Ok i am officially sick of Windows, so my plan is to install Ubuntu (picked up DVD today) on my second HDD so i can dualboot with my current XP install. So in which order do i do things? already have windows on master drive, my Slave drive for linux has a Windows data partition that i can clear off if needed. Need GRUB to work and everything as well. But where do i start? EDIT: Have partition magic ready to create partitions, what format is needed?
If your distribution disc comes already with GRUB boot loader you should be pretty much set. might i recomment that you have the planned linux hard drive completely empty so that you dont have to worry about partitioining and have it automatically done in the installation to the CORRECT hard drive (dont forget that linux uses hda,hdb,cda,sda etc..) so it can be more confusing that windows. during the installation (im speaking blind here cause i only know certain about fedora) but when asked if you want to configure GRUB, make sure you select which OS you want to boot normally, so like when you turn on your computer it will auto boot linux sort thing (you are given 3 seconds to interrupt the auto-decision) you dont really need partition magic for anything as far as i can tell. BUT REMEMBER, ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR ENTIRE HARD DRIVE IN CASE SOMETHING MESSES UP, DURING THIS SORT OF THING THERE IS ALWAYS ROOM FOR ERROR ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE RELATIVELY NEW TO THE EXPERIENCE. <-- ALL CAPS USED FOR OTHERS BENEFIT however you of course already knew that. i hope i have helped you.
I just did i full format and used Ubuntu auto settings for partitions and stuff, but i removed my XP drive and put the linux one as Master. I has fully installed and runs great but im having problems getting Windows to run with it being master, and when Windows is Master i cant get Ubuntu to load. Just found a GRUB boot editor type thing to add Windows to GRUB so i will be trying that soon. Then all is needed is to figure out where the hell my dialup modem is located in its infinite amount of device port things.
Yea i would but im stuck with dialup currently and not about to download huge ISO's, but i have tried a few live cds DSL Mandriva etc. But as i have the DVD version of this i will use what i have, it should be enough to start getting me into Linux then i will move up to something more advanced.
you are in the same situation that i am, however i was lucky enouggh to have a friend with fedora core. i think your best alternative is to blow 15 bucks on a linux magazine that has a good distro as cover disc.
in addition to the other posts, i recommend Mandriva 2006 (32bit and 64bit); as for Mandriva 2007 i only partially recommend 2007 (32bit). i have it running fine on one machine, but on another machine (thats run 2006 perfectly for ages) 2007 has started hanging on boot. i'l put 2006 back on there very soon. As for 2007 64bit it's a touch flaky so far (on laptop that has run 2006 64bit flawlessly for a long time, have put 2006 back on here, it's as rock solid as it ever was..). Maybe i just need to wsit for newer updates, however like other distros you can keep using old versions as long as you like. I've used a few other distros but i always end up sticking with Mandriva.
Yeah it did come with a Linux magazine, thats why i got it. The disc does also have a copy of Mandriva 1 live CD which i will be installing as well. But my problem is still getting both Linux and XP to be able to boot without having to switch HDD's.
ya, im tired of winblows as well, im getting susi from a friend to try, so... should i in stall this on my existing HD or should i get another HD to put it on?
all that's needed (provided you have space on your primary hard disk) or a.n.other hard disk, is to have sufficient space for Linux to use. then when you've done the partitioning (via the Linux installation), & installed everything, Linux will prompt you to setup the bootloader. (i personally use LILO for example), but basically you'll have a little menu that appears on boot, where you pick Windows/Linux etc to boot from. The same principle applies if Linux is installed on a second hard disk (ie Windows is on the primary hard disk), the bootloader simply gives you a choice of where to boot from..
How would i add a new bootloader? when i installed linux i had my XP drive removed so it didnt detect and add it to anything, and now it wont.
thanks creaky, this is what i found for my self and Andrew691 and others looking http://www.geocities.com/epark/linux/grub-w2k-HOWTO.html
cool, there's always people out there who can explain things far better, i sometimes just touch on things and/or give pointers as opposed to regurgitate things, plus i usually forget the finer details. (and in this case i don't recall ever using Grub, i only remember using Lilo)
