Arch Linux

HappyClown

Member

Registered: 2015-08-15

Posts: 161

[Solved] Dual boot Windows an Linux, installing Linux first?

I've already got my happy, Archlinux setup just the way I want it and it's been like this for just under a year now. I'm beginning to miss some old games that only work on Windows, though, and I just don't want to go through the troubles of having to undo all of my work and redo it just so I can play The Sims 2. What are the consequences of setting up a partition for Windows and installing it for dual boot, even though I'm technically supposed to install Windows first? How can I deal with the consequences?

Last edited by HappyClown (2016-06-22 22:20:19)

eschwartz

Fellow

Registered: 2014-08-08

Posts: 4,097

Re: [Solved] Dual boot Windows an Linux, installing Linux first?

Windows likes to take up the whole hdd (although I believe you can tell it not to), and overwrite the bootloader to boot (sic)...

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Managing AUR repos The Right Way -- aurpublish (now a standalone tool)

HappyClown

Member

Registered: 2015-08-15

Posts: 161

Re: [Solved] Dual boot Windows an Linux, installing Linux first?

Okay, makes sense. I can just reinstall Grub though, right? And I plan on running Win7 on this thing, so I wonder if I can tell it which partition to install on and if it'll respect my boundaries.

Last edited by HappyClown (2016-06-22 21:05:18)

alphaniner

Member

From: Ancapistan

Registered: 2010-07-12

Posts: 2,810

Re: [Solved] Dual boot Windows an Linux, installing Linux first?

If you're doing a BIOS/MBR install, you can partition beforehand and point the installer to the appropriate partition. Just make sure the partition has the correct ID (07). The installer won't modify the p.table at all, but of course it will overwrite the bootcode. The downside is that you won't get the separate recovery partition the Win7 installer creates when installing to an unpartitioned disk.

I don't know if it's possible to do something similar with UEFI/GPT.

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But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist.
-Lysander Spooner

HappyClown

Member

Registered: 2015-08-15

Posts: 161

Re: [Solved] Dual boot Windows an Linux, installing Linux first?

Okay, but I can just reinstall grub, my bootloader?

alphaniner

Member

From: Ancapistan

Registered: 2010-07-12

Posts: 2,810

Re: [Solved] Dual boot Windows an Linux, installing Linux first?

Presumably, but I don't use grub so I don't know the details. You'll need a rescue environment, preferably a recent Arch ISO so you can chroot to your Arch install if necessary.

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But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist.
-Lysander Spooner

HappyClown

Member

Registered: 2015-08-15

Posts: 161

Re: [Solved] Dual boot Windows an Linux, installing Linux first?

Awesome, thanks!

smirky

Member

From: Bulgaria

Registered: 2013-02-23

Posts: 277

Website

Re: [Solved] Dual boot Windows an Linux, installing Linux first?

Theoretically, you do it both ways.
* Either Linux first, then Windows nukes your bootloader, but you won't care because you can easily recreate it and connect the two later.
* Install Windows first and then Linux, using the autodetect tool (os-prober?)

I think the second option is faster though.

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Personal spot  ::  https://www.smirky.net/  ::  Try not to get lost!

Durden

Member

Registered: 2011-06-19

Posts: 261

Re: [Solved] Dual boot Windows an Linux, installing Linux first?

For what its worth, I keep Windows and LInux on seperate drives and I boot using F12 on the keyboard so as to keep my Windows boot sector clean. I use grub on the drive with Linux. Windows has puked on my boot sectors too many times for me to play games with it anymore.