Switching to Linux Day 4

Ok... so it's been longer than a day since my last post.  But this is only the fourth day of this whole switching to Linux thing.  

First let's start off with my current computer specs... 

• HP Pavilion a6742p-b
• 500 GB Hard Drive
• 6GB RAM
• Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Processor E5300
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 with 128MB dedicated memory, 287MB total available 
• Vista Home Premium

Ok... so that's the machine.. less than a year old.  Time to play!!!

First.. I partitioned the drive so I could try out Windows 7 RC ( so far I love it).  Then I set up a partition for Ubuntu.  I allotted 25 GB for the Ubuntu partition.  That's more than enough for Ubuntu to run smoothly.

Next I put the Ubuntu CD in the drive and restarted the computer.  When the computer rebooted the Ubuntu install screen loaded.  From that menu I chose "Install Ubuntu."  I followed the on screen prompts and filled in the information.  On the partition screen I selected "Manual" so that I could tell Ubuntu exactly which partition I wanted it to use.  This is very important because you run the risk of writing over your other partitions if you do not specifically tell Ubuntu where it belongs.  

I opted not to set a swap area and continued with the install.  

And it didn't work.

There is a conflict with the boot loader between Ubuntu and Windows.  Kind of like grouchy neighbors that don't get along.  

So after much trial and scouring the net and pulling in the gurus from Simply Tux, we tried a new method.

I rebooted the computer into Vista and logged into the admin account.  In the admin account I reformatted the 25 GB partition to NTFS, which allows windows to recognize the partition.

Then I reinserted the Ubuntu Install Cd and selected "run umenu.exe" from the autoplay menu.

From the install ubuntu screen I chose the "Install inside windows" option.  

From the next menu I selected the "drive" (the name given to the designated partition), set up the user account name and password, selected the installation size, and left everything else the same. 

Quick as a flash (ok 10 min or so) Ubuntu was mostly installed.. the disk ejected... and the onscreen prompt asked to reboot the computer.  Click finish.  

The computer rebooted, and Ubuntu was now a choice on the Windows Vista boot loader ( a black screen with scary looking old style computer text, where the mouse doesn't work).  

Using the arrow keys I navigated down the list to Ubuntu and hit "enter."

Ubuntu loaded... double checked its files and space... and basically.. moved in to its partition. (much like finally settling into a new apartment once all the moving boxes are unloaded.)

I now have three fully functional choices for operating systems.  Nothing crashed... nothing was broken or ruined... all my windows files are secure and untouched.  

So far... everything is a success.  Yes I ran into problems.. but there was a solution that was less aggrevating than many Windows solutions.  The "Install in Windows" option was painless... easy... and did not mean that Ubuntu would be a "program" that you double click on your Windows desktop.  It's just an easier way to install Linux on the partition you designate when Windows and Linux bootloaders don't want to get along.

Next post will discuss changing themes, downloading programs, and other basic ways to "personalize" Ubuntu.

This post can be read at the Simply Tux Forum