Jan 05 2009
Dual boot the easy way
Windows can stay on your computer, when you install Ubuntu! It’s handy to turn your computer into a dual boot machine. That way you can choose each time you turn on your computer, what operating system you want to boot: Ubuntu or Windows.
It’s easy to do this:
1. Backup all your documents, pictures, music et cetera, on an external storage medium.
2. Make Windows defragment itself, with it’s own defrag tool.
3. Unplug all peripherals from your computer, except for mouse, keyboard and printer.
4. Wire your computer: temporarily establish internet connection with an ethernet cable, wired internet therefore. If you have a laptop, connect the power cord as well: you definitely don’t want to run the risk of an empty battery during the installation of an operating system.
5. Boot your computer from the Ubuntu Desktop CD and choose “Check CD for defects”, thus performing an integrity check on the CD. The CD has to be completely error free. If it’s not, burn a new CD with very low speed (8 x).
6. Then choose “Install Ubuntu” in the boot menu of the Ubuntu Desktop CD. The installer will start by asking you a couple of questions. Only after you have answered all of those, installation will begin.
7. One of the last questions will be a disk partitioning proposal. The installer will namely propose to free some space on the hard disk. Thus leaving somewhat less space for Windows and allowing Ubuntu to be put on the cleared space.
In principle, you can simply agree with this proposal of the installer. However, the installer tends to underestimate the disk space (the surplus empty “breathing space”) needed by Windows. So you may want to increase the disk space for Windows, by moving the slider. Note: give Ubuntu preferably no less than 10 GB.
In other words: the installer assumes automatically (by default) that you don’t want to wipe Windows and that you want a dual boot computer. Ubuntu is user friendly!
8. Now the installation of Ubuntu takes place and in the end you have a dual boot computer.
9. The first time you start Windows in the dual boot configuration, Windows will discover that it’s disk space has shrunk. Windows has to adjust itself to that.
During the first Windows boot you’ll see therefore a blue screen with white letters, informing you that Windows is checking the hard disk and “repairing” it. Simply let it do it’s job. Afterwards Windows will want to reboot. Go along with it. Then Windows is used to it’s new disk space and will function normally.
10. That’s it! You’re done.
