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Set up dual booting
barbeler
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As I have no intention of ever upgrading from Windows 7 to Windows 10, I thought it might be a good idea to future proof myself by installing Linux alongside it to start experimenting with.
At the moment, my 1 terrabyte hard disk has two partitions: the C: drive is 736 gigabytes and contains the Windows files; the
drive is 195 gigabytes and contains just music, photos and videos.
Would it be sensible to create another partition on the drive in which to install Linux and if so how big? I always thought that Linux was just Linux, but sad to say, I now find is has various daft names to rival those of phone software releases. Is there really any difference between them?
At the moment, my 1 terrabyte hard disk has two partitions: the C: drive is 736 gigabytes and contains the Windows files; the
drive is 195 gigabytes and contains just music, photos and videos.Would it be sensible to create another partition on the drive in which to install Linux and if so how big? I always thought that Linux was just Linux, but sad to say, I now find is has various daft names to rival those of phone software releases. Is there really any difference between them?
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And you wonder why MS want to standardise on one OS. There are more versions of linux than lying politicians!
Yes...
Linux has its problems as much as windows/osx etc so don't expect it all to be pointy clicky.
However, it can be tricky to setup and MS will break a dual-boot when it feels like it in some routine update.
Making a Linux Live USB runs almost as well as a full install and allows experimentation with different flavours of Linux.
As a first attempt, I'd recommend Ubuntu Desktop since it has common apps on the screen from boot. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+to+make+ubuntu+desktop+live+usb&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
Making the Live USB 'Persistent' is recommended.
1. Look at these tutorials
https://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/2191
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2Y3l23jKRM
You basically have to choose the Something Else menu option and choose the amount of hard disk space that you want to give to Linux Mint, e.g. 50GB, 100GB, etc.
2. Find out whether your PC/laptop is 32 bit or 64 bit:
Next, download the correct version of Linux Mint Cinnamon (you will find that it is quite Windows-like) for your PC based on the above and burn an installation DVD with Imgburn.
If your equipment is really old (it originally had XP or Vista on it) then you might be better off with the 17.3 version rather than the latest 18 version.
https://www.linuxmint.com/download_all.php
3. Back up all your important data and do a disc image (with free Macrium reflect or similar) in case things go pear-shaped.
4. Install Linux Mint alongside Windows 7 as per instructions. Note that with Linux Mint, it has its own safe app store, the Software Center, where you download free software from.
I have followed the dicussions about Windows 10 and can't see a single benefit that it offers over Windows 7, which I'm completely happy with. My current Medion PC has 3 gigabytes of memory and although I did consider upgrading it to 4Gb, I think it probably isn't worth mucking around with at this stage.
I've noticed that huge numbers of people consider Linux to be a superior operating system and if it's free, the choice seems a no-brainer. The only thing that worries me is that it might take a fair bit of time to get used to it, hence the wish to install it to run alongside Windows at present.
The next PC I buy will probably be one that is sold without an operating system, so I want to see if I will feel happy using Linux as the sole operating system. I suppose I could always put Win 7 on that too, as I was supplied with both 32-bit and 64-bit installation disks.
Is it not the case that all 32-bit Windows systems only recognise 3GB of memory regardless of whether there is more installed? Only by upgrading to the full 64-bit equivalent is there any point in having in excess of 3GB.
Not quite. They can recognise 4GB of RAM in total (wherever it exists throughout the system). If you have a graphics card with its own memory, that amount counts toward the 4GB limit. If you have integrated graphics that shares RAM with the main system, it won't mean your computer loses any of the main motherboard's 4GB. The same applies to any other components that contain RAM that needs to be accessed by the operating system.
So if you have a fancy graphics card with 1GB onboard RAM, the OS will only see 3GB of RAM on the motherboard. the 4GB limit is only about the RAM the OS can address rather than where it's located or how it's distributed.
Of course it might be like XP where it takes another 5 years before it becomes a real pain.
