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Dual boot windows/linux

  1. #1
    Narc Naturally Camouflaged [connect my yokel-like scolytidae]
    Just setting up a new(ish) laptop i bought which came with windows 7 ultimate installed. I always planned on installing linux on it but I got thinking that maybe it would be worth having both as windows can still be handy for certain things, obvs software that isn't linux compatible etc.

    Partitions and dual boots is something I've never bothered with before and the only thing I know about setting up partitions is that they can be complicated and is easy to fuck up, which is why I've never really bothered with them. I understand the mint install has this LVM(logical volume management) option that can make the process a bit easier.

    So I'm just wondering if there's any advice y'all can give me about doing this?

    My machine has 150GBs with 112GBs free. on the mint install guide it recommends having 100GBs free for mint but that sounds excessive tbh. Anyway, any advice would be appreciated before i do this.

    inb4 delete system32, lol


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  2. #2
    Incognito2u African Astronaut
    https://www.dummies.com/computers/operating-systems/windows-7/how-to-create-a-virtual-machine-in-windows-7-using-windows-virtual-pc/

    Read this it might be what you're looking for
  3. #3
    Narc Naturally Camouflaged [connect my yokel-like scolytidae]
    Originally posted by Incognito2u https://www.dummies.com/computers/operating-systems/windows-7/how-to-create-a-virtual-machine-in-windows-7-using-windows-virtual-pc/

    Read this it might be what you're looking for

    i shouldn't need that, from what i understand the linux mint install takes care of that when you install using the LVM.


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  4. #4
    Narc Naturally Camouflaged [connect my yokel-like scolytidae]
    I think my main concern is do I have enough HD space to run a dual boot system.


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  5. #5
    Incognito2u African Astronaut
    It was just a thought because it's a simple way to get it done.
  6. #6
    Narc Naturally Camouflaged [connect my yokel-like scolytidae]
    I do keep all my files on flash drives these days so the hard drive is only needed for the operating systems and software. the last laptop i had was less than half that at 65GBs and was more than enough running mint on that. So I don't really see that I need 100GBs reserved on this one just for mint. and even if I did that still leaves me 50 gigs just for windows.


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  7. #7
    Narc Naturally Camouflaged [connect my yokel-like scolytidae]
    Originally posted by Incognito2u It was just a thought because it's a simple way to get it done.

    yeah thanks anyway but I'm gonna do it with the mint installer. like I said space is a big concern. plus if there is anything that can go wrong or anything I need to take into consideration before I start. the linux mint install guide doesn't seem very detailed tbh.

    https://linuxmint-installation-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/install.html

    https://linuxmint-installation-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/multiboot.html


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  8. #8
    Incognito2u African Astronaut
    I'd see if you can find minimum system requirements and see what it says, it could be a lot less than the recommended requirements
  9. #9
    Narc Naturally Camouflaged [connect my yokel-like scolytidae]
    it says this

    Linux Mint requires one partition to be mounted on the root / directory.

    The Linux Mint operating system (without additional software or personal data) takes roughly 15GB, so give this partition a decent size (100GB or more).

    100GBs seems a lot for an OS that is only 15GBs. I have a feeling I won't really need that much. especially considering what I said about all my files being stored on flash drives and not on the hard drive.


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  10. #10
    Bueno motherfucker
  11. #11
    Bueno motherfucker
  12. #12
    Narc Naturally Camouflaged [connect my yokel-like scolytidae]
    Originally posted by Bueno Also, the downpart of dual booting is that you cant really do a full disk encryption (As for as I know).





    Seems like you got a few things mixed up, what does VMs have to do with the LVM?
    It seems like VMs might be a good solution for you.

    A VM has nothing to do with it really. The mint install allows me to easily install mint next to windows creating the partition in the process. I'd barely have to do much more than tick the right box before install. So going the other route of creating the VM and partition and then installing mint after that just seems like complicating a very easy process. what's the point of that?


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  13. #13
    Bueno motherfucker
  14. #14
    Narc Naturally Camouflaged [connect my yokel-like scolytidae]
    yeah i think i'll go with the partition, i wouldn't use windows much anyway, just there are some programs that i noticed you don't always find a linux version of.

    speaking of which, i was wondering how it works concerning ccleaner and bleachbit. i'm guessing obvs ccleaner would clean up on the windows partition and BB on the linux side. but how would it work in either when overwriting free space? would either both overwrite the free space on the entire drive or just on their prospective partitions?


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  15. #15
    just dual shoot up meth and heroin and say fuck this computer nerd bullshit
    The following users say it would be alright if the author of this post didn't die in a fire!
  16. #16
    aldra JIDF Controlled Opposition
    yeah I use bunsenlabs and typically give the root filesystem 40GB
  17. #17
    Narc Naturally Camouflaged [connect my yokel-like scolytidae]
    i've decided to give 80 gigs to mint and that still leaves windows with 70. i think that'll be enough.


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  18. #18
    aldra JIDF Controlled Opposition
    that doesn't give you any space for a /home partition though

    you'll need to store most of your larger data on a portable harddrive or something
  19. #19
    Narc Naturally Camouflaged [connect my yokel-like scolytidae]
    Originally posted by aldra that doesn't give you any space for a /home partition though

    you'll need to store most of your larger data on a portable harddrive or something

    what you mean?

    i store all my files on flash drives now a days. the only things stored on the hard drive are the OS and programs.


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  20. #20
    Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Dark Matter [my scoffingly uncritical tinning]
    Originally posted by aldra that doesn't give you any space for a /home partition though

    you'll need to store most of your larger data on a portable harddrive or something

    I don't think Narc has lots of anime and porn he needs to have on his laptop. Most people don't download much at all.
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