# Dual boot of Windows XP and Linux



## tech-it-^ (Aug 18, 2006)

Ok... I just received an evaluation kit of SUSE Linux Enterprise 10. I have windows XP on this laptop here and I want to make it dual boot the desktop version of this Linux. Thing is though... I don't even know where to start and my boss wants me to get his laptop dual bootable after I do mine!! Ahhh! A lot is riding on this so if someone could help me that would be great. Detail is the key with me ). As I am a noob. I never done this before and remember this is Suse Linux 10 evaluation and I have to use this same cd for my boss's. I would like to partition my HD as Windows XP 50 gig and then linux 30 gig. I need some serious help. So please if i could get a tutorial on this it would be great. Detail is the key lol. I worked with linux but never installed it and espically on dual boot. So if someone could give me a step by step procedure that would be great. I dont have the Windows XP disc (if thats an issue). I wont be able to read this until Sunday (3 days) so i would love to see a step by step process on here so i can do it and then do my bosses when i come into work (credit will be appointed to you I promise). PLEASE, I hate to ask these questions of you guys but I need this... Sorry once again, (I can hear you guys laughing at me( Thank you sooooooo much!!!!!


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## w00t (Jun 30, 2004)

w00tb0ts quick and easy guide to dual booting.


First pop in the XP cd.

Then when it prompts you to setup the partitions, you create a 50gb windows partition, (leave the rest alone).

Then install windows.

Boot windows and finish setup

Shutdown windows, pop in the first Suse disk and reboot.

When Suse asks you to setup partions create your primary partition and and your swap partion in the free space (Swap is like windows pagefile, I recomened one and a half time the amount of ram you have, so if you have a gig of ram make a 1.5gb swap file.)
[Leave the windows partion alone during this step]

Install Suse in the Linux partition you made.

At the end of the instalation you will be prompted with a few configuration windows dealing with root (like admin) passwords, users, time, and network settings. Fill these all out.

One of these windows will be a boot loader windows. This is where the magic happens.

It will ask you to install the boot loader (most likely grub) in the mbr, do this after you have chosen wich OS you would like to boot primarily, and other boot options.

Make shure that windows XP is recognized by the boot loader
[All these options can be changed in the grub.conf or lilo.conf file later] if you use another boot loader then it most likely will tell you where that file will be located on this boot option screen.

Finish the linux install.

Remove all disks and reboot

Wait where is my Linux!!!

Just be patient there is more to do.

When windows boots, right click on the taskbar and select properties.

Select view administrative tools.

Goto administrative tools

select computer management.

select disk mangement.

Select the Linux partition, then right click on it, and select mark this partion as the boot partition.

Reboot and your linux boot loader should appear and ask you which OS to boot. If you are here then you are done.

If not post here and I can help you trouble shoot.


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## tech-it-^ (Aug 18, 2006)

well, I do not have the windows XP disc... My laptop came with it already installed and I didn't ask for the disc. Do i need it? Uh... What should I do?


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## tech-it-^ (Aug 18, 2006)

is there another way? Anyone? Thank you soooooo much w00t, it is in pretty good detail. Though, how do i get this without using windows xp disc and I'd hate to lose the info thats on hear already. I have strictly the Evaluation Kit of Suse Linux Enterprise 10. I'm not using the Server disc but the DESKTOP DVD disc. Sorry to bother. Thank you!


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## tech-it-^ (Aug 18, 2006)

?????


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## kodi (Jun 30, 2004)

You could use a third party partition software to partition your disk without deleting XP then install Linux as per Woot's instructions


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## tech-it-^ (Aug 18, 2006)

Great Idea!! Though w00t was very detailed in his explanation, I'm pretty sure I would need a step by step on how to do that as well. I'm sorry to be such a problem but I would hate to ruin this laptop. Thank you very much for the information. I hope that maybe someone may be so kinda as to helping me out here. Thank you!


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## tech-it-^ (Aug 18, 2006)

Maybe I could go in and use partition magic and partition the windows xp, then put in the Suse 10 and run that off some the remainding free space. I believe it works with NTFS...Could I do somthing like that? If I can, can somone give me a good detailed tutorial on it. I'm not to sure on what ext1, ext2, or ext3 mean? The more help the better. Thank you all for your patience with me!


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## w00t (Jun 30, 2004)

sorry tech it, I was off for the weekend

If you can get a second partition on the drive other than the windows partition then post back and I can walk you through the install.

I really have no clue how to re partion without losing data so a little help would be appreciated from some of the other guys.

Sorry I have never needed to do that before, I alaways keep the disks and 
I like to start anew, Because, Windows is only good for the first 30 minutes.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: 

If you can find the disk then that would be great if not look for some partion software that will allow you to make a partition without delting windows.


