Dual Booting Windows XP and Linux

[Andrew Kaplan]

Hi there -- I want to dual boot a workstation with Windows XP and Fedora Core 3 installed. I have the BootMagic application available. What is the correct order to use when installing the above OS's and eventually be able to boot into either one? Thanks.

[xyko_1]

Hi Andrew,

I know nothing about BootMagic but you don't need it.

If you install windows first leaving space on the disk you may install fedora before and, going thru the installation process, use lilo or grub to manage the dualboot process.

If you google the net looking for +linux +windows +dualboot you will find some good documentation.

regards,
xyko

[Huc_1]

Yes the easy way is to install MS* first keeping some space on disk for linux then using lilo or grub to manage the boot at linux install time.

I prefer grub but lilo is fine.

As state before this is all you need

Jean-Pierre Huc

[Steven E. Protter]

I have done exactly that on a Laptop, without bootmagic.

The laptop shipped with Windows XP.

Soooooo.

You can boot with knoppix or another cd based distribution:

http://linuxresource.com/cgi-bin/bk2site/redirect.pl?url=http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html

Then reduce the Windows NTFS file system.

Then install Fedora Core and use grub for management.

You can also install Fedora Core and leave a large NTFS partition and then try and install Windows XP into the NTFS partition.

Advantage: Fedora will probably install with NTFS mount capability built into the kernel which is NOT the default. This lets you get windows files while booted in Linux.

Disadvantage: Some CD's like the Toshiba system restore CD don't give you the option of installing into a partition.

SEP
Contact form that mail's me offline:
http://www.isnamerica.com/contactsep.shtml

[Steven E. Protter]

This distribution is better than Knoppix for playing with the partitions.

http://www.sysresccd.org/

SEP

[Gopi Sekar]

If the workstation is already loaded with Windows XP then you have to create free partition for linux to load on. for that boot through System rescue CD (link what SEP has mentioned) create partition for linux then boot through Linux CD and installation should go through smoothly.

if the workstation is blank, then it is better to install Windows XP first leaving some free space for linux and install linux later on top of it. use grub bootloader to get dual boot menu at startup.


Regards,
Gopi

[Bejoy C Alias]

Install winxp as usual , leaving some free space for linux. Install linux onto this free space . During next reboot u will get the dual boot option to select windows or linux to boot.

[Sheldon Smith]

And keep your Windows XP Recovery Console CD handy. If you already have the Windows Recovery Console loaded, you need to keep it updated as you install the Windows Service Packs.

When and if you want to get rid of Linux, or change to a different distribution, boot into Windows Recovery Console and issue the FIXMBR command. The next time you boot, you will go _directly_ to WinXP. Delete the old Linux partitions and install the new distribution.

[Ross Minkov]

Andrew,

I would recommend this -- put 2 disks in your workstation (how many disks do you have now?), install Windows first on one of them, install linux next on the other disk. Let each OS use the whole disk assigned to it. Use GRUB (comes with Linux) for your boot loader. This setup has always worked for me.

Regards,
Ross

[Rick Garland]

Off track I know but have you looked into VMWare?

Allows you to run both Linux and Win OS simultaneously. Allows for Samba shares so you can transfer files back and forth. Shares printers, cd drives, floppy drives, etc.

You do not have to reboot to go into another partition. Just click on another window.