How to Install Linux as a second operating system

[Ben.jones]

Hello all,

I am currently using XP OS on an AMD Athlon 64 3000+ with 1 Gigs of RAM and 160 Gigs hard drive. Could anyone explain me how to install Linux as a second operating system?

Thanks!!

[carl]

These instructions assume that you are doing a clean install, on a single Hard Disk Drive (HDD), of both Linux and Windows; or that Windows is already installed on the boot partition and you are installing Linux as the second operating system. In all cases Windows must be installed first.

1. Use fdisk to partition your drive properly.

NOTE: If you already have Windows installed use QTParted from the Knoppix Live CD to reduce the size of your Windows partition. Leave at least 10 GB of drive space for Linux.

2. Install Windows 2000/XP on the first partition.

NOTE: Skip this step if Windows is already installed.

3. Start your Linux Installation and install the /root directory into the second partition. Install GRUB/LILO into the first sector of your boot partition (usually /boot) and NOT in the MBR.

4. Reboot into Windows 2000/XP.

5. Download & install Bootpart.

NOTE: Install Boot part to C:\BootPart

6. Run Bootpart by doing the following:

Start -> Run
CMD
OK

Command Terminal will open, at the command prompt type the following command, pressing enter after each command.

cd \bootpart
bootpart

When you run it, you get a report similar to the one below:

Physical number of disk 0: ffff6a32
0 : C:* type=42 , size=22659651 KB, Lba Pos=63
1 : C: type=42 , size=17358232 KB, Lba Pos=45319365
Physical number of Disk 1 : ca1dca1d
2 : D: type=83 <Linux native>, size=6184993 KB, Lba Pos=63
3 : D: type=82 <Linux swap>, size=522112 KB, LBA Pos=12370050
4 : D: type=83 <Linux Native>, Size=1542240 KB, LBA Pos=13414275

7. Since GRUB/LILO was installed in the first Linux partition, the command for modifying BOOT.INI in this example is: C:\BootPart\bootpart 2 bootlinx.bin Mepis Linux

NOTE: Substitute you Linux Distribution name for Mepis in the above command, i.e. Debian, RedHat, Fedora, Gentoo, CentOS, Mandriva, Ubuntu, Slackware, Suse, etc.

Your boot.ini should be similar to this one:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOW S

[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Micro soft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect
C:\BootPart\bootlinx.bin="Mepis Linux"

[Sean]

I was just thinking if i had to delete the partition of Linux OS if that was installed first. I also remember using Microsoft virtual PC. Can someone let me know the advantages and disadvantages of it?

[Rodricks]

You can give a try to VMWare. They are longer on the market (IIRC) and their workstation product is visibly faster,and it also works on Linux