Installing Linux

[ScabHunter]

What is the best way to install Linux on to a PC, so it can exist alongside a Windows 7 or XP system?

Two weeks ago, I installed Linux Mint 13 on my old netbook, using a USB stick and Mint4Win. After one or two very minor teething troubles, it has worked brilliantly, and I've hardly booted into Windows ever since. Linux does the same tasks ten times faster on the same hardware, and the desktop (MATE) is virtually the one I would design if I was designing my own to order.

It has worked so well that I would like to get Linux on to my other two PCs as well. It is critical, however, than the Windows installation on the fastest PC is not harmed. This is the PC which runs RX2, which is proprietary software for Windows.

You can create a USB stick with the operating system on it using 'Pendrive Linux', but what then? For the netbook, I just used Mint4Win, but I'm sure that is not the best way to do this. From what I have read, for optimum results you need to create separate partitions on the hard drive, and put Linux into one of those.

One of the things Linux does need is some half-decent tutorials. Everything you read tells you to do something different, which means most of it is probably wrong. It appears as though you've got three basic problems -

1) Partitioning the hard drive. How much space do you allow? I've got one PC with a large drive (1TB), and one with a tiny one (40GB). When you've got a large drive, do you split it in two or just create a small section?

2) When the partitioning is done, how do you persuade the PC to boot from the USB stick so that the installation can take place?

3) How do you make sure the Linux operating system is installed in the correct partition, so that the dual boot works properly from then on?

I need to take my time over this and get it right, so any tips would be extremely useful.

SH

[Riz]

Re: Installing Linux

1) Depends entirely on what you want to do under Linux and Windows, and how you want to spread your data?

Linux can access data on Windows partitions, but Windows cannot access (natively) data on Linux ones.

You could adopt many different schemes.

I'll post up in a min what I did with my most recent laptop.

[Riz]

Re: Installing Linux

2) Will the computer boot from USB? Bios boot order menu should have an option if it does?

IF you partition using the build in partitioner on the Ubuntu/Mint installation media (USB stick in this case), then there would be no need to persuade it to boot.

i.e. you boot via the USB stick to start the installation. Then partition as part of the installation. Installation then continues and installs linux. You then reboot when done (removing the USB) and choose which OS to load in the bootloader menu.

[Riz]

Re: Installing Linux

3) When partitioning under the ubuntu/mint installer, you specify what partition is going to be the root/boot partitions for linux. When the installer continues, it knows then to install to those.

[Riz]

Re: Installing Linux

This is how I partitioned on this laptop that was originally running Windows 7.

[Riz]

Re: Installing Linux

I'll post up in a min what I did with my most recent laptop.

Actually, no I won't.....

I had to do quite a complicated set up as I had to preserve the separate Windows boot and recovery partitions, as well as resize the main Windows one and add ones for linux and sharing files between the 2 OSs.

You may not need half of that, so I won't confuse the issue yet.

[Riz]

Re: Installing Linux

Things to factor in when partitioning.

- While running Windows you will not be able to access data on any Linux formatted partitions. At least not in a truly reliable way.

- While running linux you will be able to (access read & write) data on any Windows formatted partition. Saying that, I prefer not to mount and access that partition that holds the Windows OS while running Linux, as Linux would not warn or stop you from deleting vital windows files.

- If you want to share data between the two operating systems then you might create a seperate windows formatted partion just to store data files. Both linux and windows would be able to read/write to that without risking messing up the other OS. I only went for a small 100GB one, as 99% of the time I'm running Linux so don't need to share much data. You might want more.

- For data/personal files that you are only likely to want to access in linux, then it is helpful to create a separate /home linux formatted partition to hold those. i.e. the linux system files and your personal files would be on separate partitions. Benefit of that is if you ever need to reinstall linux, then you can wipe the system files partition without touching your personal files.

- Linux usually benefits form a "swap" partition. i.e. that is used to page memory to when you are running low and/or hold an image of the running system if you suspend to disk (hibernate) the computer, instead of suspend to ram (sleep). I went overkill again, and set it at 1.5XRAM =1.5 X 8GB = 12GB

- How big for the Linux system partition? I think as low as about 8GB may be OK, but it depends whether (a) you install lots of software and (b) whether you have a separate /home partition for data. I went a very safe route and gave it 50GB. Currently I'm using 18GB of that, and I have a LOT of software installed. Plus I have a separate /home partition for data.

You can juggle all these things different ways as you can see.

[ScabHunter]

Re: Installing Linux

Thank you rizzle, you are extremely helpful.

3) When partitioning under the ubuntu/mint installer, you specify what partition is going to be the root/boot partitions for linux. When the installer continues, it knows then to install to those.

Are you saying, therefore, that the partitioning should be done by the Linux system itself during installation? Most of the pages I've read tell you to partition in Windows before you anything with Linux.

Thanks,
SH

[Riz]

Re: Installing Linux

It used to be the case that resizing the Windows partition under Linux was error prone and risky, or would just mess it up entirely.

However in recent years it has become much much much more reliable, and unless you are hyper cautious there is no need.

See: WindowsDualBoot - Community Ubuntu Documentation

[Riz]

Re: Installing Linux

Saying that I did try shrinking my Windows partition under Windows first.

Problem was that there were too many "immovable" files towards the end of the disk that even a defrag would not shift. Meaning that Windows refused to shrink it's partition as much as I required.

So I bit the bullet and trusted that the linux partitioner would be able to do it without harm as promised. And it DID!

The only effect on Windows was that it needed to do a disk check the first time I booted it. Apart from that, no harm done at all.

[Riz]

Re: Installing Linux

Out of interest, I just tried installing Mint 13 on a Virtualbox virtual machine running Windows 7.

The Mate 13 installer successful resized the Windows 7 partitions and installed Mint. The Windows 7 OS survived and boots/runs fine after an initial disk check.

[SXGuy]

Re: Installing Linux

hey rizzle.

Does ubuntu create dual boot options once installed?

Been a while since i installed an ubuntu os, and im sure i remember previous versions used to overwrite the boot order and you would have to manually add the option to select an os to boot to.

Perhaps its been improved since last time i looked.

[Riz]

Re: Installing Linux

Yes, it does.

The Grub2 bootloader installed by default with Ubuntu/Mint detects installations of Windows and creates boot menu entries for them.

For example in the install I just tested.

[ScabHunter]

Re: Installing Linux

That is almost exactly the same as the menu I've now got on my old netbook after installing Mint 13. I've got XP on that computer instead of 7, but the number and order of items is exactly the same as on that screenshot.

There is also a timing mechanism which boots into Linux after a certain number of seconds. As that is what I do virtually every time now, I just leave it to boot up by itself. I only have to do anything if I want to boot into Windows instead.

SH

[evilcartman]

Re: Installing Linux

That is almost exactly the same as the menu I've now got on my old netbook after installing Mint 13. I've got XP on that computer instead of 7, but the number and order of items is exactly the same as on that screenshot.

There is also a timing mechanism which boots into Linux after a certain number of seconds. As that is what I do virtually every time now, I just leave it to boot up by itself. I only have to do anything if I want to boot into Windows instead.

SH

Yep, that is the standard GRUB boot manager screen. When I was using Ubuntu on my previous setup (with a graphics card that Ubuntu got on with), this worked perfectly fine with Windows XP and 7 on the same hard drive. You can even edit the boot file so that it boots into Windows by default if you really want to. But I guess you won't be doing that.