AtomicToaster
New member
Sooooooooooooooooo... How do you do it? Do I have to install it on my C-drive, or can I use another HDD? Are all my files the same just in Linux form when I boot into Mint? All knowledge on this subject is appreciated!
Dual-Booting Linux Mint with Windows 7
- Thread starter AtomicToaster
- Start date
SieB
New member
You can install it on a separate partition or another HDD using the disk like you would when installing Windows. Or you can install it on your Windows partition using the installer from within Windows.
All your Windows files will be separate from your Linux ones, but I do believe there is a program for Linux that lets you access your Windows files from within Linux. Linux uses a different file format to Windows, can't remember what it is but Windows is NTFS and Linux is something different.
I used to dual boot Ubuntoo with Windows 7 but it's been a while and can't remember all the details.
All your Windows files will be separate from your Linux ones, but I do believe there is a program for Linux that lets you access your Windows files from within Linux. Linux uses a different file format to Windows, can't remember what it is but Windows is NTFS and Linux is something different.
I used to dual boot Ubuntoo with Windows 7 but it's been a while and can't remember all the details.
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AFAIK linux can access windows files with no problem, and its only OSX that needs a 3rd Party app.
you may have to mount the windows drive from within linux to access it. its easy to do
open up the file browser
find the windows partition (it will be in the sidebar with a HD icon next to it)
right click and select mount
you may have to mount the windows drive from within linux to access it. its easy to do
open up the file browser
find the windows partition (it will be in the sidebar with a HD icon next to it)
right click and select mount
Zoot
Active member
You need to shrink the windows partition using the inbuilt partition editor in Windows. (Right Click on Computer -> Disk Management)
Use that to shrink your Windows partition to make way for Mint.
When you're installing Mint you'll have the option to turn that empty space on the hard drive into a root, swap and home (if you want it) partitions for Mint.
It'll also install GRUB (the linux bootloader) to the MBR which should auto-detect Windows 7 and allow you to boot into it aswell. You'll then get the boot menu upon powering on the Machine.
My experience is with Debian, so I can't specifically advise you about Mint, but I'd imagine you'll find all kinds of guides on their website or youtube.
Use that to shrink your Windows partition to make way for Mint.
When you're installing Mint you'll have the option to turn that empty space on the hard drive into a root, swap and home (if you want it) partitions for Mint.
It'll also install GRUB (the linux bootloader) to the MBR which should auto-detect Windows 7 and allow you to boot into it aswell. You'll then get the boot menu upon powering on the Machine.
My experience is with Debian, so I can't specifically advise you about Mint, but I'd imagine you'll find all kinds of guides on their website or youtube.
vorticalbox
New member
linux uses EXT.
windows must be on the disks first partition or it throws a wee paddy.
the linux install should set up grub if not you may have to set that up your self to get the boot option at start up.
Never heard or experienced that one before.
When i installed Mint waaaay back, i just used EasyBCD on Windows to add it to my boot menu option. I do not like linux taking over my boot sector, it does (did) nasty things like pull my RAID at every warm boot apart, so it just fails to load altogether.
equk
New member
You can use another drive if you don't want to touch the windows drive, the only thing you need to do is install grub to the *MBR of the primary boot drive.(*unless u have UEFI/GPT)
If you really don't want to touch the windows drive, you could set the linux drive as the first boot drive and just install grub to that drive.
The linux kernel now supports reading/writing of NTFS so you should be fine.
(Years ago there was only beta/testing support with ntfs-3g)
The only thing you might have a few problems with is if you are running UEFI with GPT partition table.
You can get UEFI working ok tho with a few tools. (I'm running archlinux + win7 on GPT + UEFI)
I'm guessing you've already tried linux with a livecd before deciding to install it