I had to uninstall it because I could not get Wi-Fi to work (apparently a common problem) nor could I get any of the updates to download including the one to rectify the Wi-Fi problem.
The previous version Linux Mint Cinnamon 17.3 is pretty good and appears to be bug free.
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewforum.php?f=52
https://forums.linuxmint.com/index.php?sid=50c1c0e17940caba511138ff854b72a6
Alternatively, I could just put the 64 bit version of Win 7 onto a new computer and run all the updates. I'd be amazed if it wasn't still working perfectly in ten years' time.
I wont go on and on about why I dislike MS Windows and I admit I have no idea if all that I dislike has been fixed in the 10 version, but I doubt it.
I agree that Mint 18 isn't best yet for a first taste of Linux. It hasn't been out long and neither has Ubuntu 16.04 (the release date is the version number) on which it's based, so a lot of the few remaining issues are probably 'upstream'. Mint 17.3 is an almost perfect 'new user' version, but based on Ubuntu 14.04 which is heading towards "Luddite".
A good friend finally gave in to my proselytising and is so impressed that he's even said he enjoys installing it, and has flipped between 17.3 and 18 just for the fun of doing it compared to the previous Windows 7/10 experience. I know what he means. I've installed both OSs probably hundreds of times over the years and I know which I'd choose every time.
All the good advice has been given above and even a mention of one really big main difference, which is that; you must only use the programs and etc. from the official repositories through the Software Manager (and other tools). Forget the previous way of looking for applications on the Internet - downloading and paying, or risking all the unwanted extras you might get with a freebie.
There are exceptions, of course, but initially you're less likely to create problems if you stick to that. There are loads of really good apps available and most are of truly professional quality. There are even dedicated flavours of Linux for particular interests to look forward to. I recently installed (as a third boot option) a distro set up particularly for media work, which comes with a low latency kernel all set up ready for use...
If you have any older Windows apps which don't work well on 7 or 10, it's well worth trying them on Linux with the incredibly amazing Wine. It's a compatibility layer which I find runs a couple of old Windows favourites which don't (I couldn't get them working right) work on Windows 7.
As I kept saying to my friend (before his conversion) "You'll like it."
I was referring to the never wanting to upgrade from Windows 7.
Oh, and it's probably me, but I have never got Wine to work. Also it seems to consist of several different components, which I find confusing. But I digress - this isn't the Linux thread.
I also admit to sticking with 7 on my other ssd. It works and I'm hoping that I can reclaim the space it's using when my favourite game can use Vulkan, before it doesn't. Anything to avoid the pain of doing anything that serious to my Win7.
There are things which use Linux Wine (PlayOnLinux Crossover), but other than that I can't recall it being in more than one part. It's pretty slick these days. May be time to give it another go if it has been a while...
Again, sorry for the confusion
All you would need to do to include the old Windows install as a boot option is 'sudo update-grub'. Sure it's a command line, but it really isn't hard.
Thing is - you get full (barring 'secure' OS) read/write access to all of the 1TB ntfs file system from your new Linux, so you can make a folder called LM17 or whatever and put all your new stuff there. Try doing that the other way round. I do recall getting access to a Linux ext file system from Windows once, but it wasn't easy...
The other advantage being that you can remove the Linux drive at any time and the Windows installation will work just as it did when it was the only drive in the system.
All you would need to do to include the old Windows install as a boot option is 'sudo update-grub'. Sure it's a command line, but it really isn't hard.
Thing is - you get full (barring 'secure' OS) read/write access to all of the 1TB ntfs file system from your new Linux, so you can make a folder called LM17 or whatever and put all your new stuff there. Try doing that the other way round. I do recall getting access to a Linux ext file system from Windows once, but it wasn't easy...
The other advantage being that you can remove the Linux drive at any time and the Windows installation will work just as it did when it was the only drive in the system.
Yeah, have you tried looking at the partitions? Probably just that Win can't use whatever Linux partition has been built, therefore only that tiny 49Mb partition is visible...