Thread: Ubuntu Dual-Boot Tutorial

Here's what I did.

1. Wubi
2. There is no two

Yeah, and be sure to understand all those commands. Not every primary hard disk will live under /media/sda1.

there's not really any need anymore to manually partition things

I'll do a screenshot tutorial type thing

*********

Burn Ubuntu CD
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/01.png

Reboot
The Ubuntu Live CD will kick in
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/02.png

Choose "Start or Install Ubuntu"
Ubuntu will boot up
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/03.png

When it's booted, it'll look like this
Notice the "Install" icon
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/04.png

At this point, you can play around with it, if you want
Webbrowsing / email / etc.
but it's running off the CD, so will be quite slow

To install to your hard drive,
click the "install" icon
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/05.png

Choose your language, and click forward
Choose your location, and click forward
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/06.png

Choose your keyboard layout, and click forward
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/07.png

Now, the disk partitioning...
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/08.png

This will depend on how many disks you have
and what your personal preferences are
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/09.png

If you have one disk (currently with Windows on it) and you want to dual boot
you'll need the first option
This will shrink the windows partition, so there's room for the linux partitions

If you have one disk (currently with Windows on it) and you want to get rid of Windows altogether
you'll need the second option
This will delete the windows partition, and the Linux partitions will use the whole disk

Then there's the manual partition option
Use this if you know what you're doing

Seeing as I only have one disk on this virtual machine
and I don't want to lose windows
I'll be using the first option, and resizing the partitions

It'll warn you before making any changes
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/10.png
If you're happy, press continue

Now the resizing begins
This will take some time
So be patient
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/11.png

Next, you can migrate settings and things over from your Windows install if you wish
(email accounts, documents, etc.)
I've never really used this feature, but anyhow
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/12.png

Now, you get to choose your account name & password
also a name for your computer, for networking
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/13.png
Don't forget your password...

Next is a confirmation screen, before actually installing the system
you have the option to go back and change things if you want
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/14.png
If you're happy, click Install

Ubuntu is now being installed
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/15.png

You can still use the Live CD, even while it's installing to the hard disk
While you wait, you can pass the time by surfing the net
or playing the various games that come with Gnome
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/16.png

When it's done, you can reboot into your new operating system
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/17.png

You'll have a snazzy new boot loader
With options to boot into Linux or Windows
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/ubuntu/18.png


Enjoy

Originally Posted by Identity X

Here's what I did.

1. Wubi
2. There is no two

QuetzacoautalOWNED.

Wow, Ynot, great post, man. I didn't realize that Ubuntu would automatically resize your Windows partition for you now, that's great. I never did get around to installing last night, got tied up doing other stuff. But yeah, that's awesome.

Edit: Heh, apparently Kubuntu doesn't do that; I had to manually partition my HDD just now. Got Kubuntu up and running now, though, and KDE 4 installed, though I haven't tested that yet.

Never used Kubuntu
I'm a Gnome guy, always have been
but,
Ubuntu & Kubuntu would (or, should) be the same (just using different desktop environments)

Maybe they're not??
I don't know

At any rate
It really doesn't matter which you install (and I've never understood the split between the different desktop environments)

Install Ubuntu
You have Gnome
Open up Synaptic
Uninstall Ubuntu-desktop
Install Kubuntu-desktop
You have KDE

Originally Posted by Ynot

Uninstall Ubuntu-desktop
Install Kubuntu-desktop

This may sound stupid, but are ou sure these should be the other way round? You wouldn't want to unistall GNOME when using it, would you?

Anyhow, GNOME is always sufficient, except for Nautilus, which is shit.

Originally Posted by Identity X

This may sound stupid, but are ou sure these should be the other way round? You wouldn't want to unistall GNOME when using it, would you?

Anyhow, GNOME is always sufficient, except for Nautilus, which is shit.

I don't think it really matters too much
(admittedly, I've never tried it)

uninstalling Gnome (or any other DE) when it's in use will mean it's necessary to log out and log back in again - that's all

Using gnome
uninstall gnome
install KDE
log out
log back in
Now using KDE

Originally Posted by Ynot

I don't think it really matters too much
(admittedly, I've never tried it)

uninstalling Gnome (or any other DE) when it's in use will mean it's necessary to log out and log back in again - that's all

Using gnome
uninstall gnome
install KDE
log out
log back in
Now using KDE

Or you could, you know, not uninstall Gnome, and then you'd have both.