Duel Boot

[Not Bman]

I want to start using Ubuntu as my primary OS as much as possible. The crappy part is that for games and a few other applications I need windows. So I need to duel boot.

I have Windows 7 x64 installed already on my drive. How do I install/partition my main drive without wiping it...and all that good stuff thats needed.

It's been awhile, I used to know. lol (yes I could probably find a tutorial on Google for this, I was bored and felt like posting )

 

[LeeJend]

You can go 2 routes.

1) Use windows disk management to shrink the drive freeing up room to make an Ubuntu partition. See apcmag.com for detailed help.

2) You can use the WUBI installer that will create an Ubuntu install in an area of the existing Windows partition without changing the Windows partition.

I have used both techniques with no problems. Regardless of which you use run a disk compression (the windows one, diskkeeper, perefect disk, etc) before starting and repair any disk errors that are found.

 

[Johnny]

Why don't you install VMWare to play your games? I do the similar with my mac. It works great.

 

[Not Bman]

I don't think VMWare can play all old and new games, maxed settings at 1920x1200. lol

 

[LordOfLA]

Until proper para-virtualised 3d drivers are available gaming on a VM will be abysmal.

You can use WINE on linux for most things but native is always best.

 

[Xie]

Since your probably not going to go Ubuntu full time if you like Windows at all (since they are on opposite ends of the usage scale -- at least for me). I would put Ubuntu in a virtualbox (or whatever VM) and just run it full screen. Then if you must game you can just pause the VM and minimize, and away you go gaming.

 

[Johnny]

Since your probably not going to go Ubuntu full time if you like Windows at all (since they are on opposite ends of the usage scale -- at least for me). I would put Ubuntu in a virtualbox (or whatever VM) and just run it full screen. Then if you must game you can just pause the VM and minimize, and away you go gaming.

Good point.

 

[Not Bman]

Since your probably not going to go Ubuntu full time if you like Windows at all (since they are on opposite ends of the usage scale -- at least for me). I would put Ubuntu in a virtualbox (or whatever VM) and just run it full screen. Then if you must game you can just pause the VM and minimize, and away you go gaming.

Does not work, I have done that many times and there are many issues with VM. Such as resolutions that are possible, its harder to accomplish things like better resolutions, and certain applications. And getting access to my hard drives contents, etc etc.

 

[Johnny]

What you could do to partition it is use something like Acronis Disk Director to create the partition then install it. That is how I used to do it, myself.

 

[Xie]

Does not work, I have done that many times and there are many issues with VM. Such as resolutions that are possible, its harder to accomplish things like better resolutions, and certain applications. And getting access to my hard drives contents, etc etc.

Well if you wanna go all out doesn't Win 7 let you shrink it (not sure what version you need)? Then you could use EasyBCD to boot both 7 and Ubuntu no issues.

 

[Not Bman]

Lets say VMs have the ability for 3D applications and intensive stuff. Basically just a real OS running within an OS, no disabilities.

What kind of system would you need to pull that off. Say having Windows 7 as your main. Having videos, tons of applications running, and maybe even a game. And then have Ubuntu running inside it doing the same kind of stuff.

To do that without lag or issue, are we talking like 32GB of RAM, duel GPUs, duel CPUs etc...or is it less crazy then that?

And to your other points, my issue is booting. I don't want to have to shutdown and boot into something else. But obviously VMs are not good enough for what I want yet, so yes duel booting is my only option.

 

[Johnny]

If you don't want to shut down to boot into another, you are going to have to use a virtual machine.

Something else you could do for the dual os is this: Get a drive switch, and install an OS on each drive, then all you have to do is flip a switch before you boot. More info below.

Indus Technologies — Welcome

 

[Xie]

Lets say VMs have the ability for 3D applications and intensive stuff. Basically just a real OS running within an OS, no disabilities.

What kind of system would you need to pull that off. Say having Windows 7 as your main. Having videos, tons of applications running, and maybe even a game. And then have Ubuntu running inside it doing the same kind of stuff.

To do that without lag or issue, are we talking like 32GB of RAM, duel GPUs, duel CPUs etc...or is it less crazy then that?

And to your other points, my issue is booting. I don't want to have to shutdown and boot into something else. But obviously VMs are not good enough for what I want yet, so yes duel booting is my only option.

Why would you need to run "intensive" apps on both systems at the same time (as well as games)? With a VM you can give it whatever you want. I don't see why you would need to go "all out" in both OS's at the same time though, so you shouldn't need the crazy specs you just listed.

I would say just try it .. best part of a VM is you can mess with it forever and if in the end you don't like it .. you just delete it. You want to change the specs around .. just close the guest OS and respec.

 

[LordOfLA]

You seem to want to do the same as I do Bman - windows for games, linux/bsd/other os for everything else. I've been looking in to this for sometime with things like XenClient, XenDesktop and NXTop.

Both Citrix and the company behind NXTop said that their solutions would only run games with paravirtualised drivers and then not as well as running native. VP Sales at NXTop doubted his product could run games "decently" for some time due to the wide variety of hardware games have and all but suggested running windows native and the other OS in a VM.

To that end my ideal system for gaming and VMing is as follows:

AMD Phenom II X6 1100T
Asus Crosshair Formula IV
16GB DDR3 RAM (Crucial or Corsair)
Corsair Obsidian 800D Case
XFX Radeon 5870
Asus Xonar D2 (not the X version as its the same as the D2 just needs extra power)
2 x WD Velociraptor Discs RAID 0 for Windows and VM's
4x Hitachi 3TB disks RAID5 for data/video/games

 

[Not Bman]

You seem to want to do the same as I do Bman - windows for games, linux/bsd/other os for everything else. I've been looking in to this for sometime with things like XenClient, XenDesktop and NXTop.

Both Citrix and the company behind NXTop said that their solutions would only run games with paravirtualised drivers and then not as well as running native. VP Sales at NXTop doubted his product could run games "decently" for some time due to the wide variety of hardware games have and all but suggested running windows native and the other OS in a VM.

To that end my ideal system for gaming and VMing is as follows:

AMD Phenom II X6 1100T
Asus Crosshair Formula IV
16GB DDR3 RAM (Crucial or Corsair)
Corsair Obsidian 800D Case
XFX Radeon 5870
Asus Xonar D2 (not the X version as its the same as the D2 just needs extra power)
2 x WD Velociraptor Discs RAID 0 for Windows and VM's
4x Hitachi 3TB disks RAID5 for data/video/games

Yea thats basically it, except Adobes software on Windows as well. I have only played with a few of the free VM softwares out there. Do any of them really make a difference over another?

 

[LordOfLA]

I'd suggest virtual box really. VMWare player automates things you don't always want automated.

 

[Johnny]

Is Parellels supported by Linux? If so, it is optimized for games and 3d. So it might work.

 

[Not Bman]

Overview - Parallels Desktop 4 for Windows & Linux

Your telling me I can have Ubuntu as my main system. Have Parrellels running Windows 7, playing my games at full spec resolutions? I don't believe so.....?

 

[Johnny]

They must not make parallels 6 for linux, that is the one I am talking about.

 

[LordOfLA]

I doubt very much that Parallels would play games anywhere near comfortably unless there are developments in display and sound drivers I'm not aware of yet.