Hi,

I'm a new Linux fan and I want to install Ubuntu on my Win XP desktop PC in dual boot. I have no idea on how to do it. Does Ubuntu's install program prompts you with the option to install Ubuntu
in dual boot? Your help will be greatly appreciated.

There are a couple of ways you could do it. Ubuntu's install will likely detect Windows and add it to the bootloader's configuration file. When you boot the machine, you will be presented with a menu to choose Ubuntu or Windows.

Another other option is to skip installing Ubuntu's bootloader. Then create a floppy disc with GRUB (the bootloader) and use this to boot Linux.

Dual Booting is really pretty easy, as described above. I'd recommend installing the Dual Bootloader on the hard drive, as its just easier(to me it is anyways)... Ubuntu will probably do all this for you w/o much hassle at all.

I'm not really sure the direction your question is going. If you are asking 1." HOW" to dual boot, Ubuntu pretty much does it all for you with very little effort from you. It will ask you where to install Grub, and that will pretty much be the extent of it.

2. How to install Linux and Windows on 1 hard drive? Well, you come up with a partitioning tool while installing Ubuntu, and it will partition your Main Windows drive to your specifications, and install Ubuntu in the partition you set up. PERSONALLY, I think its much easier to get a hard drive on clearance(I've picked up 80gig hard drives, more than enough for Ubuntu for around 60 bucks on clearance). Then while doing the install, and it comes to the partition tool, simply choose the option to "Format and take over an entire drive", and choose the secondary drive. Ubuntu will then Format the entire drive, and set up a 1.5gig swap partition. When GRUB gets installed on the Master Boot record of the main drive, you'll have a Windows option, and an Ubuntu option. The Ubuntu option will point to the secondary drive, and when you choose it, it boots.

Personally, I would stick with either Ubuntu/Kubuntu/Xubuntu 6.06 Dapper(depending on the graphical interface you prefer). Ubuntu Edgy just came out, and I've read some folks having issues with it, others say its great. All I can say, is I'm very happy with Dapper. As for "Which version" of Ubuntu to download(i386, i686, PPC, etc..). Generally, the i386 will work on any Pentium/AMD based computer. If you have a very powerful PC, you can choose the 64bit version, but sometimes 32bit apps don't work well under 64bit OS, and some apps aren't available in 64bit. So personally, I'd stick with the 32bit version. I really like Dapper, but thats my opinion...

Some helpufl links
http://www.ubuntu.com/products/GetUb...irect=download - Download Ubuntu
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Dapper - Ubuntu 6.06 FAQ- A great resource.
http://getautomatix.com (which seems to be down right now), is a great program for installing media codecs, and various programs with little fuss under Ubuntu..

IGF

Read this and do what it says here. It has everything you need to know about dual/multi-booting machines.

http://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20040614

Thank you very much for your help.



[QUOTE=Arow]There are a couple of ways you could do it. Ubuntu's install will likely detect Windows and add it to the bootloader's configuration file. When you boot the machine, you will be presented with a menu to choose Ubuntu or Windows.

Another other option is to skip installing Ubuntu's bootloader. Then create a floppy disc with GRUB (the bootloader) and use this to boot Linux.

[QUOTE=Cavernicola]Thank you very much for your help.



Only reason I don't like booting Grub from a Floppy disk, is because Floppy Disk and/or Drive failure rates(for me anyways) have been much higher than hard drive failures. Since you're dual booting, it wouldn't be that big of a deal, as the PC will just continue on and boot Windows when it doesn't detect a floppy. If you absolutely need something under Linux, and your disk or drive is fried, well, there's no real way to get there, w/o finding, downloading and manually configuring Grub, and putting it on the MBR.

Just my opinion...

IGF

I would also not use a boot floppy unless absolutely necessary. The GRUB manual also provides instructions for creating a CD-ROM.

If you haven't installed it yet you could download the
latest Edgy ISO and run it as a live CD. All you have
to do is burn the ISO to CD and boot from it. It will
come up and run without installing anything to your hard drive.

If you like what you see then just click on the Install
Ubuntu Icon on your desktop. It will walk you thru the
installation asking you questions mainly in regards to
where and how much disk space to use. If you choose to
manually select the size of the partitions it includes a
pretty nifty utility that allows you to resize partitions
(including the XP partition). If you choose the manual
route just make sure you create two partitions, 1 for swap
and 1 for root.

I can't remember if there is an option to select which boot loader
to use but it uses Grub by default. Ubuntu doesn't come
with a GUI interface to configure Grub, but you can download
GrubEd and install it after your installation is done.