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#1 2010-08-04 20:47:50

normal2
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Registered: 2010-04-03
Posts: 43
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Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

Okay, after I installed Arch on my laptop, I didn't mind that I will need Windows 7 so I used "Auto prepare hard drive" option.
I messed up my partitions trying to re-size  my /home one and I again had to reinstall arch, but this time with free space for windows 7

Then, when I finally decided to install Windows 7, it didn't even want to install on free space I left for it!!!
The "Install on this drive" button was all gray even though there is more than enough free space since it was unallocated. Soon I discovered that the problem was in number of partitions.


So I decided to install Win7 first and then Arch Linux. I deleted all the partitions I had and It installed.

You have to note that I always use the NET install because it is faster than the need of full system update. The NET install takes for about 2-3 hours with my internet.

Minutes ago I booted Arch Live CD and used the manual partition method. I added swap and home partition, and I was about to add / one, but I was not able to because there is no "New" option available!!


Anyone has a tutorial on dualbooting win7 with arch?

Thanks!

Last edited by normal2 (2010-08-04 20:49:20)


Implode.

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#2 2010-08-04 20:52:57

Inxsible
Forum Fellow
From: Chicago
Registered: 2008-06-09
Posts: 9,183

Re: Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

google about Primary and Extended or Logical Partitions.

You can have a max of 4 Primary. Windows mandates a primary partition. Linux can be installed in either. The reason you are getting a "greyed" out button is probably because you are trying to create more than 4 primary partitions.


Also read our Beginners Guide on the wiki.


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There's no such thing as a stupid question, but there sure are a lot of inquisitive idiots !

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#3 2010-08-09 15:43:36

nXqd
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Registered: 2010-07-01
Posts: 173
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Re: Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

I do config my dual boot W7 + Arch a month ago smile
sda1: 50Gb W7 [ NTFS ]
sda2: /boot/ 100Mb [ ext ]
sda3: /root/ + swap : 10Gb [ext 4]
sda4: 440Gb data for both [ NTFS ]

Minutes ago I booted Arch Live CD and used the manual partition method. I added swap and home partition, and I was about to add / one, but I was not able to because there is no "New" option available!!

You can only have max 4 primary partitions, windows partition must live on primary but linux doesn't need to , it live happily in extended smile


When you live for a strong purpose, then hard work isn't an option. It's a necessity. - Steve Pavlina
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#4 2010-08-13 11:54:37

alkeson
Member
Registered: 2010-08-12
Posts: 4

Re: Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

For using the dual boot first of all install the windows 7 and insert the arch Linux CD/DVD and boot go in the custom install there you select the partition i which you want to install make the swap of 1 GB not more as it may not be required. But make the Linux partition bigger which will also help in the performance of your system. When the installation is finish just restart, now you will be having the Dual boot option.

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#5 2010-08-15 15:05:52

valium97582
Member
Registered: 2010-06-19
Posts: 126

Re: Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

And remember, ALWAYS install Windows 7 first, or it will complain like crazy! Windows does not like being the last one smile .


I'm also known as zmv on IRC.

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#6 2010-08-15 15:24:48

hokasch
Member
Registered: 2007-09-23
Posts: 1,461

Re: Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

Installing win7 after arch is rather unproblematic. All you need to do manually afterwards is to reinstall grub to the MBR and add an entry for Windows. Works flawlessly here.

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#7 2010-09-08 16:36:41

jukkan
Member
Registered: 2010-09-08
Posts: 39

Re: Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

I did it yesterday successfully. You absolutely can't use the auto-prepare option in the setup, instead choose the manual preparation. It was pretty straightforward by following the documentation.

In cfgdisk, create 1 primary partition and after it 2 logical partitions as the documentation states.

If your Windows partition is the only partition before installing Arch, grub thinks it's /dev/sda1. The primary partition after it will be /dev/sda2 and the logical partitions /dev/sda5 and /dev/sda6.

Then create the mount points. At this stage I got some error message but all went smoothly anyway. If you also get the "block error", just ignore it and press yes. Then select dev and create the mount points as the documentation states.

Most important part is to install the grub bootloader to /dev/sda (sda as in without any number suffix). After installing, grub's config file is automatically opened for you to edit. Take the comment flags out of the Windows section in the bottom, save, exit and you're good to go.

Last edited by jukkan (2010-09-08 16:38:11)

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#8 2010-09-08 17:01:54

yejun
Member
Registered: 2009-10-21
Posts: 66

Re: Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

Or use EasyBCD in windows to boot linux.

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#9 2010-09-12 06:16:46

kpbotbot
Member
From: Philippines
Registered: 2010-08-02
Posts: 93
Website

Re: Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

yejun wrote:

Or use EasyBCD in windows to boot linux.

That's possible? I used to use EasyBCD with XP and 7, but I didn't see any Linux options. Thanks for the idea big_smile


Sex is not the answer.

Sex is the question, and Yes is the answer.

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#10 2010-09-12 08:53:10

sand_man
Member
From: Australia
Registered: 2008-06-10
Posts: 2,164

Re: Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

I used to have a Windows 7 computer at my old job. I hated it but needed to keep it on the computer so I installed OpenSolaris to another partition. I used EasyBCD to boot into OpenSolaris. In reality all it really does is pass control over to GRUB which was installed on the osol partition.
In the end it's easier to just install grub to the MBR if you can. The Windows boot loader can't boot anything that's not Windows (what a shocker).


neutral

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#11 2010-09-15 17:23:59

canuckkat
Member
Registered: 2009-08-28
Posts: 44

Re: Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

I've never used EasyBCD, but I've been dualbooting arch with win 7 for over a year and I've had no problems (except for once the grub install got corrupted, but since i have a separate boot partition, all it needed was another install hehe).

Oh, don't use grub2 if you want simplicity. That way you can backup the menu.lst file so that you don't have to re-create it every time you re-install grub.

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#12 2013-11-21 22:51:03

Plex3000
Member
Registered: 2013-11-21
Posts: 1

Re: Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

nXqd wrote:

I do config my dual boot W7 + Arch a month ago smile
sda1: 50Gb W7 [ NTFS ]
sda2: /boot/ 100Mb [ ext ]
sda3: /root/ + swap : 10Gb [ext 4]
sda4: 440Gb data for both [ NTFS ]

How did you partition sda3 so that you could have /root + swap in the same partition?
And I'm sorry I'm kinda new in all of this... all of your sda's (1-4) are Primary?
Then, sda3 has 2 extended partitions, one for /root and one for swap? Is it like this?
I hope you can answer and explain this in detail, thanks in advance!

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#13 2013-11-21 22:59:08

alphaniner
Member
From: Ancapistan
Registered: 2010-07-12
Posts: 2,810

Re: Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

nXqd hasn't been active in a while, so I'll hazard a guess: he was probably using a swap file.

Also, necrobumping is frowned upon.


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

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#14 2013-11-21 23:05:14

fukawi2
Ex-Administratorino
From: .vic.au
Registered: 2007-09-28
Posts: 6,217
Website

Re: Windows 7 + Arch Linux (dualboot) = hell!

alphaniner wrote:

Also, necrobumping is frowned upon.

Closing.

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