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A Short History For Beginners About Dual Boot With Windows


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#1 Naught McNoone

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Posted 13 May 2021 - 12:32 PM

A Short History For Beginners About Dual Boot With Windows

 

The Origin of Dual Boot

 

Ever since Werner Almesberger introduced the LILO boot loader, in the 1990’s, PC owner have had the ability to “Multi Boot” different operating systems on our computers.

 

Although originally developed as a “Linux Loader”, LILO allowed users to choose between more than one operating system.

 

The most common use among PC owners was to allow both Linux and Windows to co-exist on the same computer. We refer to this as a “Dual Boot” system.

 

Although LILO development ceased in 2015, it is still found in use today.

 

It has been supplanted by GRUB as the most common boot loader used.

GRUB2 is the default boot loader for mainstream Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu.

 

 

Early Linux Users

 

In the beginning, Linux users were on their own. So, where did that leave us, the adventurist PC user who wanted to try something that was not Windows or Mac?

 

Installing Linux in the early days was a daunting task for someone who was just learning about PC's.

 

It involved partitioning your hard drive manually.  If that hard drive was fully occupied by a Windows partition, then you had to get creative.

 

GNU parted made that easier, in 2002.  It is a CLI (Command Line Interface) program.  Then gparted was born in 2004.  It is a front end for GNU Parted.

The Gnome partition editor allowed you to "Shrink" your MS partition, and create room for Linux, using a graphical interface.  Dual Boot systems had become even easier to make.

 

Some of us would buy clones, other’s would build their own. Most of us would already have a PC, that came with Windows.

 

Book stores offered thick and heavy volumes about Red Hat, Slackware, &c. They came with a CD inserted in the back cover, that had a copy of Linux on it.

 

It did not take long though, for users to discover the online and open source distribution of Linux. Debian, Slackware, and Red Hat were all available online.

 

You could download the .img files from your local BBS, and create your own install disks.

 

Support groups were springing up, providing help for “newbies” to set up their Dual Boot systems. When the Internet became accessible to the general public, user groups became online forums.

 

 

Linux Live Operating Systems

 

When Klaus Knopper introduced “Knoppix” in 2000, it started something that revolutionized Linux. A live CD that could be used on any computer!

 

Unlike it’s predecessor, Finnix, it was more than a rescue disk. It was a full blown OS, with all the software included.

 

The Live CD, and it’s offspring, the Live USB, did not spell the doom of the Dual Boot system.

In fact, it increased the demand for it.

 

The live systems allowed users to try Linux, before investing any time or hardware into the system. Live Linux began to become easier to test, and easier to install.

 

Today, all mainstream releases of Linux are available as a Live USB that can be used as a trial run, portable OS, or permanent installation source.

 

 

So, who needs a dual boot system, if you have a Live CD/DVD/USB to run?

 

Even with faster USB 3.0, the real time lag of running a live system is slow, compared to a permanent install on a hard drive.

 

My Aspire 3 i5 notebook, with a Samsung 980 1TB SSD is less than 24 seconds from power on to login screen.  So, yes, running off of a USB stick would be slow, and a CD/DVD even slower.

 

I switched in 2000 to Linux. The fact that I could run Open Office, GIMP, and other software for free, was a big attraction. I no longer needed to spend big bucks on programs that only ran on Windows. It is even more expensive, today, to maintain an up to date PC using only Microsoft products.

 

However, like a lot of other people, I still had a lot of programs that needed Windows. I had too much money tied up in them. I had just purchased AutoCad 2000, and a plotter that required a Windows driven interface. So I needed dual boot to run them.

 

Today, Linux has reached mainstream acceptance. Although not as popular in the US where Microsoft still has influence, it has become the “Go To” for many governments and large institutions around the world.

 

In the interest of compatibility with it’s world wide partners, even NASA installed Linux in some of the equipment on the International Space Station.

 

More and more hardware manufactures are producing Linux drivers to support their products.

Graphics, audio, and printing devices have Linux drivers available for almost all new devices.

 

 

What About Dual Boot Today?

 

The Virtual Machine is slowly replacing the old dual boot system.

With Virtual Box, you no longer have to reboot to switch operating systems.

Windows is now just another window, in Linux.

 

I can run my old AutoCad program in a virtual Windows environment, and simultaneously run all my Linux software.

 

Every once in a while, though, I find I need a native Windows environment, for some older piece of hardware, and even some newer stuff.

 

So, Dual Boot is still here, and still being used.

 

If you are using Dual Boot, there are some nice tweaks you can use for your GRUB menu. They are in the Linux Tutorial section.

 

 

Cheers!

