kerbitroy

Ok, so first a bit of background.
My laptop is running Windows 7. The 320GB HDD in the laptop is partitioned into 3 (or 4 if you include the recovery partition) partitions, which are:

• 154GB (Main drive where Windows 7 and programs are installed)
• 78.1GB (For my music)
• 50.5GB (For any other media)

Having seen about the recent release of Ubuntu 9.10, it got me interested in trying it out. After doing some reading on the Ubuntu website, I saw that if you wanted to use 9.10, you needed to first have 9.04 (forgive me if I am mistaken, I'm new to this).

So here's my question.
I am wanting to try out Ubuntu 9.04, and I am aware of the fact that there are several methods of doing this. Which of these would be best?

1. Use a removable drive
   I think I am right in saying that you can use a removable HDD with Windows on it, and when I would want to use Ubuntu, I would unplug the HDD and it would work quite fine without the need for working with bootloaders or anything too complicated. This method wouldn't be open to me at the minute as I do not possess another HDD.
2. Using WUBI
   This method would allow me to install Ubuntu in my current Windows partition. This would probably be the easiest option in my eyes to try it out, but am I right in saying that it wouldn't be as quick as any other method at running?
3. Using the USB method
   I have a 2GB pen drive, would this be an effective method?
4. Dual Booting with Windows 7
   I hear that doing this presents complications with boot managers etc.
5. Formatting to 9.04
   Same for this as dual booting as well?
   
   Yet again, if I've got information wrong, I'm only new!
   

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Slcik

Get Ubuntu 9.10 and dual boot with windows 7, grub should recognize your windows 7.

kerbitroy

I have Ubuntu 9.04 and 9.10 iso's

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Wolfchild

You can just download the 9.10 iso, no need to install 9.04 first.


Although Wubi is an easy way to install Ubuntu, it still uses the Windows partition to save it's files, so if your NTFS partition gets fragmented, Ubuntu slows down too.

Easiest way to go about would be to install Windows 7 first, then install 9.10 after that, Grub2(the bootloader used by Ubuntu) should automatically pick up your Win7 partition and add it to the boot list.

Edit: First post woohoo.

kerbitroy

Have each on a separate partition?

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Lord Xeb

Go and download Ubuntu 9.10 and burn the ISO to a cd

Then insert the CD into your drive and run wubi.

Follow the steps and you will have ubuntu dual-booted on your computer with almost no effort.

This is how I got 3 OSes on my MacBook Pro

Used bootcamp to install windows next to OS X, then used wubi in windows to do a triple boot! But 9.10 has been having some small issues with Grub 2 (which it would give you the Grub 15 error. Not hard to fix and there are TONS of guides on the web of how to do it.). If you encounter any issues, PM me, I can help you out (been running ubuntu for 3 years now)

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Wolfchild

Yeah, the easiest way would be to use the Ubuntu installer to create a fourth partition, as it gives you the option to shrink one of your existing partitions.

Another way would be to run the livecd and use the Gparted partitioning tool (Applications -> System -> Administration -> Partition editor) to create one before you run the installer. It gives you more options than the installer itself.

Jimi

according to the arch repos the latest grub is "grub2 1.97beta3-1" is this the version ubuntu is using? kinda weird seeing ubuntu use a beta boot loader, afterall isn't it all about stable software?

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Wolfchild

According to the official Ubuntu Wiki >>Link<< 1.97~beta3-1ubuntu8 is the bootloader included in versions later than the 9.10 beta. Not sure why they included it if it's still in beta, but I'm guessing it's stable enough for daily use.

Jimi

curious to see if people are going to have trouble installing 9.10 on different types of machines. Not sure why ubuntu would bother, at least wait for a stable grub2 before you go adding it to your latest ubuntu (where the users aren't as savvy)

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