# dual booting Windows and Linux



## speedy11131 (Nov 7, 2010)

I was wondering if theres a way when dual booting Windows 7 and Linux Mint, to have it boot Windows by default and possibly not show the GRUB menu, and if I press a certain key, have it boot linux instead?

Is this even possible?


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## hellrazor (Nov 7, 2010)

There's no way to not show the GRUB menu.

Google grub-config, look for instructions on how to install it (or try synaptic, but I think you have to look in a custom repository). You should be able to change the boot list from there.


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## streetfighter 2 (Nov 7, 2010)

Couldn't you just use the bootloader in Windows 7 then tweak it with EasyBCD?

I'm pretty sure the Windows 7 bootloader supports linux which makes GRUB optional.


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## Dippyskoodlez (Nov 8, 2010)

streetfighter 2 said:


> Couldn't you just use the bootloader in Windows 7 then tweak it with EasyBCD?
> 
> I'm pretty sure the Windows 7 bootloader supports linux which makes GRUB optional.



Indeed you can. Just fix the bootloader for windows after installing Linux, add a line to the boot.ini and it will give you the choice via windows bootloader. Same way OS X would do it on a hackintosh.

It will probably go windows bootloader->grub->Linux, though. Since it gives you boot options for linux, its a good idea to have anyways.


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## Batou1986 (Nov 8, 2010)

The issue hes having is the same thing that was bugging me when booting, windows bootloader shows up and after choosing linux Grub pops up anyway.
As for how to fix it idk im linux nub.


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## PVTCaboose1337 (Nov 8, 2010)

Run > msconfig > boot







Obvious what to do from here.  I don't have 2 OS's on this computer, but you do and will easily be able to get rid of the boot loader.


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## Deleted member 67555 (Nov 10, 2010)

What I did to fix that problem was reinstall Vista...
But I reinstalled Vista because it seemed to run slower after installing Mint...and after it had to resize the HDD...May have just been time to reinstall though...But I was right Vista does run faster for whatever reason now..

However I ended up erasing Mint because I was tired of waiting 5 minutes and needing 50gb set aside to watch Blu-Ray's..

Now I miss Mint because it is a Better Internet OS


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## PVTCaboose1337 (Nov 11, 2010)

jmcslob said:


> What I did to fix that problem was reinstall Vista...
> But I reinstalled Vista because it seemed to run slower after installing Mint...and after it had to resize the HDD...May have just been time to reinstall though...But I was right Vista does run faster for whatever reason now..
> 
> However I ended up erasing Mint because I was tired of waiting 5 minutes and needing 50gb set aside to watch Blu-Ray's..
> ...



Before you ever do a dual boot you MUST defragment.  Why?  Well it sucks when you have the disk looking like:

Windows file 1 | Linux file 1 | Windows file 3 | Linux file 2 | Windows file 2

etc.  

The disk has to do extra work bro.  You really need to defrag before, otherwise both OS's will be pretty slow.


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## Techtu (Nov 11, 2010)

I think my question fits here...

I've been thinking about using some form of linux probably something like Ubuntu, but not Ubuntu because it has issue with the sound on my board, anyway's to the point I've already got Windows installed how exactly do I go about installing another OS onto the same drive?


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## PVTCaboose1337 (Nov 11, 2010)

Techtu said:


> I think my question fits here...
> 
> I've been thinking about using some form of linux probably something like Ubuntu, but not Ubuntu because it has issue with the sound on my board, anyway's to the point I've already got Windows installed how exactly do I go about installing another OS onto the same drive?



Ok so you:

-DEFRAG.  DO IT.  
-Partition the drive.  Gparted or use windows, your choice.  Some Linux distros have gparted built in.  
-Install Linux.  Remember, lots of installers have a partitioner built in. 
-Install GRUB.  Config to boot to auto to what OS you want.  
-???
-Profit.


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## Techtu (Nov 11, 2010)

Not quite sure what you was getting at with the last 2 lines of what you said?

Anyway's now I'm just wondering if there is any more than average defragger that I should use or the one built in Windows suitable enough?


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## hellrazor (Nov 11, 2010)

I like Auslogics Disk Defrag a lot better than Windows'..


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## Peter1986C (Nov 12, 2010)

Techtu said:


> I think my question fits here...
> 
> I've been thinking about using some form of linux probably something like Ubuntu, but not Ubuntu because it has issue with the sound on my board, anyway's to the point I've already got Windows installed how exactly do I go about installing another OS onto the same drive?



If Ubuntu gives sound issues, it may be due to ALSA/Pulseaudio lacking decent support for it and then you can forget about it in (almost) all cases. So first go to alsa-project.org and use the search option to look up your audio chip (e.g. VIA VT2050) and see if you can find a changelog page that way that states wether any support for the chip has been added to ALSA. So that we can point down the cause.


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