 How To Install Winxp And Linux To The Same Compute, a double boot |
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 Jul 11 2005, 02:51 AM
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#1
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Trap Grand Marshal Member  Group: Members Posts: 1,182 Joined: 24-September 04 Member No.: 1,245  |
when I install a double boot linux/winxp, I always want to keep the Windows boot menu to choose the operating symtem. This is what I usually do:
-Install Winxp -Install linux (if you dont have space to create a new partition for linux, you have to use partition magic to reduce the size of the WinXP partition and leave some space to create the partition for linux. You can create the partition during the linux setup. - During the linux setup, choose to install the boot manager (lilo or grub) in the boot sector of the partition where you are installing linux (not in the MBR). - When you finish the linux installation you wont be able to boot Linux so you have to boot with the linux cd and when you get the prompt create a file with the first sector of the partition where you installed linux (let's suppose that the partition is hda2, and the file containing the 1st sector is linboot.sec): dd if=/dev/hda2 of=linboot.sec count=1 you will need to copy this file to the partition (root directory) where you installed WinXP, so copy the file to a floppy (I think you wont be able to mount the WinXP partition to copy directly) -Restart, boot WinXP, copy linboot.sec to c:\ , Modify the file C:\boot.ini (you will need to change its attributes, it is usually hidden and read only). You have to add a line for linux, the file should be like this: QUOTE [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn C:\linboot.sec="Linux" Restart and you should see the menu to choose the operating system. If you choose linux, you will see then the linux boot manager (grub or lilo), just configure grub or lilo to boot linux directly without prompting... Ok, that's all... maybe too complicated (there should be an easier way.. probably using the linux boot manager to choose the OS) I believe this belongs in the tutorial section. Moved. GJ btw.
 This post has been edited by KuBi: Jul 18 2005, 01:09 AM |
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Jul 11 2005, 10:59 AM
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#2
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Neurotical Squirrel Group: [HOSTED] Posts: 590 Joined: 4-November 04 From: Novi Sad, Vojvodina Member No.: 2,127 |
Wow, that's pretty complicated
for begginers at least When I installed Linux on an XP machine, setup prompted me to install LILO boot loader, so, I just say OK It set's everything up, and I don't have to worry about boot sectors, and stuff But this is also very useful to know, in case LILO screws up or something... Great thing to know
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Jul 11 2005, 01:30 PM
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#3
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Super Member Group: Members Posts: 318 Joined: 5-January 05 Member No.: 3,136 |
If LILO screws up, you can always use the GRUB or GAG boot loader... Personally, I prefer LILO over the Windows boot menu because LILO can look very nice if you apply a good theme on it! I think that the newer versions of LILO can also support animated boot screens! (Although I haven't tried it yet, but they seem to look very nice on various screenshots)
Links: Animated LILO boot screens: http://www.gamers.org/~quinet/lilo/index-en.html GRUB: http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/ GAG: http://gag.sourceforge.net/ |
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Jul 11 2005, 05:06 PM
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#4
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Moderator Group: Members Posts: 2,325 Joined: 8-March 05 From: Mawson, Antarctica Member No.: 4,254 |
If you want to get a feel of Linux but still have a taste of Windows, you can go with Ubuntu: http://www.google.com/url?sa=U&start=1&q=h...B9oZ5X34563KOQw.
It sends out free CDs, and you can order as much as you like.
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Jul 12 2005, 02:48 AM
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#5
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Privileged Member Group: Members Posts: 570 Joined: 5-July 05 From: Ballarat Member No.: 9,042 |
 If you got Linux, why would you want Windows?Can you download LILO from anywhere, or can you only get it from the installtion CD? Does it have the option to password protect your HDD? OR/AND Does it have a feature that allows you to press a shortcut (ie. Ctrl+Shift), to access another operating system, with not having pressed the shortcut, still just boot to a default operating system? Lost yet? Is it hard to configure is themes, or is messy like goingt o a directory playing around with this code and etc.? Tuddy |
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Jul 12 2005, 12:37 PM
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#6
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Super Member Group: Members Posts: 318 Joined: 5-January 05 Member No.: 3,136 |
QUOTE(tuddy @ Jul 12 2005, 04:48 AM) If you got Linux, why would you want Windows?Because many major programs and games that people really need run on Windows and some cannot be emulated by using WINE... Unfortunately... QUOTE(tuddy @ Jul 12 2005, 04:48 AM) Can you download LILO from anywhere, or can you only get it from the installtion CD? You can download it from anywhere, but you must install it from Linux. The introduction: http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/workshops/linux_install/lilo.html The download page: http://www.icewalkers.com/Linux/Software/59430/lilo.html The documentation: http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LILO.html http://www.control-escape.com/linux/lilo-cfg.html QUOTE(tuddy @ Jul 12 2005, 04:48 AM) Does it have the option to password protect your HDD? I think so! But I am pretty sure that GAG has this option (it can password protect any operating system listed on the boot screen) QUOTE(tuddy @ Jul 12 2005, 04:48 AM) Does it have a feature that allows you to press a shortcut (ie. Ctrl+Shift), to access another operating system, with not having pressed the shortcut, still just boot to a default operating system? I don't know. Some third party boot loaders have this option, maybe LILO has it! In the lilo.conf configuration file, there is a line that says "prompt", if that line is removed, LILO boots the default operating system and doesn't display the boot screen. Maybe there is a shortcut key combination to stop it from booting if you want to access the boot screen. QUOTE(tuddy @ Jul 12 2005, 04:48 AM) Lost yet? Not yet! QUOTE(tuddy @ Jul 12 2005, 04:48 AM) Is it hard to configure is themes, or is messy like goingt o a directory playing around with this code and etc.? As far as I heard, if you have the right LILO version and a selected theme, all you have to do is type a few lines in the Linux terminal/console (whatever). |
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Jul 18 2005, 12:58 AM
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#7
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Privileged Member Group: Members Posts: 570 Joined: 5-July 05 From: Ballarat Member No.: 9,042 |
Thanks
That was a great help,
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Jul 18 2005, 02:07 AM
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#8
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 140 Joined: 16-April 05 Member No.: 5,745 |
Thanks guangdian for starting this topic, and thanks to everyone who has replied. I have to install Linux onto my Win XP computer soon because I'll be studying programming in Linux this semester at Uni. I wasn't sure how to do it...I had an idea, but wasn't sure if it was right...So, thanks everyone. Now I know for sure how to install Linux on my computer. YAY!
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