This tutorial could also be used for other Linux distributions as well.
Dual-Boot Type A: Microsoft Windows currently exists (exists prior to)
install Ubuntu.
Please follow these instructions exactly to reduce the risk of causing errors.
Step 1 - Get your computer ready for the dual boot
A. Before you get started, go ahead and download the following and burn each program onto it’s own CD:
-Linux System Rescue CD: www.sysresccd.org. You will need to first install the Windows version of “wget”, which can be found on the download section of this website.
B. Next you will need a program that can burn ISO files to CDs:
-Infra Recorder: www.infrarecorder.org/. Install this program and use it to burn the Linux System Rescue CD file to a CD. If you need help view this page: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto
C. It’s always a good idea to defragment your hard drive before creating any new partitions, so go ahead and do that after the two CDs are made. This may take a number of hours depending on how much stuff is on your computer, so let it run for a while and leave your computer alone.
D. Now you must set your BIOS to boot CDs on system start-up. This way it will load what’s on the CD and not Windows. These instructions are outlined on the Linux Live-CD page.
E. You need a copy of Ubuntu on CD. You can obtain a copy from a SWMLUG member, or download it from the Ubuntu website and burn the ISO.
F. Put in your Linux System Rescue CD and restart your computer.
Step 2 - Partition your hard drive
When the Linux System Rescue disc loads up you will see the title screen of the disc, hit enter to boot it up. You will see a lot of text scrolling through your screen as it loads, when it gets to the prompt that says “Load Keymap” just hit enter again to load the default map.
After it loads you will see a command line that says root@sysresccd: type instartx to load the graphic interface.
When it loads you will see a desktop-like interface with a line of icons on the right side. Double-click the 3rd icon down that looks like a hard disk to load Gparted.
My primary hard drive is 60 gigs, so I divided the partitions as follows:
Before you create new partions, you need to shrink your existing ones to allow space for new ones. Click your main Windows partition, then click the resize button at the top. It will pull up a window that will allow you to shrink the size down. Once that is done you can create the Linux and Swap partitions.
It doesn’t matter what you name the new partitions, I named the new ones ubuntu and linux-swap.
The Ubuntu Linux partition needs to be directly after the Windows partition and it needs to be set as a primary, not extended, with filesystem type Ex3.
The Swap partition needs to be extended since it’s not a bootable partition.
Once those are created, double-click the 4th icon down on the right side to get a command line prompt and type reboot and hit enter. When you computer is rebooting, remove the Linux System Rescue disc and boot into Windows to make sure everything is running as it was before. After Windows loads, put in your Ubuntu disc and reboot.
Step 3 - Install Ubuntu Linux
When the computer restarts and loads the Ubuntu install disc, you will see a title screen with a command prompt, just hit enter to start the default installation. Once is loads it will ask you preferences on different things like language, country, keyboard layout, etc. Most of this you can just stick with the defaults on. When you hit the hostname screen, enter in whatever you want or just hit enter to use the default name.
Next you will get to the partition screen. You will need to make sure that you primary Linux partition is set to Ex3, the mount point is /, and make sure it’s bootable. All the Swap partition needs to be set to is swap space. Once those are set, choose Finish partitioning and write to disk, hit enter, and choose yes on the confirmation screen.
Make sure your Ethernet cable is plugged into your computer so it can auto-detect many of your settings during the install process.
The Ubuntu installer will start running and will take a few minutes, so you may want to get up and get a drink or walk the dog or whatever you like to do while this is running.
After the installer is done, it will take you to a screen where you choose your administrator username (I just used my first name) and password. Hit enter, then the configuration will start running and it will ask you if you want to install GRUB loader to the master boot record. This is what will allow you to choose what operating system loads when you first start your computer, so select yes and continue.
Next it will tell you that the first part of the install is completed and will eject your Ubuntu disc and ask you to reboot, so hit continue to proceed.
Your computer will reboot, GRUB will load, and you will see a list of options to boot into. Select the first Ubuntu option and hit enter (ignore the other ones except for the Windows option for when you want to get into XP at a later time).
The install process will continue again and will take a little while to complete, so just let it run for a bit.
After it’s done it will take you to the login screen for Ubuntu, so enter your login name and password and you will be in your new install of Ubuntu Linux!
When you need to go back into Windows, just click System>Restart and choose Windows XP on the GRUB loader when you computer restarts.
Good luck and welcome to Ubuntu!
Parts of this document were extracted from The
Linux Newbie website at:
http://www.thelinuxnewbie.com/2007/09/29/dual-booting-xp-and-ubuntu-for-dummies/