The Safest Way to Dual Boot Linux with Windows

 

The Safest Way

DUAL Booting Linux with Windows

Hey Guys This is oM, Today I would like to show you the Installation of Ubuntu 10.04 LTS version which is Debian based operating system and highly user friendly if you are starting to learn linux.

(Note: Procedure will Remain same for upcoming or Newer version of ubuntu like 12.04/14.04 as well.)

Normally the Basic Idea is when you go for installation of Linux, let it be any distribution Fedora, Redhat, CentOS, Ubuntu, Knoppix, Mint, Kali, BackTrack etc. the Most Risky part or if I may say the step that comes while installation is partitioning of an hard disk or making "/", "swap", /boot, /home, /root partitions in hard disk. 

While deleting partition in this step you might end-up with corrupting windows partition or may delete it and once you confirm this action of partitioning it become irreversible causing loss your precious data. (Even Partition rescue softwares do not have 100% probability to rescue your partition as well as data.)

Many of the Students (Linux Kiddies) have corrupted their hard disk, failed MBR or mistaken in Partitioning in linux installation step.

Now As A Solution on this I have analyse there is only one way we can do the whole process tension free.

Have you noticed the Installation ask for the minimum Three main option while installing the Linux (any Distribution) about partitioning : 

Most Critical Stage of Installation of Any Linux (RHEL6 in this case) About Partitioning

We can see here the options shown in above images are more than three, well that depends on the distribution that you are installing.

But main 3 Options are as follows: 

1. Use Entire Hard disk (Use All Space)

2. Use Free Space

3. Create Custom Layout

Of course you can, by simply looking at the option can say that second option ie.  Use free space would be the safest one.

Generally we go for create custom layout which can lead to quite dangerous consequences. Well if you want to learn about the partitioning then get a VMware and Try Disk-Part the partition editor and you can do their anything safely. But doing such trials on your own pc seems quite risky isn't it?

So Lets move to the Next step, We understood that using free space is safest option. Well, where one can get it or how one can make it?

Making the Free Space (for Linux) into the Hard disk:

The windows operating system allows only administrator to make changes to hardware component of course same is the case with every os but windows is windows right?

So go to Disk Management by typing diskmgmt.msc in run and hit enter.

Shrink any drive that you have at-least 30GB (Minimum-safe side) free space.
We consider we have only one accessible drive (worst case if I may say) shrink it by right clicking on c: as follows: (If you want Exact 30GB free space in new drive that will be created get a calculator multiply your desired amount of GB with 1024 add 7MB in it and type that number when asked for the size to shrink- in our case we want 30GB so 1024*30=30720 and adding 7MB for accuracy level gives 30727)

Shrink (Drive) Volume Having At-Least 30GB space - Disk Management

Once you enter your desired amount to shrink, go on pressing next next with steps opt for quick format and wait for new drive to get created and formatted.

Now the New Drive must have been created with some label as new drive letter which you have to basically delete.

Yes you read it correct. The Actual free space is treated as "Unallocated Space" (dark black) in windows otherwise /or treated as primary (shown as dark blue in color - in windows 7), simple/logical volume(light blue) or free space (light green).

So once you delete the newly created drive you will notice the space in black color labelled as unallocated space.

The Unallocated Space - Treated as Free Space for Linux Installation

Once you are done with this just insert your bootable linux CD/DVD or bootable USB Media where you have the installation image of the linux you want to try and Reboot your machine.

Of course you know the rest of the part ie. hitting F8/F6/Del/F12 key (depending on your pc configuration) while PC booting up and selecting boot device to install your linux further.

Now while installation the main step we discussed will have Use Free space option and you are done for installation safely.

Again of course you know the change in Main Step rest all things same as you know about linux installation.

There are many you-tube videos for installation of your distribution I recommend you to have look at them completely before trying with only change we discussed in this post.

Troubleshooting:

Take care while installing GRUB boot loader and making entry of your windows entry in it. If at all you get any error like bootmgr missing or not found (grub>) when you select windows in GRUB or GRUB fails while starting simply download this Super_GRUB_Rescue_disk.iso file and burn it on cd (find new version here).

Boot from this CD and select Rescue GRUB => MBR  &  !Linux >>>> Auto ;-)
it will do everything for you.

GRUB Rescue Disk - Auto Rescue MBR + Linux

Njoy Friends!




[For Educational Purpose only. Author is not responsible if you get your system corrupted or installation fails]