Dualboot windows and Linux *my first tut*

Ok This is the revision to my “How to dualboot windows and Linux” thread
keep in mind that what ever specs i may use in this tutorial is what i recommend as the minimum..... you can change any spec that you want in order to fit your needs



SUPPLIES YOU WILL NEED
bootloader- this will allow you to boot 2 or more different operating systems
for this we will use Gag. More info as we continue
hard drive- you may use any hard drive you want ....hell use 2 or 3....but for demonstration purposes we will use a 20gig hdd
operating systems- popular ones include windows XP and Slackware Linux
you may use any windows or Linux distro you desire...once again demonstration purposes only
1 free afternoon- self explanitory ....no need to RTFM here


EXPLANITONS OF THE TERMS YOU WILL SEE
ext2- native linux filesystem compatible with all Unix apps
ext3- newer Linux filesystem with journaling easier to recover data with
ntfs- windows 2000 and up native filesystem
fat32- windows 95 through ME native filesystem
Gag- bootloader that loads into the MasterBootRecord on your primary master hdd
http://gag.sourceforge.net/
this will allow you to boot 9 different operating systems on one computer! Why
you would want to have that many is beyond me but it is handy ...you can hide
different drives by using the hide drive option so windows will think that it is in
control of its own computer by itself..... ignorance is bliss....


LETS GET STARTED
Ok let us begin
Installing Linux
Let us start with installing slackware 10 and use its very helpful utilities to create our partitions that we will be using. When you boot to the slackware cd follow the on screen instructions, you will come to a part where it asks you to setup you partitions on your hard drive(s) so lets do that now
with slackware i recommend cfdisk over fdisk because it is a little easier to use.
I am going to recommend 4 partitions for now.
Partition 1 (hda1) = ntfs. This will be for windows to work on.
Partition 2 (hda2) = fat32. This will be for transferring files between both operating
systems with ease. you only will need 1 or 2 gigs for this
Partition 3 (hda3) = ext2 or ext3. This will be your root drive for Linux
Partition 4 (hda4) = swap. This will be used for Linux as ram ...similiar to virtual ram
in windows. It is not required but is recommend by all to have
this twice the size as your ram i.e. 512 megs of ram 1024 megs of
swap space

ok now that you have your partitions setup you need to switch them to the correct types in cfdisk. Using the up and down arrows select each partition and switch them to their correct types
hda1= ntfs ...as long as it is ntfs it will work...you can even leave it as a raw partitions
hda2=fat32...you may also leave as raw
hda3=ext2 is the only option in cfdisk so just work with that ...you can change it later
in the installation
hda4=swap... simple enough just look for “swap” or “Linux swap” and type in the #


ok now select your Linux partition as bootable and write to your tables
once this is done you may exit cfdisk and start setup by typing “setup”

This is also self explanatory. When it asks you what do you want as a target partition it should automatically choose hda3 but if not make sure you do
it will recognize your hda4 as swap as well

now pick what you want to install... id say just go with the full install and get all that you can out of slackware because it is worth it
after install is done it will ask you what window manager to use ...pick one that you like but for newbs id recommend KDE or GNOME for both are windows like and are easy to use in the beginning.. KDE is best over all with it comes to configuring programs and hardware. But GNOME is can be as easy to use

after all this you will come to a part asking about LILO a.k.a LinuxLOader
pay attention here people
you may use the simple method to let it take care of itself but experts can customize it a little with none other then expert mode.
It will eventually ask you where you will like to install LILO...
MBR
root drive
floppy

make sure you choose root drive to install or gag will not work
[note]
if you mess up and put it on your MBR not all is lost but it will take a little work on getting is setup right again
[/note]

then you should configure your network if it hasn't done so already
and that is it for the Linux installing

Installing windows
Ok now after you reboot you drop in your windows system disc and install windows
when it comes to partitioning in the crude looking dos menu make sure you select the first partition or windows will get pissy on you
it will then install as usual and install itself to the MBR ..no need to worry tho this is ok

