Illustrated Dual Boot Site

Home Page

Edited Thursday, December 31 2009

Ubuntu 8.04 LTS Hardy Heron - first released 24th April, 2008

Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid Ibex - released October 31, 2008

Ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty Jackalope - released 23rd of April 2009

Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala - released on October 29, 2009

Ubuntu Release Cycle - ubuntu.com

Welcome to the Illustrated Dual Boot site

This website is for helping people to install Ubuntu GNU - Linux in a PC in 'dual boot' configuration with their existing operating system. 'Dual boot' means the computer will have both operating systems in it and you can choose which one you want to use each time the computer is booting up.

This website contains

a few pages about things that you might want to do before installing Ubuntu
six illustrated examples of different ways to install Ubuntu Linux after your old operating system
one illustrated example of how to install Ubuntu in a USB external flash memory drive
a few pages of information about things that you might want to do after installating Ubuntu
a lot of information about GNU - Linux boot loaders and a little about proprietary loaders too

Ubuntu is so tough it eats viruses for breakfast and spits out their bones.
GNU Linux operating systems are immune to viruses because they are designed and built properly from the ground up.
GNU Linux operating systems have become much more user friendly in the last few years.
Ubuntu Linux is fast, easy to use and is now by far the most popular Linux distro.

This page has been accessed

times since the recent move to iinet's server on Friday 5th June 2009. I highly recommend iinet to Australian internet users. iinet's home page.

This website is not an official Ubuntu Website
I'm a Ubuntu user and I enjoy presenting this web-site as a hobby.
I like Ubuntu so much that I think everyone should have it. I am prepared to spend a lot of time and effort helping other people to install it so they can work, study and have fun with it too.

Official Ubuntu Websites
If you want to see the Official Ubuntu HomePage, use this link: Official Ubuntu HomePage

If you would like to visit Ubuntu Web Forums, here's the link: Ubuntu Web Foru ms

For the Official Ubuntu Wiki, here's the link: Official Ubuntu Wiki Front Page
Click on 'Official documentation', and choose an appropriate link to download from there.
Also be sure to look through Community documentation and add some of those links to your Firefox Bookmarks.

If you're planning on using the Ubuntu 'Alternate Installation CD', I highly recommend you also see the Official Ubuntu Installation Guide, it explains all about using the 'Alternate' ex installer, which is based on Debian's installer. You might want to look at the illustrations in this website after that.

SITE INDEX

Before installing - some things you might want to do first,

BIOS Page - Basic CMOS settings in the BIOS to enable booting a 'Live CD' or USB

Live CD Page - using Ubuntu as a Live CD operating system

Uninstall Page - how to uninstall Ubuntu - Look before you leap!

Pre-install Page Preparing to install Ubuntu - things you should do to get ready

Ubuntu 'Alternate CD' installation guides

Windows 98 with Gutsy Gibbon Low Memory Install
Old and gray and out of date but still here - for computers with hardly any memory - please use a newer version of Ubuntu - the installation procedure should still be similar enough to follow - does not move the Windows boot sector - GNU GRUB Legacy is installed to MBR

Windows XP + Ubuntu Hardy Heron LTS
Dual boot Ubuntu and Windows XP - basic, simple and safe - includes a shared FAT32 partition - the installer works about the same for all recent Ubuntu versions - does not move the Windows boot sector - GNU GRUB Legacy is installed to MBR

Ubuntu Hardy Heron LTS Multiple Boot on Two Hard Disks - An example of how to install Ubuntu and set up GNU GRUB Legacy boot loader with chainloader commands for booting Windows and multiple GNU-Linux operating systems in a PC with more than one hard disk - does not move the Windows boot sector - GNU GRUB Legacy is installed to MBR

Ubuntu Karmic Koala Encrypted Flash Memory Installation - Carry your entire operating system around in your pocket or purse. Install Karmic Koala, (or an earlier version of Ubuntu) in a USB flash memory stick or USB SSD with a LUKS fully encrypted ext4 file system for complete privacy and security.

Ubuntu 'Desktop CD' installation guides

Hardy Heron LTS / Windows XP Dual Boot - Graphical Installation 'A'.
Shows partitioning using 'Guided Partitioning' in the Ubuntu installer - still applicable to more recent versions of Windows and Ubuntu - fast, easy and automatic method for setting up your Ubuntu and Windows dual boot - does not move the Windows boot sector - GNU GRUB Legacy is installed to MBR

Jaunty Jackalope / Windows 7 - Graphical Installation 'B'.
Demonstrates 'Manual Partitioning' with the Ubuntu installer - quick and easy, does not move the Windows boot sector - the same principles also apply to installing with more recent versions of Ubuntu - GNU GRUB Legacy is installed to MBR

Jaunty Jackalope / Windows 7 - Graphical Installation 'C'.
Shows partitioning with GParted (Gnome Partition Editor) - how to avoid moving the boot sector and resize Vista or 7 quickly and easily - the same principles also apply to installing with more recent versions of Ubuntu - GNU GRUB Legacy is installed to MBR

After installing Ubuntu - some things you might want to do,

Post-install Page - Setting up your new operating system and installing software

Command Line Page - A few of my favorite commands - including hardware diagnostics

SSH Network - Set up a secure Linux home network in minutes!

File Systems and Mounting Page - Mounting and care of filesystems

Back Up and Restore - The basics of backing up and restoring in Ubuntu

MBR Page - Master Boot Record Page

GRUB Legacy Page - Boot with GNU/GRUB legacy, the GRand Unified Bootloader

GRUB2 Pages - GNU/GRUB 1.97 - Karmic Koala's great new default boot loader

LiLo Page - Learn how to boot with LiLo the Linux Loader

GAG Page - GAG Boot Manager, a Windows and Linux booting alternative

WinGRUB Page - WinGrub Page (GRUB for Windows), another alternative way to boot

Super Grub Disk Page - When normal booters won't work, you need Super Grub Disk!

