Dual boot - Vista 64 (Ultimate) and Ubuntu

[Jest3r]

So when it comes to Linux I am a complete noob, and eager to learn more about it. I am wanting to dual boot Vista 64 and Ubuntu, but I think I have heard somewhere that this can be very difficult, and possible data loss can occur. Are there any pointers for doing this? Is it relatively easy?

Thanks!

 

[xSauronx]

you can run the ubuntu installer, resize the vista NTFS partition and just install ubuntu and be done.
check the ubuntu forums or search its been addressed. id help more but when i did it i used the alternate install, which doesnt use the normal GUI installer.

 

[child of wonder]

I'm running this exact setup downstairs. Vista 64 Ultimate and Ubuntu 64.

Simply do what xSauronx said. Ubuntu will install the grub bootloader on your hard drive's MBR. Simply choose to boot to Vista or Ubuntu when you start your computer. You can edit the "default" line in /boot/grub/menu.list and tell it which OS to boot by default (choose "0" for the first OS, "1" for the second, etc.).

 

[hans030390]

One word:

Wubi.

 

[Brainonska511]

I just did this as well - total linux noob. Except it's XP Pro and Ubuntu 8.04.

I put it on my laptop with a 100GB hard drive - first removed all my personal files from the XP partition and defraged the drive. Then resized it using the Ubuntu installer - 24GB for XP partition, 15GB for Ubuntu /, 1.5GB for swap, and the rest for /home (which is shared between the OSes using an ext3 driver in Windows). After installation of Ubuntu was completed, I moved my personal files back from my external into the /home directory/partition.