How to install Mint alongside Windows?

[JeremyPoynton]

Hi,

I'm intending to install Mint in the next few days, and have been looking at the user guide. FYI, I'm very experienced with windows (since 3.1), have some Unix, enough to have the basic concepts, and am an ex software guy who has been out of the business for 8 years or so. Used to work on library systems installed at libraries such as Oxford Uni, Trinity College Dublin and the National Library of Wales (all with huge and complex databases) . So I'm reasonably technically proficient, very much so WRT Windows. Am currently using Windows 7, but am not inclined to move to 8, 8.1 or 10, as they seem to bind you more and more to MS, and I really do NOT like the Metro interface.

Anyway - it seems to me that the user manual has no instructions on installing MINT onto the spare space on an existing partition. There are instructions on how to install it onto a dedicated hard disk, but the manual says nothing on using spare space, other than that you can do it.

I have an OCZ Vertex SSD, 60Gb, of which 40Gb is dedicated to W7 (data files on another (SATA) drive), so 9 have 20Gb spare. I'd like to leave 5Gb spare for the drive, using 15Gb for Mint. Once I'm happy with Mint, and once I am happy I can find equivalent programs to the ones I use all the time on Windows (mostly audio file handling - I have a huge music library), then I'll move fully to Mint.

So - given that the manual does not address installing into free space, is there anything I need to know about this?

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
System Manufacturer Shuttle
System Model SX38
System Type x64-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q8400 @ 2.66GHz, 2133 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 4 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG, 16/12/2008
SMBIOS Version 2.5
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 8.00 GB (2 x 4Gb - ddr2)
Total Physical Memory 8.00 GB

ATI Radeon HD 4350
22" Acer DVI monitor.

[karlchen]

Hello, JeremyPoynton.

Welcome to the Linux Mint forum.

The 2 most important pieces of advice:

1. Before adding a second operating system to a machine where there is already an operating system and a lot of valuable data, too, do not waste time on wondering whether you should create a backup beforehand. Instead simply do it. Create a system backup. And backup all your data. Better safe than sorry.
2. Whenever the Linux Mint installer offers to decide where to install on your behalf, do not allow it to do so. Select the option "something else" instead. It is the only option which will give you full control on what is going to happen to your disk partitions.

I guess that this illustrated instruction on how to add Linux Mint to an existing Windows system might be for you: Guide To Install Linux Mint 17 & 16 In Dual Boot With Windows.
I am sure I do not have to tell you, but of course the device names which you will see in the linked instruction, may differ from the device names on your machine.

Good luck.
Karl

[JeremyPoynton]

Hello, JeremyPoynton.

Welcome to the Linux Mint forum.

The 2 most important pieces of advice:

1. Before adding a second operating system to a machine where there is already an operating system and a lot of valuable data, too, do not waste time on wondering whether you should create a backup beforehand. Instead simply do it. Create a system backup. And backup all your data. Better safe than sorry.
2. Whenever the Linux Mint installer offers to decide where to install on your behalf, do not allow it to do so. Select the option "something else" instead. It is the only option which will give you full control on what is going to happen to your disk partitions.

I guess that this illustrated instruction on how to add Linux Mint to an existing Windows system might be for you: Guide To Install Linux Mint 17 & 16 In Dual Boot With Windows.
I am sure I do not have to tell you, but of course the device names which you will see in the linked instruction, may differ from the device names on your machine.

Good luck.
Karl

Thanks! That's an excellent guide and should be added to the production user guide IMHO.

I have a nightly OS & dadta backup schedule, and as an inveterate tinkerer, always do a one off system backup before any exploratory installations!

[Pierre]

use the disc manager within your win 7 to shrink back that NTFS partition that you wish to install Mint onto.
- reboot win 7 & allow it's scan-disk to run, if necessary.

reboot again - this time with the Mint live_disc
& then, using the < now > free space - start at step five - in that guide. ..

[JeremyPoynton]

use the disc manager within your win 7 to shrink back that NTFS partition that you wish to install Mint onto.
- reboot win 7 & allow it's scan-disk to run, if necessary.

reboot again - this time with the Mint live_disc
& then, using the < now > free space - start at step five - in that guide. ..

Yes. I've shrunk the windows partition already - just needed to check out the steps needed for installing in free space, which the guide linked to above does perfectly.

Cheers
JP

[Mark Phelps]

Just so you know, AMD dropped Linux driver support for your video card last year, so now, you will be relegated to using the default Radeon drivers. This should not present a problem with 2D graphics, but you won't be able to do any Gaming using that video card in any Mint version newer than 13.

[JeremyPoynton]

Just so you know, AMD dropped Linux driver support for your video card last year, so now, you will be relegated to using the default Radeon drivers. This should not present a problem with 2D graphics, but you won't be able to do any Gaming using that video card in any Mint version newer than 13.

No, that's fine. Not a gamer, gave up in the early 80s when the kiddy programmers at work beat me at Pacman in the pub As long as I can get a good clear display, that's all I need. I'm hoping next year to upgrade, so it's not a show stopper. Thanks

[shawn.leftwich]

I had a problem when it came to dual booting Windows and Linux. Just remember to

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install grub2

after your in mint

[JeremyPoynton]

Thanks - tho' I had no problem; the dual boot worked first time, and happily preserved the dual boot I have within Windows, so to speak (I have an option to run my recovery program on booting windows).

[shawn.leftwich]

Thanks - tho' I had no problem; the dual boot worked first time, and happily preserved the dual boot I have within Windows, so to speak (I have an option to run my recovery program on booting windows).

That's good to hear. I'm glad you were more fortunate than I was haha.