How To Install Winxp And Linux To The Same Compute a double boot

[guangdian 0]

when I install a double boot linux/winxp, I always want to keep the Windows boot menu to choose the operating symtem. This is what I usually do:

-Install Winxp
-Install linux (if you dont have space to create a new partition for linux, you have to use partition magic to reduce the size of the WinXP partition and leave some space to create the partition for linux. You can create the partition during the linux setup.
- During the linux setup, choose to install the boot manager (lilo or grub) in the boot sector of the partition where you are installing linux (not in the MBR).
- When you finish the linux installation you wont be able to boot Linux so you have to boot with the linux cd and when you get the prompt create a file with the first sector of the partition where you installed linux
(let's suppose that the partition is hda2, and the file containing the 1st sector is linboot.sec):

dd if=/dev/hda2 of=linboot.sec count=1

you will need to copy this file to the partition (root directory) where you installed WinXP, so copy the file to a floppy (I think you wont be able to mount the WinXP partition to copy directly)
-Restart, boot WinXP, copy linboot.sec to c:\ , Modify the file C:\boot.ini (you will need to change its attributes, it is usually hidden and read only). You have to add a line for linux, the file should be like this:

[boot loader]timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
C:\linboot.sec="Linux"

Restart and you should see the menu to choose the operating system. If you choose linux, you will see then the linux boot manager (grub or lilo), just configure grub or lilo to boot linux directly without prompting...

Ok, that's all... maybe too complicated (there should be an easier way.. probably using the linux boot manager to choose the OS)

Notice from KuBi:

I believe this belongs in the tutorial section. Moved. GJ btw.

Edited July 18, 2005 by KuBi (see edit history)

[Galahad 0]

Wow, that's pretty complicated for begginers at least :DWhen I installed Linux on an XP machine, setup prompted me to install LILO boot loader, so, I just say OK :DIt set's everything up, and I don't have to worry about boot sectors, and stuff :PBut this is also very useful to know, in case LILO screws up or something... Great thing to know

[bureX 0]

If LILO screws up, you can always use the GRUB or GAG boot loader... Personally, I prefer LILO over the Windows boot menu because LILO can look very nice if you apply a good theme on it! I think that the newer versions of LILO can also support animated boot screens! (Although I haven't tried it yet, but they seem to look very nice on various screenshots)

Links:
Animated LILO boot screens: http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

GRUB: http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/

GAG: http://gag.sourceforge.net/

[snlildude87 0]

If you want to get a feel of Linux but still have a taste of Windows, you can go with Ubuntu: https://www.google.com/url?sa=U&start=1&q=hB9oZ5X34563KOQw.

It sends out free CDs, and you can order as much as you like.

[tuddy 0]

If you got Linux, why would you want Windows?Can you download LILO from anywhere, or can you only get it from the installtion CD?Does it have the option to password protect your HDD?OR/ANDDoes it have a feature that allows you to press a shortcut (ie. Ctrl+Shift), to access another operating system, with not having pressed the shortcut, still just boot to a default operating system?Lost yet?Is it hard to configure is themes, or is messy like goingt o a directory playing around with this code and etc.?Tuddy

[bureX 0]

  If you got Linux, why would you want Windows?

Because many major programs and games that people really need run on Windows and some cannot be emulated by using WINE... Unfortunately...

Can you download LILO from anywhere, or can you only get it from the installtion CD?

You can download it from anywhere, but you must install it from Linux.
The introduction: http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

The download page: https://www.icewalkers.com/Linux/Software/59430/lilo.html

The documentation:
http://tldp.org/HOWTO/LILO.html
http://www.control-escape.com/linux/lilo-cfg.html

Does it have the option to password protect your HDD?

I think so! But I am pretty sure that GAG has this option (it can password protect any operating system listed on the boot screen)

Does it have a feature that allows you to press a shortcut (ie. Ctrl+Shift), to access another operating system, with not having pressed the shortcut, still just boot to a default operating system?

I don't know. Some third party boot loaders have this option, maybe LILO has it! In the lilo.conf configuration file, there is a line that says "prompt", if that line is removed, LILO boots the default operating system and doesn't display the boot screen. Maybe there is a shortcut key combination to stop it from booting if you want to access the boot screen.

Lost yet?

Not yet!

Is it hard to configure is themes, or is messy like goingt o a directory playing around with this code and etc.?

As far as I heard, if you have the right LILO version and a selected theme, all you have to do is type a few lines in the Linux terminal/console (whatever).

[tuddy 0]

ThanksThat was a great help,

[FuChelle 0]

Thanks guangdian for starting this topic, and thanks to everyone who has replied. I have to install Linux onto my Win XP computer soon because I'll be studying programming in Linux this semester at Uni. I wasn't sure how to do it...I had an idea, but wasn't sure if it was right...So, thanks everyone. Now I know for sure how to install Linux on my computer. YAY!

[rvovk 0]

First you should install Windows XP. Then you should start installing Linux, when prompted to install LILO boot loader, just say yes. You will have double boot with LILO for Linux so everything is fine.

[areawe 0]

I have 3 operating systems on one of my machines. I had to have Linux and Windows Server 2003 for two classes that I had at the same time. I started with Windows XP, installed Red Hat Linux, then Windows Server 2003. Fun fun fun! I decided to use a boot disk to boot into Linux and use Windows XP's boot.ini whenever I want to switch from the default OS to Windows Server 2003. The important thing when multibooting is to plan what partitions you'll need ahead of time. Partition Magic is a life saver - it wil allow you to keep your existing OS and still be able to partition. Also, it automatically calculates based upon which OS's you want to install how many and what kind of partitions you need.

[Florisjuh 0]

If you just want to use the linux features on your PC with windows you can also consider Cygwin, Cygwin is an easy expandable console which can handle most (if not all) of the linux functions Cygwin has a huge list of additional packages you can install like Perl and Python...http://www.cygwin.com/

[Dragonfly 0]

Thanks for the tutorial but why do I need to install linux at this point when I actually can do virtually everthing using Linux, (this is in response to the one who said 'why one need windows when linux is already installed). Linux has not been a common man's operating system, its awed (I use this) interface doesn't look impressive at all. Besides like some members have said, I have to agree that some games and software programs do not work in Linux as well.

[engalex 0]

good good