Do you dual boot with any other OS?

[Ian]

I often dabble with other operating systems, either Windows Server editions (to test things for the webserver) or Linux (out of curiosity). Normally, I just use them inside a virtual machine - but the performance can be limited when testing anything with graphics acceleration.

Is anyone here dual-booting with another OS? I'm tempted to get Ubuntu running alongside Windows 10 .

 

[davehc]

I have done it, Ian, with different Linux editions. Things may have improved, but, in the past, when I wanted to return to having only my original Windows, I had immense boot problems. In the end I decided to always make a (Windows) image before starting experiments, and then replacing the whole thing. There are several "Live" Linux releases now, which offer to install alongside Windows with a dual boot. .Ssame result, in my experience, however.
I think Wolfie can give you better advice based on his experience.

 

[Tim Locke]

I have done this with W7 and Ubuntu back in the days of PCs with BIOS not UEFI

Loaded Ubuntu first onto partitions on a D: drive. Then Windows onto C:
Then edited the Windows BootBCD or whatever it was called to have Ubuntu as a 2nd OS.

IIRC ( which I probably dont) You can do it the other way around but still Ubuntu on a D: drive and edit Grub.

I think either way one has to pick the string including the GUID of the disk out of the bootloader and put in the other one and then do either the Windows or the Linux /fix MBR.

But is has been 10 years since I did this.

 

[Tim Locke]

All us old codgers have done this I see with varying results!

 

[Ian]

Thanks for the replies folks . I've not done dual boot on a UEFI system either (at least not that I remember). I'm tempted to just boot Ubuntu from a swappable drive, just to avoid any problems.

 

[davehc]

You can put it on a USB? Lose a bit of speed.

 

[Ian]

You can put it on a USB? Lose a bit of speed.

I did consider that, but I want to try it at full speed - otherwise I may as well keep it within a VM. I'll give it a shot this weekend and see how it pans out .

 

[Regedit32]

These days the only thing I dual boot are roudy kids

 

[davehc]

lol. But rememberAs you grow old)

 

[bassfisher6522]

Thanks for the replies folks . I've not done dual boot on a UEFI system either (at least not that I remember). I'm tempted to just boot Ubuntu from a swappable drive, just to avoid any problems.

That's the best way to do it. Just to familiarize yourself with the OS. Then if you like it, then go ahead and set up your dual boot.

Personally, I don't like dual booting because the GRUB overwrites the MBR (GPT) and that causes a lot issues trying to set up Windows back as the lone OS.

What I like doing is referred to as "multi-booting"....where you install the 2nd OS on a separate drive. The key to this is to unplug the primary OS drive from the mobo. When the 2nd OS is installed and up and running, power down and reconnect primary drive and boot back up. Then at post beep, start tapping the F12 key to get into the boot menu and select what drive (with OS on it) that you want to boot from. This way there's no chance of GRUB/MBR/GPT issues.

 

[davehc]

I wonder. If you install the Linux OS, regardless, in another partition, and then, if you have one, replace the Windows image, with the MBR, and setup a dual boot from Windows , either manually or with the help of something like easybcd.

 

[bassfisher6522]

I wonder. If you install the Linux OS, regardless, in another partition, and then, if you have one, replace the Windows image, with the MBR, and setup a dual boot from Windows , either manually or with the help of something like easybcd.

That goes along with what Tim Locke said in post #3. For me that's the long way to go about it....I prefer simple and easy. So multi boot for me.....I just slap a drive in my onboard docking station and do the F12 at post beep and pick my drive to boot from.

What would be really cool is to be able to switch on the fly between a dual boot or multi boot setup. Maybe some day!

 

[Tim Locke]

easyBCD yes I just could not remember that name when I posted and sat '/fix mBR'


FWIW I have a Raspberry Pi III with its own monitor and k/b to do the Linux thing nowadays.

 

[Comp Cmndo]

...Personally, I don't like dual booting because the GRUB overwrites the MBR (GPT) and that causes a lot issues trying to set up Windows back as the lone OS...

My experience is the same.
The Windows boot manager is only compatible with other Windows distros.

 

[Grizzly]

I have on almost every PC I have a dual boot system with Windows 7 and Windows 10. If things won't work in Win10 I restart and boot into Win7. has always worked for me so far as Win7 works on all my PC's without a problem (just wish Win7 had a cumulative update as well)....

 

[davehc]

I think that is an entirely different matter, Grizzly. The essence of the thread is getting two totally different boot systems on the same computer.

 

[BigFeet]

I've dual booted various distros of Linux with various versions of Windows. Never really had issues, but I know some that have. This PC has issues even running 64 bit Linux due to motherboard incompatibility. 32 bit runs fine, but only the USB3 ports work and the ethernet adapter doesn't with 64 bit Linux. It's a known issue with this board, not the UEFI bios.

I'd still recommend running them in a virtual machine.

 

[bassfisher6522]

I'd still recommend running them in a virtual machine.

Have you done that? I have and let me tell you....if you don't have a beefy system to begin with, it will be a bad experience for end user. Then the setup of the virtual drive is a job in itself and not for the novice.No one tells you that you have to split your hardware with the VM to make this work. Once all that is done...it's fun and just OK as the split hardware makes for a laggy experience. It's just so much easier just to run the live DVD or USB drive. Just my opinion.

 

[Ian]

What I like doing is referred to as "multi-booting"....where you install the 2nd OS on a separate drive. The key to this is to unplug the primary OS drive from the mobo. When the 2nd OS is installed and up and running, power down and reconnect primary drive and boot back up. Then at post beep, start tapping the F12 key to get into the boot menu and select what drive (with OS on it) that you want to boot from. This way there's no chance of GRUB/MBR/GPT issues.

I think this is the route I may take - I'll give it a shot this weekend .

I'd still recommend running them in a virtual machine.

Although I'll still run most of my other OSes in a VM, I want to try running Linux in an environment where it can take advantage of my hardware fully (primarily GPU). It will be nice to try Linux for a few days to see how it stacks up .

 

[davehc]

Since my last post, I have tried my method.
Quote "That goes along with what Tim Locke said in post #3. For me that's the long way to go about it....I prefer simple and easy."
Well, I already have an up to date image - no time wasted there.Ditto a second partition. Biggest proble was the usual.
I am not compatible with Linux - lol.
Used it for 10 minutes and the whole thing seized.
I had to switch off and on again to get back in.I could not see anything simpler or more effective than Windows 10. Seized up again
So I inserted my USB with the image on, rebooted, and within ten minutes back in Windows 10 as the only useable OS.