Installing Gag Bootloader
Were almost done folks
Take Gag which you should have downloaded and installed to a floppy and throw it into the floppy drive, take out all bootable cds and reboot your computer.
You will get to the Gag install menu
listing options 1-5
choose 4
this is just a RTFM statement ... press any key
if you have a standard keyboard choose 1 [don't ask me what these mean cause i honestly have no idea ...all i know is that 1 works with all standard keyboards]
choose your language.. F for English
now you should be at a menu with a “boot disk press 1” and “press s for settings”
now we need to add our operating sysytems ...press A for add systems
make sure you have your first hard drive selected by pressing 1
then press A ....this should select your windows operations systems
type a description up to 15 characters ....for demonstration i will use Winblows
now it will ask you if you wish to password protect your operating system ....press enter for none or type in one and press enter
now you get to choose what icon you want to represent that operating system....

their ya go for your windows OS
now lets add Linux

you should now be back at the settings menu
choose A again
then choose C
type a description
password
pick a pic
and their ya go

[if it ever asks you to switch drive letters choose no ...this would make partition 9 or something look like C: to windows ...being as windows is partition 1 it SHOULD be C:]

now save to hard disk ... if no error messages then your all setting

reboot your computer and pick an operating system


If you have any questions leave a post, I/m me on AIM or MSN hexadecimal00110 [msn just add @hotmail.com] or email me at [email protected] [most used email account]




THIS IS MY REVISED ONE I DELETED THE FIRST CRAPPY ONE :D

maybe you could actually walk through the installation of gag as it is a program you recommended that I (for example) would not normally use. Rather than just telling what to do, if you explain *how* it is done it will make for a more detailed and better tutorial .. but its a good first go... :)

(break it down more and explain how to install gag and how to use fdisk etc etc) :)

yea i was planning on doing that in my revision...i kinda new that as a first tut i would need alot of inprovement so im already working on a longer revised one

thank you for your input :D

Not bad for a first tut, hope your second one goes more in detail or how to use 3rd party software to create partitions, something like Partition magic Pro, it's easy and user friendly. I know when i installed redhat, i got stuck on the partitons screen, because i wasn't too familiar with ext2 ext3 or /usr/bin or whatever that meant. Would be nice if you can explain what ext2 ext3 are etc....

Not bad for a first one, and yeah, work on the spelling and format for the second one, people rather read a tut that looks good, has bold Titles and Italic subtitles. And a nice formatting with bullets etc....

As wav said, you could elaborate a little more. You can explain the purpose of a journaling file system, the differences between the ext's.

You mentioned Slackware 10, but you are only using the generic old ext file systems. Why not discuss, suggest, or talk about the ReiserFS? Reiser is newer then ext2 or 3 and so far in my opinion, it looks great.

You should also go into a little bit more depth for the entire process. Don't generalize parts of the process such as installing a boot loader or installing linux, pick one and run with it. It's okay if it's not everyone's choice, just be specific with what you chose. You choose gag as your bootloader which is fine, but explain the installation of it in a step-by-step manner as well as a specifc distrobution of linux.

Whichever flavor you chose, explain it in a way that anyone can understand it. If you write the tutorial simple enough so that someone new to boot loaders and linux can follow your paper and get everything done, then you will be able to expand the target audience of your work. As it is now, you were very vague and short about several parts, which will prevent those who lack experience in the process from following your tutorial. If the readers who are new to boot loaders and linux cannot use your tutorial, then who do you expect is going to read it and learn something from it. Always remember your target audience.


Also, do not provide false information. You do not need any specifc size hard drive to install and use multiple operating systems, but you specified that you need a 20GB drive. I have installed multiple operating systems on computers before, and I have never needed a hard drive that big. (Even Windows XP can be slimmed down to ~ 1GB) You also specified that you need a CD-Rom drive. I have several times installed operating systems from floppy or even from a 'network boot' using no local disk drives at all.

Windows, as expensive as it can be, does offer several trial options. Any of them could be readily implemented instead of purchasing a full version.