Naught :busy:

 



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#2 faerynthefox

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Posted 28 September 2021 - 07:45 AM

I totally appreciate your post here. Every question I came up with you somehow managed to answer the sentence after I asked it. Thanks so much! 



#3 SamHobbs

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Posted 10 January 2022 - 07:04 AM

Although originally developed as a “Linux Loader”, LILO allowed users to choose between more than one operating system.

That is not the beginning of multiple booting. First note that Linux was first released in 1991. Multiple booting of operating systems was possible long before that. There was a time when it was simple. Disk partitions (that are not extended) have a boot flag. The PC BIOS would search for a partition with the boot flag set and boot that. Booting a different OS was just a matter of changing which partition was set as the boot partition.
 

The Virtual Machine is slowly replacing the old dual boot system.
With Virtual Box, you no longer have to reboot to switch operating systems.
Windows is now just another window, in Linux.

VMs were first created more than half a century ago.

#4 SamHobbs

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Posted 23 January 2023 - 02:20 PM

Also, the ability to boot multiple operating systems have existed from before hard drives existed. See DOS/360 and successors - Wikipedia; in 1965 it was possible to boot the operating system from magnetic tape, not a hard drive. When IBM began offering hard drives it was possible to boot from any drive by dialing in a device address.

 

As for multiple booting of Windows, it depends on whether it is 16-bit Windows (that required DOS) or 32-bit Windows (beginning with Windows NT), except I vaguely recall 16-bit versions of Windows that did not need DOS. What I said previously about the active partition is relevant to multiple booting of them.
 


Edited by SamHobbs, 23 January 2023 - 02:26 PM.


#5 number3344a

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Posted 03 July 2023 - 09:17 AM

Dual booting is safe, no issue there. But what you have to keep in mind is that other than Linux, Windows and OSX don’t really like to play with dual boot, they will easily take ownership of the master boot and tend to require some fixing every once in a while.


#6 rufwoof

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Posted 04 October 2023 - 06:54 PM

Dual booting is safe, no issue there. But what you have to keep in mind is that other than Linux, Windows and OSX don’t really like to play with dual boot, they will easily take ownership of the master boot and tend to require some fixing every once in a while.

Haven't booted Windows since XP (first) went eol. Still use grub4dos for dual booting OpenBSD and .. whatever, Never had any issues with it. Don't tend to use vmm, would rather dual boot onto bare metal if/whenever I do need to run another OS for a specific task which nowadays is pretty infrequent.



#7 The-Toolman

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Posted 04 October 2023 - 07:29 PM

Used to dual boot Windows OSs and Linux distros on two separate hard drives.

Each OS / Distro still used their own native boot loader.

Never had a problem with interaction between the OSs that way.

 

No reason to dual boot nowadays I don't use Windows much any more the Wife still does.

I don't know what's going to happen in 2025 when Windows 10 reaches EOL.

Have to wait and see what happens.


Edited by The-Toolman, 04 October 2023 - 07:33 PM.

Last year we said, "Things can't go on like this", and they didn't, they got worse.

[Will Rogers]

 

There are two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither works.

[Will Rogers]

 

 


#8 Mike_Walsh

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Posted 04 October 2023 - 07:54 PM

Yah; I tend to agree with The-Toolman on this one. Keeping the two totally separate is the best way to use them; either via dual separate drives - with some manual method for "swapping" betwixt the two - or, better yet, on two completely separate machines.

 

I also have to agree with rufwoof, too. I've never got on with VMs, either, even now I have the resources to run multiple versions should I so wish.....you can't beat booting to 'bare metal'. And VMs introduce their own set of problems....

 

 

Mike. :mellow:


Edited by Mike_Walsh, 04 October 2023 - 07:56 PM.

Distros:- Nowt but Puppies.....
My Puppy Packages ~~~ MORE Packages ~~~ ....and STILL more!
HP Pavilion mid-size tower - 590-p0024na; Pentium 'Gold' G5400 dual-core with H/T @ 3.7 GHz; 32 GB DDR4 RAM; Nvidia GeForce GT710 graphics (2 GB GDDR5) with 'passive' cooler; 1 TB Crucial MX500 SSD primary;  3 TB Seagate Barracuda HDD secondary; 1920x1080 HP 22w LED monitor; 7-port powered USB 2.0 hub; Logitech c920 HD 'Pro' webcam

 

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#9 rufwoof

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Posted 07 October 2023 - 01:39 PM

So, who needs a dual boot system, if you have a Live CD/DVD/USB to run?

 

Even with faster USB 3.0, the real time lag of running a live system is slow, compared to a permanent install on a hard drive.

Boot is slower, running a live can be quicker.