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## tech-it-^ (Aug 18, 2006)

Well, I downloaded PartitionMagic. I want to partition my C and make it have about 40 gigs for XP and set up the rest on a FAT32 for the linux...though I don't know how. I also don't know what "swap" is or the ext2????? (and so on). If someone worked with partition magic that would be great. I already have BootMagic and PartitionMagic on here. I just need to know how to work it. So much detailed help would be GREATLY appreciated. THANK YOU!


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## tech-it-^ (Aug 18, 2006)

DANG IT!!! Now I can't get BootMagic off my comp. I tried uninstalling the B838AD63-FD0C-482C-B124-7116748BAC45 keys and it didn't work, it actuall just took off all of my icons... and removed my user directory. I got it back though. anyway, can someone please tell me how to use this. My BootMagic is on My D: Partition, how would I get it off there?????????


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## K-B (Oct 24, 2005)

hi tech, what else is on your D: partition? anything? if not, you can just format the partition, that will remove everything on that partition. I think it was rather unnecessary to get partition magic and all, at least if that version has the same capabilities as the free Suse version, which I imagine it would, Suse has it's own partitioner built into the installer. It would have been quite easy to set up a 50gig Linux partition (providing you have that amount of free space) during the installation. So if you can format the D: partition, post, and I'll guide you through it.

btw, BootMagic has no uninstaller?


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## E7ernal (Aug 31, 2006)

When I det up my pc to duel boot with Ubuntu I booted with Ubuntu disc in and I partitioned it with that, would that apply here too?


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## tech-it-^ (Aug 18, 2006)

alright, sorry that I haven't responded in a while but the thing is... my COMP tanked! I put Suse 10 on here and yes, it did partition it itself and stuff but it kept locking up... I have no idea why?????? I am going to try again but this is what happened. My comp was acting up so I launched the PC recovery partition that was already on my computer. I wanted to start fresh fresh with windows. Anyway after that it went all downhill. I had MBR error...what!?!?! Now I seen somthing that said go to recovery console (don't know where that is at) and type in the command "fixmbr" Though I didnt know this at the time. Anyway, I then tried to install Suse 10 and it worked fine, partitioned and everything...BUT, it kept locking up. It would freeze all of the time... i don't get it.... man, I need serious help (really). 

Oh, Kbalona. That would be great if you could guide me through partitioning my HD to have 50 gigs on my windows instead of me chooseing the default partition that Suse gives me. Anway, does anybody have a solution to this and if you do, please...slow (like me). Thank you guys.


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## nosaj83 (Sep 8, 2006)

This will guid you step by step on installing Suse linux 10, i that this will help

http://www.novell.com/
documentation/suse10/.


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## tech-it-^ (Aug 18, 2006)

thanks man, I'll check it out


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## nosaj83 (Sep 8, 2006)

Or if this is no help put the linux cd -dvd in,and open the file under Docu then en, Start-up file this will give a bit more help + there are web links on the page as well.
Good luck


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## tech-it-^ (Aug 18, 2006)

well, i think I may buy linux and put it on here a little later. For now i have VMware Player and I'm messing with the Suse Linux. Thing is though... Whats the real difference between Linux and windows? Besides stuff being free and the security being better because its so thourghly tested by so many people (freeware). I heard its better for programmers and is more of a multi-user OS and Windows is more of a end user OS. Could someone help me out here. Oh, and if you know of anything different I can do on linux that would be great. I'm in college right now studying to become a Computer Engineer and I really need some more background info on this OS. Thank you, and sorry to bother once again.


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## Viabobed (Dec 31, 2004)

Theres a lot of great programs with the synaptic. Im not sure if its offered in SUSE. Plenty of those programs have things that only Industry Proffesionals would use. Mathematical and Electronical Programs. Im also going to study Computer Engineering so, im going to be trying all of those programs sooner or later.


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## Bartender (Jun 10, 2005)

Did you run the SUSE CD "Live"? You know, where you don't install anything to the hard drive, just run the OS from the CD and see if everything appears to work.
I'm experimenting with our Windows PC running an ASUS P5GDC-V motherboard. A known-good Dapper CD had all kinds of trouble detecting hardware in the Live mode. Finally the Live desktop came up after about an hour of weird errors. Went into the Device Manager and it couldn't identify the hard drive. No way was I gonna risk dual-booting it. 
Last night I made a PCLinuxOS CD. It had no problems with hardware detection. The LiveCD desktop came up in about 5 minutes. I poked around and PCLinuxOS identified the hard drive and its properties, unlike Dapper. 
If one distro is giving you grief, try a coupla others. Trying a few other flavors is easier than banging your head against the wall with just one that's not cooperating. If they're all uncooperative, then at least that gives you some idea of what to try next.


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## Ninjachacha (May 10, 2008)

Hi,

I just got a new T61 as a gift with Linux Suse 10 but I am still in learning phase for Linux.

Does anyone have step by step instructions on how to install Windows XP on a T61 with Suse 10? I would love to keeep both the OS but am too new to Linux to understand how to do so. Please advice.

Thanks in advance.


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