Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 17

Thread: Dual Boot Set-Up!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Beans
    6

    Dual Boot Set-Up!

    Hello,
    I've recently put a computer together and am just about to make a bootable USB with Ubuntu on it. I wanted to set-up a dual-boot with Ubuntu and Windows 7.

    Here are the specs:

    AMD 4350 (4.2 GHz, 4-Core Processor)
    8 Gigs of DDR 3
    GeForce GTX 960 with 4 Gigs of Vram
    1 240 Gig SSD
    1 1 TB HD
    No optical drive.

    Question 1. So, I am wondering how much of my 240 SSD should I devote to Ubuntu vs Windows to make sure it runs properly.
    I know that with Windows, I can install it on one part of the SSD and then use my 1 TB drive for the programs, but can I do the same with Ubuntu?

    Question 2. What should I do when it asks me for how much I'd like to do for the "/" and the "Swap" etc? This part is very confusing for me because I am not fully sure what the different things mean. I know that "/" means the actual system, I think, and "Swap" is virtual ram? This part is VERY confusing for me during the instillation process.

    I should mention that I will be using this machine for gaming, in case that's not clear. I want have Linux around if there are games that can use that, which is why I am installing it as a dual boot.

    Thanks for your help in advance.

    -DeathByDualBoot
    Last edited by DeathByDualBoot; January 23rd, 2016 at 09:56 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Beans
    562

    Re: Dual Boot Set-Up! Help Plz!

    Question 1. So, I am wondering how much of my 240 SSD should I devote to Ubuntu vs Windows to make sure it runs properly.
    I know that with Windows, I can install it on one part of the SSD and then use my 1 TB drive for the programs, but can I do the same with Ubuntu?
    Yes, you can install Ubuntu programs wherever you like but that requires more work.

    Question 2. What should I do when it asks me for how much I'd like to do for the "/" and the "Swap" etc? This part is very confusing for me because I am not fully sure what the different things mean. I know that "/" means the actual system, I think, and "Swap" is virtual ram? This part is VERY confusing for me during the instillation process.
    You'll need to read up on linux file structure, as I don't think I'll do a good job explaining it here. A basic/automatic installation will require only "/" and swap. The swap space is a reserved part of the hard drive that is used when the system memory fills up, so it's virtual ram, as you stated. A guided partitioning of the hard drive will automatically set the swap space for you at roughly 1.5-2 times the amount of physical ram you have. You can change that manually during the install process.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Beans
    7,341

    Re: Dual Boot Set-Up! Help Plz!

    15-25GB for the / filesystem partition should be more than enough unless you plan to install an exceptional amount of additional software. With 8GB of RAM, 2-4GB of swap should be more than enough, in fact most people with that much RAM will never use swap.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    SW Forida
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Kubuntu

    Re: Dual Boot Set-Up! Help Plz!

    Your new system is UEFI but will offer BIOS boot which is the 35 year old method of booting system.
    And Windows 7 default boot is BIOS, but can easily be copied to a flash drive and a few files moved around to make it UEFI.

    With new high powered system probably better to use UEFI with gpt partitioning.
    GPT Advantages (older but still valid) see post#2 by srs5694:
    http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1457901
    https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php...antages_of_GPT
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified...ware_Interface
    http://askubuntu.com/questions/62947...br-why-not-mbr
    UEFI Advantages
    http://askubuntu.com/questions/64730.../647604#647604
    http://askubuntu.com/questions/44696...y-vs-uefi-help
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified...ware_Interface

    But whichever way you decide to install, be sure to install both Ubuntu & Windows in the same boot mode, both BIOS/CSM or both UEFI.
    CSM - UEFI Compatibility Support Module (CSM), which emulates a BIOS mode

    Only 64 bit supported for UEFI boot
    http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...ndows-7-a.html
    Prepare an usb thumb drive, to boot windows 7 in UEFI mode
    http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...ndows-7-a.html
    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...=ws.10%29.aspx

    Windows will not let you stay at Windows 7 for long. It already is nagging everyone to update to Windows 10.

    I also suggest both drives be gpt if UEFI, with both drives having an ESP - efi system partition if UEFI. And if you do choose BIOS, you still can have gpt on the data drive. But Windows has to have MBR(msdos) for BIOS boot. Windows reads gpt partitioned drives fine, just will only boot from them with UEFI.
    But Ubuntu can boot with BIOS or UEFI from gpt partitioned drives.

