then select what we like to go..

now xp had some problem so i format my xp part in my sytem, but when we start the system it directly going to xp not showing ubuntu option..

can u help me to solve this problem..

very urgent coz all my files in ubuntu thats y... 

At last - a simple and foolproof guide to setting up dual booting xp and ubuntu.  With many of the other guides they all go well until you get to the bit that you have to --

Thanks

Hey i had installed vista first in my system and i installed ubuntu

 then i used to get dual boot options and it did well but

 i installed xp with emerging with vista disk then when system starts it just goes to xp not to vista or 

 ubuntu is there any way i can solve the problem i have some important files i downloaded and my materials in it how can i get it now 

 please help me out of it it's urgent i need to submit my work in 2 days

 please mail me to [email protected]

 Thanks in advance please do help me.......

 :)

First, there is no identified "Part 2" as promised by the lead paragraphs ("Part two for people who have Windows XP/Vista installed and don't want to re-install Windows").

Second, and more important (but perhaps I am in error), Part 2 //should// have included the steps to shrink a [Windows] partition to create space for Ubuntu The Vista online instructions are NOT clear on this (as a hardcopy tech writer I am NOT surprised).   I read in Part 1 that the HD needs to be partitioned, but the //suggestion// made by the "Part 2:" statement (ibid.) was that if Windows already was installed, the reader could skip Part 1.

I don't klnow what would happen if someone (e.g., a Unix novice like this scrivener) stuck the Ubu CD in the drive and just left Ubu's installer "do its thing;" possibly no more Windows. (Windows has drivers for [home/small office] hardware Ubu still lacks - and THAT is what is keeping Ubu off many office and home machines or forcing dual-boot on others.)

jg

hello!!

           I had a problem in dual booting of linux and windows xp .I had installed both successfully and also used both of them for about a month .Just 2 days ago during grub's selection in os menu 

when i am selecting linux ubuntu error in (GUI) display occured and only command line interface is provided any one interrested in solving my problem plese help me.

                   I like linux very much ,such a situation arised .so kindly help me

Dual booting is not an easy task especially when it comes to dual booting windows and Linux (Ubuntu) side by side.  I actually once deleted my windows partition when i tried dual booting linux along with it.  Leason learned the hard way, always follow a trust able tutorial when attempting these kinds of stuff... 

The best tutorial ever!