so you want to install Linux?

Below is advice from my graduate students about running Linux on a Windows machine.
There are basically three options:

  1. partition: split the hard drive into two "sides" so that you have a Windows "side" (partition) and a Linux partition; when you boot up the machine, you decide which partition you want to use (this is controlled by software called a boot manager). You can set this up so that the Linx partition can see files from the Windows partition. However, the Windows partition cannot see files that are on the Linux partition.

  2. virtual machine: install software that lets you run Linux from within Windows.

  3. live CD: run Linux from a CD, without installing anything on your computer; it will be slower and won't be a complete version of Linux, but will be enough for what we do in cis15.

You can also do away with Windows altogether and install Linux on your PC, but I suggest that you use one of the three options above first, use Linux for a while and then decide if it suits all your computing needs.

There are various options for each of these, and then of course you'll need to pick which version of Linux to use.
The one that is most recommended is Ubuntu, which you can download for free here:
---- http://www.ubuntu.com/


option 1: PARTITIONING YOUR HARD DRIVE

There are several choices of software to use for partitioning your hard drive. The most recommended are listed below. One is not free; the others are free. Pick one.

Below, you'll find general instructions for partitioning your hard drive and setting up a "dual boot" system with Linux on one side and Windows on the other.

After you partition your drive, you can install a "boot manager" to manage which partition is chosen when the computer boots up. GAG is a free one that is recommended:
---- http://gag.sourceforge.net/
But don't do this unless you are unhappy with the default boot manager that is installed when you do the partitioning, above.


option 2: USING A VIRTUAL MACHINE

Again, there are many choices here. You can find a comparison on Wikipedia:
---- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_virtual_machines

The simplest option recommended by my students is VMware Player.

  1. You can download the player software here:
    ---- http://www.vmware.com/download/player/

  2. You only need two files to use the player: (1) a disk image and (2) a machine configuration file.
    For instructions, go here (read below first):
    ---- http://www.ffnn.nl/pages/articles/linux/vmware-player-image-creation.php

    • (1) disk image:
      follow the instructions to download an empty "VMWare Player Image" on the above page.

    • (2) machine configuration file:
      follow the instructions to download the "VMWare Player Virtual Machine Template for Windows operating systems".
      Then read on in the article for instructions on how to configure the template, which you should edit in a text editor like NotePad (NOT a word processor like Microsoft Word!).

Installation of Linux should then be as simple as downloading the CD install disc and mounting it on the VM. Starting the VM should then boot up the disc and installation can begin on that machine.


option 3: LIVE CD

Again, another large set of choices. A list is available here:
---- http://www.frozentech.com/content/livecd.php
The top vote-getter on the list is called "SLAX" (from Slacker Linux) and is available here:
----
http://www.slax.org/


general instructions for setting up a dual boot system, if you choose the partitioning option

Here are some suggestions for setting up a dual boot system, assuming Windows is already installed as the only OS and occupies the entire hard disk as Drive C:

  1. If this is a pre-existing Windows installation that you want to keep, do a complete backup!!! This process is "usually" very clean & painless but things happen ... PartImage (on the SystemRescueCD, above) is an excellent way to do this. You might also consider making a completely separate backup of your music, video and other data files segregated from the Windows system and program files -- see step 3.

  2. Use Gparted or PartitionMagic to shrink the C partition down to the desired size -- how big obviously depends on the size of the disk and the size of the programs, data, etc. in the Windows partition.

  3. Use Gparted or PartitionMagic to set up an Extended partition on the rest of the drive. In that Extended partition, create a Linux Swap Partition (twice the size of system RAM is a good rule of thumb), a Linux Partition for the root file system (/), optionally, a separate Linux Partition for the users' /home directories, and optionally, a FAT32 partition which can be used to store files that you want to be accessible to both Windows and Linux. Note that this allows you to make the Windows "C" partition much smaller that it would otherwise have to be -- use this extended partition to hold multimedia & other data files that take up a lot of space.

  4. Reboot & make sure Windows still works.

  5. Install Linux. At the end of the installation process, let it install GRUB boot loader to the MBR of the disk -- when it boots, it will give a menu allowing choice of which OS to boot, and either one can be set as the default.