Ubuntu

Dual boot option

Asked by Don F Strohm

Maybe a stupid question but...If I load ubutu from the cd received by mail will it automatically create a dual boot menu and will my WinME installation remain as it was and useable?

I would like to load unbutu and try it in real time (demo runs too slow) but I need to feel confident that I can return to Windows if not satisfied.

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Jim Hutchinson
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Best Jim Hutchinson (jphutch) said : 		#1

Not a stupid question at all. There are a lot of people who ask this after they have deleted windows.

To answer your question, yes you can set up a dual boot. If you have version 7.04 (feisty fawn) on step 4 of the install it asks about partitioning. The first option (with the slider bar) will resize the hard drive and set up a dual boot. You should defrag windows first or it will take a while for the resize operation.

One the install is finished and you reboot you should see the text based boot loader. If you have a standard single drive windows install then it will probably set up the menu correctly. If it doesn't it's usually just a bit of editing on a text file. Come back and we can fix it if that happens.

Even though I've never seen the Ubuntu install mess up windows, it is always a possibility. And of course human error can come into play. Therefore, be sure to back up your important data before beginning the install.

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Don F Strohm (don-dstrohm) said : 		#2

Thanks Jim Hutchinson, that solved my question.

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Don F Strohm (don-dstrohm) said : 		#3

Thank you. Until I try to load and establish the dual boot option I won't know but this did answer my original question.