Yeah, reading this confused my prior knowledge (or possible lack thereof) concerning this particular topic. Definitely go deeper into the subject, try to go further into detail when explaining, and follow the already provided suggestion's. You should be fine, this wasn't half bad for your first tutorial. My tutorial's blow chunk's anyway so take my critisizim (sp.?) as you will. :D

yea i know about the hdd....i ment to say 20gig RECOMENDED but must have for got...error on my part....but yea i know you can slim down the operating systems.....but i figured that most ppl today usualy have 20's or bigger....this will also give you some room on your OS for game, programs, music, etc.....you coudlnt do a whole lot if you made 5 partitions out of a 10-12gig hdd......
ok with this being said im gonna go download open office and get to work on a spellchecked, formatted, detailed tut
thanks all for your help....the revision will be out in a few hours

I have 3 major problems with this "tutorial".

1. Spelling. If you are going to write a tutorial, at LEAST correct all spelling errors before you post. This is a MUST for a tutorial.

2. Grammar. Is it really that hard to properly capitalize and punctuate? I could care less about the down and dirties of it, but I require 7th grade grammar in a tutorial.

3. Content. As others have said, you have to elaborate more. Go into as much detail as possible.

I seriously think you should edit and redo this one, or rewrite it and repost it. Whatever you do, on your next tutorial, please consider some of the things I pointed out. Read over your tutorial 5 or 6 times before you post.

thanks for the negs the grunt :P

here is a link to my revision all
spell checked
orginized
indepth

http://www.antionline.com/showthread...hreadid=261153

I merged your new tutorial with the old one. It may have been better if you'd have edited the old tutorial in stead of posting a new one: FAQ.

Edit: I hope you have a copy of the new one somewhere. I merged the threads, and after that you edited the newly inserted one to say something else... I think?

oo my bad thats what happened
thought i messed something up

il move it back

some ideas for your tut:

a) on a multi boot system, i use to put all bootable partitions first and all shared ones AFTER all bootables ones. It will save you from problems about "hiding" previous partitions. When any O.S. boots, multi software will hide all previous partitions ---- so "shared" partitions will allways appear.
b) Explain better the circunventions when installing O.S. to avoid ovewriting multi-boot software. Some guys will get lost on your explanation and f... the system

anyway congrats. it will be a good tut after you do some "polish" recommended by other guys here.

the way i wrote the tut was to have the linux install slightly different but not very and the windows install normal....then you install the multiboot software after all is said and done that way windows or linux doesnt over write it

im not good at teaching others at all....but im working on it....and the sad thing is that i can never write tuts cause everything i learn comes from tuts here......im working on it tho

p.s. props to negative....i had barly hit the ok button on submit new thread and it was already moved to this one....fasted mouse in the west

I just noticed something... You should have the swap be hda3 so that it will be closer to the center of the drive. This will make swap faster. Also, if it were me, I would mention that if you want a Win partition of over 10 GB, you should have approx a 7 GB NTFS as the first partition, then at the very end after everything else, make a storage partition. This will make Linux function a good bit faster.

yea true grunt.....but honestly how much faster is it going to make it?....yea you gonna notice a few ms maby few secs of seek time but unless your doing something that constantly rlies on the hdd then it wouldnt matter much
fyi to all who reads this tut i dont remember if i said but you can put these partations where ever you want....even spread them out amonst 2-3 hdds...its all up to you but id leave windows as the first partition...you have to screw with more options and if you have it on a second hdd you have to unplug the first one inorder to install!....well thats what happened to me and i did use the hide prartitions and change drive letter options in gag

if you know what your doing go ahead and do someting better but for newbs i would screw around with stuff too much.....just incase ;)

thanks though for telling me this grunt :) id forgot to mention that

Actually... If you have like a 120 gig, and you make that first parition a good 90 GBs for windows, you can gain a good 3 or 4 seconds read time if you make that smaller and put your *nix swap and / partitions closer to the center.

yea i know that....but i think you will be fine....most ppl dont have 120 gigs.....more like 20's 40's 80's maby....cause most of us are cheep......and if you dont have it in the middle or near the center of the drive its not gonna make or break your computer.....if it was required then most linux fdisk utils would put swap first...all the ones that i have used put them last
and besides you dont use swap all that much....i was on my redhat machine running gkrellm and i saw the swap file move i think once in a week.....but im a home user...i bet a small networked server or even a big one would make better use of the swap file....
all matter of opnion

It also depends very much on the amount of ram you have. If you have 128MB of ram and are running KDE/Gnome, a decent sized swap file will help a good bit.