 

OpenBSD fuigita booted from usb, run in ram and chrome/libreoffice etc run very quickly, perhaps even quicker than ram loaded Linux systems. And if you don't save the session you reboot into a clean session the next time you boot, as well as loading the latest versions of chrome, libreoffice, whatever. OK it takes maybe 5 minutes to boot the usb, system copied to ram, enter some details like the root password and pkg_add chromium libreoffice ... whatever (and edit .xsession to run cwm instead of the default fvwm) - but then the rest of the time its lighting fast. With laptops you can just shut the lid rather than shutting down, so instantly re-available by opening the lid.



#10 FrankKlos

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Posted 08 October 2023 - 04:52 AM

The process for creating a dual boot system is similar regardless of the operating system with which the dual boot is running. Here is what you need to do:
 
Install the first version of Windows: If you already have one Windows installed on your computer, no problem. If not, install Windows normally. You can use custom partitioning settings and leave the hard drive space free for the second version of Windows.
Make space for the second version of Windows: You will need available hard drive space for the next version of Windows. If you have Windows installed, you can resize the partition. You can also insert a second hard drive into your computer (if it is a desktop computer) and install the second version of Windows on this hard drive.
Install the second version of Windows: You will then install the second version of Windows. Make sure you select the 'Custom installation' option and not the 'Upgrade' option. Install it along with the previous version of Windows, either in a different partition on the same drive or on a different physical drive.
You will then be able to choose which copy of Windows you want to run at boot time, and you can access files from each version of Windows on the other.


#11 Mike_Walsh

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Posted 08 October 2023 - 06:29 AM

.....and WHY are we discussing dual-boot methods for multiple versions of Windows in the Linux forum, hmm?

 

 

Mike. :nono:


Edited by Mike_Walsh, 08 October 2023 - 06:30 AM.

Distros:- Nowt but Puppies.....
My Puppy Packages ~~~ MORE Packages ~~~ ....and STILL more!
HP Pavilion mid-size tower - 590-p0024na; Pentium 'Gold' G5400 dual-core with H/T @ 3.7 GHz; 32 GB DDR4 RAM; Nvidia GeForce GT710 graphics (2 GB GDDR5) with 'passive' cooler; 1 TB Crucial MX500 SSD primary;  3 TB Seagate Barracuda HDD secondary; 1920x1080 HP 22w LED monitor; 7-port powered USB 2.0 hub; Logitech c920 HD 'Pro' webcam

 

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#12 SamHobbs

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Posted 08 October 2023 - 10:21 AM

.....and WHY are we discussing dual-boot methods for multiple versions of Windows in the Linux forum, hmm?

 

 

Mike. :nono:

The title includes Dual Boot With Windows. I think a relevant question is whether instructions for current systems should be discussed in a historical discussion.



#13 JohnnyBeeGood

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Posted 08 October 2023 - 10:51 AM

My contribution.

 

First, I'm neither an expert of Windows nor Linux so I keep them separated as much as possible meaning, not on the same drive.

 

Scenario: a Lenovo M82 I5 small form factor box.

 

I removed the optical drive ( the only 3.5" slot available and I don't need an optical drive for this particular setup ) and replaced it with an IcyBox removable tray with an off/on switch.

In it I have an SSD with Win 10 pro .

The bios is set to boot first from the SSD with the tray switch 'on', set USB second....which boots a live distro of Puppy Linux with the tray switch 'off'.

 

Note: I seldom use Win 10 on line, but it has been handy several times :grinner:

Actually, I don't use Win 10 for anything else, my off line computer is set up with Win 7 pro and that's all I need, off line.

 

A further note, I use a USB flash drive with a write switch. Nothing can be written to it/altered... when I'm in Win 10.

 

 

Of course, that setup won't work on a laptop or any small form box with out a slot for a tray.

But it works for me.



#14 rufwoof

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Posted 09 October 2023 - 03:10 PM

.....and WHY are we discussing dual-boot methods for multiple versions of Windows in the Linux forum, hmm?

 

 

Mike. :nono:

Because after hearing about Looney Tunables many Linux users are going back to Windows perhaps?

 

https://sysdig.com/blog/cve-2023-4911/

 

 

The Looney Tunables vulnerability is very serious due to how many Linux distributions are involved and the relative ease of exploitation.
.
.
Since there are currently not many ways to mitigate, patching the vulnerability should be a top priority. This vulnerability will affect not just your standard Linux server, but also containers, appliances, and IoT devices. Anywhere Linux is, this vulnerability may be present.


#15 JohnnyBeeGood

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Posted 09 October 2023 - 05:47 PM

The problem started with version 2.34

 

Fortunately my Xenial Pup uses 2.23

 

Sometimes newer isn't better.






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