Dual Boot of Linux distros with Windows 7
 

I am currently running Windows 7 pro on my desktop. I would like to install a linux distro to dual boot with windows. In the past I've run multiboot systems with different linux distros and Windows XP. I understand, however, that the file systems in Windows 7 and some linux distributions have changed. Partitioning, which was straight forward is now complicated by the newer file systems.
With Win XP and earlier versions I could use windows' boot loader to select the partition to load. Also, I tried simply installing a late version of Ubuntu over XP using the Ubuntu installation program. It worked great, using grub as the boot loader. I tried the same thing with a recent Fedora version with miserable results.
I'm concerned that if I try an install of Ubuntu over Windows 7, I'll be unable to access windows.
Any one with direct experience installing a recent linux distribution over Windows 7 ?
Hank

I have wins7 & debian on laptop but both were installed to new hdd, wins7 installed 1st. Was wins 7 the original install?
Or are there recovery partitions involved?

Post output of
or run as root

Windows 7 uses a slightly different version of ntfs and you should use the Windows 7 format to make it. Linux has a number of choices for decades. More today of course. Neither have anything to do with a dual boot for the most part.

Many but not all installer programs work well to install a grub 1 or grub 2 loader (or other loader) and at the same time it configures it to allow a choice for windows.

If you are unsure then why don't you consider using one of the many free great virtual machines? A virtual machine on a newish system runs near native speeds. Each week they seem to get better and better. Try virtualbox or vmware's vmplayer maybe to start. I use virtual machines all the time. They are the most safe and easy way to load two or more OS's and run them all at the same time.

Ubuntu Opensuse and some others can also use a neat trick. They made a windows application that can install linux to your computer. They tend to work pretty good. To uninstall you use the add and remove program feature in windows.