    More info on UEFI in link below in my signature.
    Last edited by oldfred; January 23rd, 2016 at 01:12 AM.
    UEFI boot install & repair info - Regularly Updated :
    https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2147295
    Please use Thread Tools above first post to change to [Solved] when/if answered completely.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    London, England
    Beans
    Hidden!
    Distro
    Ubuntu Development Release

    Re: Dual Boot Set-Up! Help Plz!

    Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but it is my understanding that we get much improved speed of loading with an SSD drive in comparison with a drive that has spinning discs.

    So, it seems to me that with both OS on the SSD each OS will load very quick but with programs on the 1TB hard disk that speed advantage will no longer apply. Correct?

    Regards.
    It is a machine. It is more stupid than we are. It will not stop us from doing stupid things.
    Ubuntu user #33,200. Linux user #530,530


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Beans
    6

    Re: Dual Boot Set-Up! Help Plz!

    Wow, thanks for the help.

    I'm going to have to look up a lot of what you wrote, but I guess the main takeaway is that I should use the same method to install BOTH Ubuntu and Linux?

    Since I don't have an optical drive, I was going to use a bootable for Windows, as well. I just wanted to know how much of my 240GB SSD I should devote to Ubuntu and how much should go to the "/" and how much to "Swap."

    I'll look further into the information you gave me and get back to you guys.




    Small update to anyone that cares:
    I've assembled all the parts and my new rig works! I used the Live USB to test Ubuntu on there and there are no structural problems with the computer's hardware, which is a milestone for me.




    Progress So Far:
    Okay, so I've decided I'll devote around 30 gb to "/", 4 to "Swap".
    So, how would I go about making a Game like The Witcher 3. How would I make it so it installs on the 1 TB drive? Will I have to give Ubuntu ownership of a part of the 1 TB drive?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Beans
    7,341

    Re: Dual Boot Set-Up!

    I did an online search for your game and the latest thing I found was from October, 2015. At that time, it was not available for Linux but you might do a search yourself . If you want games, you are better off with windows.

    If you want to share data between windows and Ubuntu, create an ntfs partition on the 1TB drive. You will be able to then view data from both windows/Linux.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Beans
    6

    Re: Dual Boot Set-Up!

    Okay,
    so how does one install a program on a drive that Linux isn't located on? So, if I install Linux on my SSD, then have the 1 TB drive vacant, how do I tell Linux to install something on the 1TB drive? Because the SSD is small.

    Thanks in advance.

    -DeathByDualBoot

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2015
    Location
    Great Plains
    Beans
    1,236
    Distro
    Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial Xerus

    Re: Dual Boot Set-Up!

    Because the actual Ubuntu OS will be installed to the SSD, that is also where the programs will be installed. If you change the basic install so that the users /home directory is on a separate partition on the 1 TB drive, "part" of any given program will be installed there (1 TB drive) and other parts of the program will still be installed to the SSD. So, the 1 TB drive is essentially a data drive for any OS's installed on the SSD . . . OR . . . . for any other OS's (Linux Mint, Fedora, etc.) that are installed to their own partitions on the 1 TB drive (can probably install 2 or 3 dozen other versions of Ubuntu and Linux distros there). By the way, you (the user) doesn't actually install the program anywhere . . . the package manager program will put the various parts of the program (binaries, libraries, etc.) where the programmer specified they should go. Certain types of programs (mainly scripts) can be installed to user specified directories . . but that's only an occasional exception

    So, you see (or I hope you're starting to see) . . . that Linux isn't Windows. It's totally different in how it's managed, and how the file structure works.

    So Further . . . if you want a decent version of Ubuntu that can grow over time, I'd give it at least 50 Gib of the SSD - - as some gaming programs in Steam take up a LOT of space.

    You have lots to learn Grasshopper . . . . .
    Last edited by Geoffrey_Arndt; January 24th, 2016 at 06:40 AM. Reason: mo betta info

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Beans
    801
    Distro
    Ubuntu

    Re: Dual Boot Set-Up! Help Plz!

    Quote Originally Posted by grahammechanical View Post
    Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but it is my understanding that we get much improved speed of loading with an SSD drive in comparison with a drive that has spinning discs.

    So, it seems to me that with both OS on the SSD each OS will load very quick but with programs on the 1TB hard disk that speed advantage will no longer apply. Correct?

    Regards.
    I believe you are correct (the speed advantage will apply to boot up) ... IMO use the spinning disk for data! I have no experience with gaming and how the programs use data.
    HP | Intel iCore 7 3.2Ghz | 12 Gb mem | SSD Win7 | HDD Trusty | Mate 16.04
    Dell laptop | Intel iCore 3 2.1Ghz | 4 Gb mem | MATE 16.04 + Win 7
    Regards, Pete

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •