Re: Vista and Linux

On Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 9:55 PM, Michael Sammartano <volinaz@cox.net> wrote:
> Jim,
>
> 1st>> Create restore disks from the windows Start menu. I am quite certain your computer did not come with restore cd/dvd's. If it did ignore this part. Once the restore partition is wiped out you need to request disks from compaq, that can take up to 6 weeks.
>
> 2nd>> Make sure the cd's/dvd boots computer!!
>
> 3rd>>Boot with linux disk or another utility and shrink the ntfs partition. If you use the correct utility, it will move all of the windows data to the new partition for you with out defrag.
>
> 4th>> keep the ntfs partition, do not remove/change the restore partition (should be around 1.5GB. Create new partitions for linux in new empty space. I am preety sure you can do extended partitions, not logical.
>
> 5th>> allow linux to install, choose GRUB boot loader, then try both installs for boot.
>
> Mike
>
>
Two things I want to point out:

1) Vista can resize its own partition and that should really be the
preferred method since Vista will remain happy. So do that right
after making sure you have Vista Restore CD/DVDs. Just go into
computer management and disk management under that. Select the
partition and pick resize from the menu.

2) Before installing Linux, save the MBR (or at least the 1st 446
bytes of it) to some external media so you have a saved copy in case
you need to restore it. This may be particularly important if the OEM
for your system has elected to use some of the new boot processes
Microsoft added ON RELEASE DAY for Vista. These support the trusted
platform concept and among other things check that the MBR is
undisturbed. If your OEM is using them, you may have to restore the
MBR and use the Vista BCDEDIT program to change the registry entries
for the Vista boot menu to invoke grub from there rather than letting
grub replace the MBR.
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