TestDisk Page - when all else fails - partition table recovery - file recovery

Disclaimer:
This website contains examples of what I have tried and tested and found to work well on my own machines. Since there are a lot of different computers in the world, it is obvious that some details of the operating system installation process will vary a little between one machine and another. The information on this site is not to be taken as instructions. You may find it handy though, to see how I do things so you can decide how you can do something similar. Just be aware that you will need to use your own common sense and good judgment at all times and make sure whatever you do is appropriate for you and your machine. In particular, the information in this site should not be applied to any Macintosh computers or PCs with any kind of RAID or LVM or special encrypted file systems without expert knowledge and additional specific instructions. Check with your computer manufacturer before doing anything to make sure you don't void any warranties. Neither the author of this website nor the producers of any of the softwares being described on this website can be held responsible for any data loss or damage to any machine, whether electronic, or otherwise, that may be caused by following any of these examples. Use this information at your own risk.
But having said that, malware and virus writers are not very responsible either, so make up your own mind which you'd rather have, GNU/Linux is practically immune from most of those threats. If you use GNU/Linux for all your web browsing and receiving e-mail, you can protect your other operating system from harmful exposure to the internet. At the same time you can learn how to do lots of new tricks that only GNU/Linux operating systems can do. You can avail yourself of hundreds of free software programs and applications too, which would be worth thousands of dollars if you had to pay for them.
Eventually most people end up migrating to Ubuntu Linux as they learn how to use it and realize how much more software with more features and functions they can have at their disposal. GNU/Linux is also much more robust and secure as it is 'out of the box'. We also have the exciting possibilities of being able to learn how to program our own computers and not just depend on others to do everything for us. You are encouraged to modify your software as you please, to best suit your needs.

Other Recommended Websites about Ubuntu
If you enjoyed this website and found it useful, you might also be interested in the following websites too,

Visit Az's UbuntuKnowledge.org
UbuntuKnowledge.og is the central site where you can find an organized collection of links to other popular small personal websites that also provide documentation for Ubuntu.
Find the information you're looking for, written by people who care and want to help you have the best possible experience with Ubuntu and Free Software.

Aysiu's website, Ubuntu Linux Resources.
Features Install Desktop CD Ubuntu , about how to use the 'Desktop' Live/Install CD for installing Ubuntu with. The 'Desktop' CD is generally faster and also easier to use. It features a nice graphical GParted partitioner so you can see what you are doing.
There is also a wealth of other information at aysiu's site for after the install is finished too. Aysiu's site is aimed for helping new Linux users, so everything is well explained.
There is a lot of great information there, experienced users are likely to learn a few things too.

Ubuntu Screencasts.com - Highly Recommended!
There is a free video about using the Ubuntu Alternate CD, Installing Ubuntu Part2. You can see that and others videos about Ubuntu Linux.

UbuntuHCL.org - Ubuntu Hardware Compatibility Site.
Check at UbuntuHCL before you buy computer equipment to see if it's compatible with Ubuntu.
Post details of hardware that you know works okay with Ubuntu to help your fellow Ubuntu users.

Gina's Ubuntu HowTos
Gina's site contains general hints, tips and links on how to install and run Ubuntu Linux. It's concise and easy to understand for beginners.

Michael Godawski's Ubuntu Resources - this is a new site that has a lot of great information already contains a lot of information that other sites have missed.

TIP:
If you have two computers beside each other, it is easy to look at the pages of this site in one computer for help while performing an installation in your other computer.

If you have only one computer, it might be handy to print out one of these web pages so you can refer to it while you are installing. Just click 'File'-> 'Page Setup', and then , 'File'-> Print Preview'. If you are happy with it, click 'Print'. That should work for most browsers.

If these pages come out in color, they might use too much ink, and ink is expensive. You might be able to 'Select all' and copy and paste the text and illustrations only to a Word document, or right click on a page and 'Save Page As' if you like, and remove the background color somehow first before printing anything out.

After Ubuntu is installed, you should add a link for this website to the new computer's Firefox web browser. There are jobs you will want to do right after Ubuntu has been installed that this website can help you with. Most terminal commands shown in this website can be can be copied from this site and pasted right into your own terminal. That can save a lot of typing time and possible typing mistakes. However, please check to see if the command needs to be modified to suit your machine before you press 'enter'.
You might also find some of the links placed in this website very handy to refer to later too.

The advantages of using the 'Alternate' install CD are that more choices are available for people who want to do something special with their install.

With the 'Alternate' Install CD you can,

install Ubuntu in a LUKS fully encrypted file system,
set up Ubuntu with LVM or software RAID,
perform an 'expert' install (for coping with machines with difficult hardware),
install ubuntu as a server, (without any 'GUI' (desktop),
the 'Alternate' CD's partitioner will work in a computer with 128 mb of memory and maybe less.
choose between GRUB and LILO boot loaders, or even install with no boot loader at all,
create pre-configured OEM systems,
set up automated deployments,
upgrade an older installation without network access.

The advantages of using the 'Desktop' live & install CD are

you can try Ubuntu out first with the Live CD to see if you like it first
the installation is easier because it's more 'graphical'
the installation is a little faster in a computer with decent hardware
you can use the 'Desktop' Live CD as a utility disc both before and after the installation - Using your Ubuntu Live CD