Member Avatar for ayanbizz

I am currently using Windows XP in my pc.Now,I want to use linux and create a dual booting system.How to do that?Also ,can anybody suggest how to install linux through a pen drive..

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Thread replies (notably and ) rightly mention USB- and Windows-side installers. For a proper on-disk dual-boot into the 40 GB raw area and to learn network/kickstart installs, a concise, low-risk workflow is:

  1. Prepare and image first. Make a full disk image to external media so the Windows install can be restored if anything goes wrong — Clonezilla is a reliable free option for live imaging and restore. Clonezilla. (clonezilla.org)

  2. Make and test boot media; check firmware mode. Build a bootable USB for partitioning and for the installer. Rufus is simple for single-ISO writes; Ventoy is convenient if testing many ISOs from one stick. Confirm whether the machine is BIOS/MBR or UEFI ahead of time because the bootloader strategy differs. Rufus. (rufus.ie) . ()

  3. Resize and partition from a live environment. Do not resize a mounted Windows partition — use a live tool such as GParted Live to shrink NTFS and create the unallocated 40 GB, then create Linux partitions (example: root 18–25 GB ext4, swap sized by RAM/hibernation needs, remainder as /home). Use manual partitioning in the installer and install the bootloader appropriate to the firmware (MBR install for legacy BIOS; an EFI System Partition for UEFI). GParted Live. (gparted.org) The GRUB manual explains BIOS vs EFI installation details. (gnu.org)

  4. For automated and network installs. Red Hat–family installers support Kickstart and can pull a ks.cfg via NFS/FTP/HTTP or have it on the install media; boot with the ks= option and the installer will run unattended. Fedora/Anaconda Kickstart docs show examples and the common network/ks boot options. Fedora Kickstart docs. (fedoraproject.org)

Notes and cautions: back up data, practice on a VM or spare disk if possible, and prefer a recent distro when experimenting with netinstall/kickstart (very old RHL4 builds may not behave on modern hardware). This expands on the thread’s USB/Wubi points while focusing on safe, repeatable disk installation and Kickstart testing.

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Member Avatar for fonzi

So, you have XP, and wish to dual boot. Well Ubuntu and some of its distros have the option to download a windows executable "wubi.exe" http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/windows-installer
then after the download has finish you run it like if you were going to install any other product and choose the settings . For example if you want to give 20gb of HardDrive space to linux and keep the rest for windows . It also has the option to choose your enviorment like ubuntu, kubuntu, and others . :)

To install from a pen drive a.k.a usb flash drive Ubuntu.com has a great tutorial
http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download

here the link above and scroll down to step 2, choose weather you wish to create a cd or USB pen drive, it will give you detailed instructions on how to create a bootable usb in mac, windows, and, ubuntu

Edited by fonzi because: n/a
Member Avatar for ayanbizz

Thanks for the reply.I forgot to mention I had previously used the wubi installer(installation through this was breeze!).But now I want to install it in my hard disk where I already have a 40 gb raw space(The reason for doing that is I want to learn the issues and problems with linux installation,I also downloaded RHL4 for that purpose).What to do in that case?Also can somebody provide me a link about how to install linux from ftp server,http server and kickstart -installation?

Edited by ayanbizz because: errors
Member Avatar for Moncky

If you already have 40 gig of free space on your hard disk then its fairly simple.
Put your pen drive in your computer and when you turn it on press the appropriate key to select the boot device and pick the usb drive. You could also set the usb drive to be you primary boot device in the BIOS.

Then you are golden, grub will be installed as part of the installation process and will give you the option to boot into Linux or windows

Have fun

Member Avatar for murnesty

To install from a pen drive a.k.a usb flash drive Ubuntu.com has a great tutorial
http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ubuntu/download

here the link above and scroll down to step 2, choose weather you wish to create a cd or USB pen drive, it will give you detailed instructions on how to create a bootable usb in mac, windows, and, ubuntu

is a 8gb pen drive enough for the ubuntu OS? i'm a newbie too. I just wanna install and have self learn after school.

Member Avatar for \007

I believe 8gb should be plenty for Ubuntu. If you want a faster/streamlined distribution you can try Lubuntu. It's essentially Ubuntu but using LXDE instead of Gnome. It's lighter and faster. I use it on a 2GB pendrive and have over 1GB free.

Member Avatar for murnesty

If i want to remove my ubuntu from pendrive. Do i need to uninstall from pendrive? or just delete the folders?

Member Avatar for techningeer

Unfortunately, uninstalling Linux is not easy as of yet. I don't know of any attempt to create an uninstaller either. I have done it before, so if you are ready for a real technical challenge, I can tell you how.

--techningeer

Edited by techningeer because: misspell
Member Avatar for renaldocreative

Live Cd's like Open Suse, Fedora, Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Kubutu will let you partition your hard drive. Most Linux distro have instillation instruction on their web site.

Edited by renaldocreative because: n/a
Member Avatar for uv4u

it's so simple to install any Ubuntu/fedora from usb , just download universal usb installer , put Ur dvd /iso in cd rom , and start universal usb installer , and follow up instruction , nw boot from usb , and follow up instruction .
""""""when it comes to choose "entire space on hard drive" , at there select 3rd option (advance user ) and give the free space to the ubuntu nw next next next ......"""""""
otherwise u may lost Ur window...

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