Dual boot Vista & Ubuntu

[oldskooladdict]

I've got a Dell laptop with Vista installed. I'm getting a bit pi$$ed off about how long it takes to boot when I need to do something basic and quick - checking mail first thing for 5 mins before work etc.

I've used Ubuntu before and I can get on with it so I'm looking for a guide to install it alongside Vista (already installed).

Google reveals
http://www.ghacks.net/2008/12/14/how...sta-and-linux/
http://apcmag.com/how_to_dualboot_vi...lled_first.htm

The first one looks best. Has anyone tried this and or do you have any tips or advice first hand?

Thanks guys

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Have you tried switching off indexing??

[watercooled]

Something like xPUD might be better for quickly checking emails: http://www.xpud.org/

[aidanjt]

Why don't you set your laptop's power settings to hibernate when you close the lid? That way you don't have to wait for Vista to boot, just flip open the screen, go to put on the kettle, leave it to restore the hiberfile contents to ram, and it'll be waiting for you to unlock your old login session by the time you get back.

[spoon_]

Have you considered wiping the Vista off and using Ubuntu on its own?

[Behemoth]

Have you considered wiping the Vista off and using Ubuntu on its own?

This is the best suggestion by far

[billythewiz]

If you really want to dual boot Linux then I'd consider first trying the wubi installer.
This installs Ubuntu as a windows application and so can be uninstalled just as any other windows app. It doesn't partition your disk, but it does give you dual boot, so once you've booted into Ubuntu it's no different to Ubuntu installed any other way. The advantage is that if you find you don't like/use/want it, it's easy to get rid of. OTOH, If you decide to convert, you can still partition your disk or even wipe of Vista.

However, if you're just after a way to speed boot times (as most of the replies to your post seem to think) then have you tried running msconfig and disabling a load of the junk that starts at boot time ? Laptops are notoriously bad for this (especially Asus machines) as they come with loads of stuff pre-installed and by the time you've added Java, iTunes, quicktime, flash, realplayer, steam, Adobe Reader and a load of anti-virus / anti-spyware apps, etc. Startup times will become SSSssssllllooooowwwwwwww

[Zadock]

This is the best suggestion by far

+1

Unless you want to use itunes... last I checked the itunes store doesn't work under ubuntu, most everything else will these days without much messing about you just use winedoors or the like.

I'm running 10.10 on my netbook full time its great. Boots up quick and has everything I need.

[oldskooladdict]

Have you tried switching off indexing??

Just given that a try, along with switching off some things which run at startup. Cheers.

[oldskooladdict]

Something like xPUD might be better for quickly checking emails: http://www.xpud.org/

That looks interesting mate, thanks for that. I assume I'd follow the instructions here:
http://www.xpud.org/download.en.html#tab-3

Have you given it a go - they say it's experimental still?!

[oldskooladdict]

Why don't you set your laptop's power settings to hibernate when you close the lid? That way you don't have to wait for Vista to boot, just flip open the screen, go to put on the kettle, leave it to restore the hiberfile contents to ram, and it'll be waiting for you to unlock your old login session by the time you get back.

Never had much luck with hybernation and sleep on Vista with Vostros - it causes all sorts of problems at work. Also i assume I'd need to have the laptop plugged in too - otherwise the weak battery would be virtually flat?

[oldskooladdict]

Have you considered wiping the Vista off and using Ubuntu on its own?

Nope, mainly due to Steam, which after a quick Google it seems is not intended to run on Linux, but could do with some hacks.

[oldskooladdict]

If you really want to dual boot Linux then I'd consider first trying the wubi installer.
This installs Ubuntu as a windows application and so can be uninstalled just as any other windows app. It doesn't partition your disk, but it does give you dual boot, so once you've booted into Ubuntu it's no different to Ubuntu installed any other way. The advantage is that if you find you don't like/use/want it, it's easy to get rid of. OTOH, If you decide to convert, you can still partition your disk or even wipe of Vista.

However, if you're just after a way to speed boot times (as most of the replies to your post seem to think) then have you tried running msconfig and disabling a load of the junk that starts at boot time ? Laptops are notoriously bad for this (especially Asus machines) as they come with loads of stuff pre-installed and by the time you've added Java, iTunes, quicktime, flash, realplayer, steam, Adobe Reader and a load of anti-virus / anti-spyware apps, etc. Startup times will become SSSssssllllooooowwwwwwww

Both very helpful points mate, thanks for that. I've just sacked off loads of stuff that loaded on startup, as you said there was quite a bit. As regards that method of linux install - I'd not heard of that till now, sounds useful

[aidanjt]

Never had much luck with hybernation and sleep on Vista with Vostros - it causes all sorts of problems at work. Also i assume I'd need to have the laptop plugged in too - otherwise the weak battery would be virtually flat?

Hibernation completely powers off the laptop. But if you have some kind of Windows driver problem causing hibernation failures there's not much to be done about it. Perhaps you'd have better luck with Ubuntu in that regard.

[watercooled]

That looks interesting mate, thanks for that. I assume I'd follow the instructions here:
http://www.xpud.org/download.en.html#tab-3

Have you given it a go - they say it's experimental still?!

Yeah I've used it and it works fine. Can't guarantee it will for you obviously but it should just be a matter of uninstalling it from add/remove programs if it doesn't work for you.

Edit: Oh and you might want to get some of the extras at the bottom, mainly the drivers - especially if you're using WiFi.

[kellock]

this is something i was thinking about

is it simular to bootcamp on a mac?