HOWTO: Dualboot (Windows & Debian)

[RageD]

Ok, here is just a quick tutorial I am going to whip up for you guys! This is how you can Dualboot into Debian Operating System, and keep your windows in tact!


NOTE: Backup everything before you attempt this.. One little error could be fatal to the system O/S... (It is always a plus to have a boot disc of your current operating system, or a system recovery disc too)

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Step 1 (Getting the boot disc image)
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Here is the minimal boot disc image.. That is for i386 systems.. (Most windows machines are i386, if you need minimal boot for some other system, go Here)

Minimal Boot is assuming you have internet access on the PC you are dualbooting, if you do not, download a full install Here for i386 (Download all of those, burn to seperate discs) or Here & select your system if you do not have i386.

HINT: Select the iso-cd folder within your system folder.


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Step 2 (Burn a boot disc)
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Ok, now you can use any software to burn this image to a disc for a boot disc... I would suggest something free... Something such as; CDBurnerXP for Windows... Just make sure your burning software has a special burn setting to burn CD Images...


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Step 3 (Stick it in & fire it up)
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Ok, now you have your boot disc burned... Now what you need to do is this:

Stick the boot disc into a CD drive of the system you wish to dualboot.
Turn off or restart the system

It will now load the boot disc...

Follow all the instructions until next step...


HINT: When it asks if you wish to install GRUB on the MBR (Master Boot Record) select YES!!


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Step 4 (Partitioning) The HARDEST PART!!!
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Ok, follow this VERY carefully... This is changing your HD space & everything!

When it starts the partitioner, select to partition tables manually...

Now, this really depends on how much HD space you have to work with here...

Say you have a 40 GB HD... Table 1 should have "x" GB used, then table 2 should have the most space used... Edit that table, & edit its space... Put it to however much space you wish Windows to use... If you are on a 40 GB HD, I would suggest putting it to about 25 GB...

Now, save changes to that partition...

Below that there should be something called /log or something similar, taking up very minimal space..

Delete it....

Now, take that table & have it "Partition free space automatically"

This will create your Debian partition...

Save changes to disk...

Then continue with the setup..


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Step 5 (Configuring GRUB) OPTIONAL
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This is an optional step you can take after booting into your Debian system for the first time... Now login as root, or if you are already logged in use the "su" command & type the correct password... From here:

cd /boot/grub

Now this is where it really depends.. Do you want Windows to be the first on the GRUB list, or Debian?

do this to edit the list (look thru the file for additional help)

pico menu.lst

Now.. Here is an example of mine:

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
#            grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
#            grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
#            and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.          
default        0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout        5

# Pretty colours
color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line)  and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
#      password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title        Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root        (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader    +1
#
# title        Linux
# root        (hd0,1)
# kernel    /vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specifiv kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/hda3 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,2)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
##      alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
##      lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
##      howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##      memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## ## End Default Options ##

title        Microsoft Windows XP
root        (hd0,1)
savedefault
makeactive
chainloader    +1

title        Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.4.27-2-386
root        (hd0,2)
kernel        /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.27-2-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro
initrd        /boot/initrd.img-2.4.27-2-386
savedefault
boot

title        Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.4.27-2-386 (recovery mode)
root        (hd0,2)
kernel        /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.27-2-386 root=/dev/hda3 ro single
initrd        /boot/initrd.img-2.4.27-2-386
savedefault
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

# This is a divider, added to separate the menu items below from the Debian
# ones.
#title        Other operating systems:
#root


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hda1
#title        Windows NT/2000/XP
#root        (hd0,0)
#savedefault
#makeactive
#chainloader    +1


# This entry automatically added by the Debian installer for a non-linux OS
# on /dev/hda2
#title        Microsoft Windows Whistler Personal
#root        (hd0,1)
#savedefault
#makeactive
#chainloader    +1

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Additional Questions/Things to Know
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Q. What if Windows tries to do a Disk check when I boot into it next time?

A. Let it run through the check.. If it stays at the screen where it says "Please wait while Windows restarts" or something for more than 5 minutes, just hold the power button until the system shuts off & boot into it again, this should fix the error!

Comments or corrections? PM me, they'll be fixed!

DISCLAIMER: I cannot be held responsible for any damage to your PC!! Although if you follow the steps exactly as they are here, this is pretty much foolproof, but things still can happen.

-RageD

NOTE: Feedback is appreciated

 

[edmarriner]

quality post.
very good tutorial

i might look into dualbooting one of my other computers soon

REP++

thanks,

-ed