[SandyGunfox]

So this December I'm clean-installing 64-bit Windows 7 on my laptop. It's got 7RC 32-bit on it right now.

However, my laptop's not really the best, just a $400 one I picked up at Micro Center to have a computer-away-from-my-PC computer, so I want to install linux (probably ubuntu or kubuntu, but that's not what I'm asking about) on it too and dual-boot it.

Reason being, one, I want to learn a little about this, and two, Win7 can be my "heavy" OS, used when I want to play some older games or do something specific to Windows, and Ubuntu can be my "light" OS, which I'll boot when I just want to idly surf the web or IM or something like that. I've no experience with doing this and only very limited experience with linux at all; so far I like kubuntu's feel more but I'm fine with either.

So, two questions. First is, how easy is this to do, what's the best way to go about it? I know what a partition is, but I don't know the safest/best way to go about making one.

Second, is there any way to let both OSes access certain folders and files (such as my pictures and music), or would I have to have copies of each file for each OS?

I'm not a newbie to computers, have screwed around enough with linux to at least be able to open a web browser or Pidgin without breaking something, but I am new to dual-booting and such. My laptop's specs are posted under my PC's.

The point of this, partly, is to learn how to do it, and to actually use linux outside of virtualbox or something. Meaning, I'd prefer a method that won't turn my laptop into a $450 brick if I mess up since I'm new at dual-booting and installing Linux, but I don't mind something just for being a little technical.

[lotuseclat79]

Hi SandyGunfox,

The best advice I can give you for learning what you need is to read bookmark and/or save all of the signature links of member saikee in post #3 of the thread entitled: ubuntu partition removed now GRUB Error 17.

The signature block in post #3 of the above linked thread is below saikee's post beginning with the words: A converted Linux user - No. 361921 || followed by links to his posts with a great deal of information that will allow you to proceed with confidence in what you are doing. Ignore the posts in the linked thread otherwise for now as it is not relevant to your situation of wanting to learn how to properly setup a dual-boot configuration.

-- Tom

[SandyGunfox]

I'll read through those. Thanks!

[Lordandmaker]

Originally Posted by SandyGunfox

So, two questions. First is, how easy is this to do, what's the best way to go about it? I know what a partition is, but I don't know the safest/best way to go about making one.

The installer will do all the partitioning and formatting you need. Linux needs at least two partitions (well, wants), since the linux equivalent of WIndows' page file is a swap partition. The swap *can* be stuck on a normal ext* partition, but isn't generally, since there's a lot of overhead that isn't needed.

Second, is there any way to let both OSes access certain folders and files (such as my pictures and music), or would I have to have copies of each file for each OS?

Linux has not-experimental-anymore support for NTFS, and native support for FAT* partitons.
There are Windows drivers available for ext3 which is one of the more common Linux filesystems.

The point of this, partly, is to learn how to do it, and to actually use linux outside of virtualbox or something. Meaning, I'd prefer a method that won't turn my laptop into a $450 brick if I mess up since I'm new at dual-booting and installing Linux, but I don't mind something just for being a little technical.

You can always fix the bootloader either by reinstalling Grub to get both OSs back, or using the windows recovery tools to get Windows booting again.
So long as you don't destroy the Windows install, there's not a lot to get wrong.