Anyone dual-booting Vista and Linux?

RIV@NVX · Dec 4, 2008, 02:10 PM

I read around the net that you need special tricks to make Linux and Vista dual boot because of Vista's bootloader. Is that true?
Is anyone dual-booting that? Any issues?
I was thinking Fedora or Ubuntu with Vista, but if there are any complications (compared to XP/Linux dual boot) I will just go the Wubi way.

**temeteus82** · Dec 4, 2008, 02:24 PM

Grub and lilo newest versions should work just fine.

RIV@NVX · Dec 4, 2008, 05:14 PM

What about Vista's bootloader? Doesn't Vista complain if GRUB overwrites it or something?

Samir · Dec 4, 2008, 05:16 PM

Will work fine if you install Vista first. Any newer distro should recognize & setup Vista "chainloader" boot from NTFS partition without problem.
Just make sure you dont reinstall Vista after Linux installation, as it will wipe Linux (GRUB, Lilo, etc...) boot loader...

blibbax · Dec 4, 2008, 09:59 PM

I dualbooted xubuntu and vista for a while, but I find it easier to install vista with only the vista hard drive in, install linux with only the linux hard drive in, and then stick them both in and use the mobo to choose what I want. That way there's no hassle if I want to remove / change / add to the setup.

g35x · Dec 7, 2008, 02:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIV@NVX

I read around the net that you need special tricks to make Linux and Vista dual boot because of Vista's bootloader. Is that true?
Is anyone dual-booting that? Any issues?
I was thinking Fedora or Ubuntu with Vista, but if there are any complications (compared to XP/Linux dual boot) I will just go the Wubi way.

There are ways to get it to work, I believe using GRUB works fine as long as you tell it which drive your Windows is installed on.

But usually what I do is install Linux (and the Linux boot loader) to a separate hard drive from my Windows, and when I want to boot Linux, I just hit F12 at the bios screen and boot from that drive as opposed to the default which is my windows drive.

Edit: blibbax beat me to it.

swimtech · Dec 10, 2008, 03:38 AM

I loaded Ubuntu to a separate partition on the same drive after Vista64 was already loaded, and used the Ubuntu loader, then edited the Ubuntu loader file to set Vista to boot first. It was easy - no problems - Googled that bit. If you haven't got it sorted already, I can point you I think...

Got bored with Ubuntu, and wanted to wipe that partition and put XP Pro 32 bit on instead - and revert to using the Vista64 loader to dual boot those two. That procedure was much more "fun"

, and time consuming...

Dec 4, 2008, 02:10 PM	#1
RIV@NVX Freedom is a feature. Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Croatia, Rijeka Posts: 4,476 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Anyone dual-booting Vista and Linux? I read around the net that you need special tricks to make Linux and Vista dual boot because of Vista's bootloader. Is that true? Is anyone dual-booting that? Any issues? I was thinking Fedora or Ubuntu with Vista, but if there are any complications (compared to XP/Linux dual boot) I will just go the Wubi way. __________________ -- Vedran

Dec 4, 2008, 05:14 PM	Thread Starter #3
RIV@NVX Freedom is a feature. Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Croatia, Rijeka Posts: 4,476 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Re: Anyone dual-booting Vista and Linux? What about Vista's bootloader? Doesn't Vista complain if GRUB overwrites it or something? __________________ -- Vedran

Dec 4, 2008, 05:16 PM	#4
Samir kX Lover Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 520 Rep Power: 0	Re: Anyone dual-booting Vista and Linux? Will work fine if you install Vista first. Any newer distro should recognize & setup Vista "chainloader" boot from NTFS partition without problem. Just make sure you dont reinstall Vista after Linux installation, as it will wipe Linux (GRUB, Lilo, etc...) boot loader... __________________ MU3NKA 3A HAPO6!

Dec 4, 2008, 09:59 PM	#5
blibbax What does this do? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 4,231 Rep Power: 254 System Specs	Re: Anyone dual-booting Vista and Linux? I dualbooted xubuntu and vista for a while, but I find it easier to install vista with only the vista hard drive in, install linux with only the linux hard drive in, and then stick them both in and use the mobo to choose what I want. That way there's no hassle if I want to remove / change / add to the setup. __________________ Donate the spare computing power of your PC to help to cure Alzheimer's, ALS, Huntington's, Parkinson's disease and cancer: Fold for HH!

Dec 10, 2008, 03:38 AM	#7
swimtech HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,040 Rep Power: 124 System Specs	Re: Anyone dual-booting Vista and Linux? I loaded Ubuntu to a separate partition on the same drive after Vista64 was already loaded, and used the Ubuntu loader, then edited the Ubuntu loader file to set Vista to boot first. It was easy - no problems - Googled that bit. If you haven't got it sorted already, I can point you I think... Got bored with Ubuntu, and wanted to wipe that partition and put XP Pro 32 bit on instead - and revert to using the Vista64 loader to dual boot those two. That procedure was much more "fun" , and time consuming... __________________ It's not so much getting your way that matters or not - what matters is how you go about getting it.