important basic question on Toshiba notebook, Vista and Linux
 

Hi,

I want to install Mandriva One 2008.1 Linux on a Toshiba Satellite L40-18Y notebook.
Windows Vista are already installed.
So far I know that if I install GRUB or LILO on the MBR,
the Windows starting program will be deleted.
If so, I will have to restore the "Windows starter", with the Windows CD
(that's how it worked with Windows XP).

But the notebook was shipped with some sort of Vista Restore CD (or DVD),
that claims that it will delete all data and restore the whole Windows installation,
and not just the starting program.
I assume it won't affect the Linux partition.

Does this CD does what it claims,
or is the warning exaggerating,just to be on the safe side?
And even if I restore the whole windows installation,
will I end up with a proper dual boot starting program
(GRUB or LILO),
or will it be deleted as well?
Has anyone tested this?

Grub will be overwritten by a reinstall. Getting Vista to dual boot with GNU/Linux is possible, but not as easy as it was with XP.

Why not just download VirtualBox for winblows and install Mandriva One in that?

However if you would still like to try to dual boot Vista and GNU/Linux here is a visual guide: http://apcmag.com/the_definitive_dua...stepbystep.htm.

It seems more complicated. You'll have to login to Windows and then to Linux, I assume.
I would prefer a "clean" install.

I checked it us you suggested. Some say, that if you install Linux,
and restart your computer afterwards, you can log in to Vista through Grub, normally.
But others say that Grub deletes the Vista "starting program",
and you have to restore the Windows MBR, with the Vista DVD
(which I don't have).

Could these different reports be related to the type of the disk?
ATA vs SATA?



And thanks for the reply...

Grub replaces the DOS/NT Master boot record with itself. This does not impair the ability to access windows, GRUB will allow you to boot into your windows partition without the need for the DOS/NT boot record (NTLDR, boot.ini(or the vista replacement for them), and such still exist and are usable on the Windows Partition.

I hope I'll give it a try the following days...:scratch:

Thanks

I'm dual booting Vista & Mepis using GRUB. What I did was:
Resize (shrink) the Vista partition in disk management in Vista.

Boot up Mepis LIVE CD and used Gparted to create my root, home and swap partitions as required. These are extended partitions as there were already 3 partitions on the PC out of the box.

Installed Mepis on the 3 partitions I'd just created. GRUB installed to MBR as per default during the installation.

GRUB may disturb your `RESTORE' partition. But CD will still work
 

A search online will get you the links for the VISTA boot repair utilities (NOW a FREE download from M$! The restore partition allows image of your drive to be reinstalled w/o using the DVD. The DVD may allow you to restore what Toshiba installed, and allow your data {IF in 2nd partition to remain/to be OK. But would be preferred to have an install DVD so you can control the 1st 8 GB of your drive. IMHO using the Toshiba/Vista restore DVD WILL not like your GNU/Linux parts!
You will see two lines for vista/LongHorn, 1st GRUB entry is the restore partition which has now been modified, 2nd entry is your normal OS booting. If you get a BSOD, do not despair, just perform another start-up, the M$ `Start-Up Repair' feature should fix any problems, OR you can use the Restore Point' option to regain Vista OS booting OK!
Personally I would try Kubuntu on a LT, would avoid Mandriva (just never worked for me!)