I want to build a dual-boot PC with Vista & Linux. Both Vista & Linux have
boot loaders. Why is it necessary to install Windows first? Why can't Linux
be installed first?

I'll admit that Vista has a pretty neat feature - one can shrink or expand
the partition from within Windows. Linux requires a separate program to
shrink or expand the partition.

So, please explain why Windows must be installed before Linux or if Linux
can be installed first, what is the sequence of steps.

Thank you.
David

On Sun, 28 Dec 2008 0601 -0800, pc nerd
<pcnerd@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I want to build a dual-boot PC with Vista & Linux. Both Vista & Linux have
>boot loaders. Why is it necessary to install Windows first? Why can't Linux
>be installed first?

The Linux installation process immediately recognizes a windows
installation and all distributions I tried will automatically insert a
Windows boot-option when you start your system.

Doesn't work the other way round though, Windows won't recognize an
existing Linux installation.

Much easier if you install Windows first so that's my recommendation
as well.

pc nerd wrote:
> I want to build a dual-boot PC with Vista & Linux. Both Vista & Linux have
> boot loaders. Why is it necessary to install Windows first? Why can't Linux
> be installed first?
>
> I'll admit that Vista has a pretty neat feature - one can shrink or expand
> the partition from within Windows. Linux requires a separate program to
> shrink or expand the partition.
>
> So, please explain why Windows must be installed before Linux or if Linux
> can be installed first, what is the sequence of steps.
>
> Thank you.
> David

Because Microsoft in it's monopoly mentality and infinite wisdom decided
that windows does not need to recognize that other operating systems
exist. Ever.

So if you have linux loaded first, and try to load windows, it will
overwrite your boot partition as though it's a blank harddrive (despite
the fact that another OS is installed), thereby disabling your ability
to boot to linux.

If you load windows, then load linux, linux will recognize that there is
another OS installed that you might still also want to boot to and it
will add an entry to it's bootloader to allow you to choose that other
OS when you boot the computer.

--
"Software is like sex, it's better when it's free."
- Linus Torvalds

DRM and unintended consequences:
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/se...35&tag=nl.e101

pc nerd wrote:

> I want to build a dual-boot PC with Vista & Linux. Both Vista & Linux have
> boot loaders. Why is it necessary to install Windows first? Why can't
> Linux be installed first?
>
> I'll admit that Vista has a pretty neat feature - one can shrink or expand
> the partition from within Windows. Linux requires a separate program to
> shrink or expand the partition.
>
> So, please explain why Windows must be installed before Linux or if Linux
> can be installed first, what is the sequence of steps.

You can install Linux first but because MS operating systems overwrite the
boot files, it is easier to install the MS OS first and then install Linux
and use the Linux boot manager instead.

man grub

If you don't want to do things the easy way, Google for how to install Linux
before Vista or post on one of the many Linux newsgroups/forums.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
FAQ - http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

On Sun, 28 Dec 2008 0601 -0800, pc nerd wrote:

> I want to build a dual-boot PC with Vista & Linux. Both Vista & Linux
> have boot loaders. Why is it necessary to install Windows first? Why
> can't Linux be installed first?

It's not necessary. It's just easier that way. MS will overwrite the MBR
so after the MS install (assuming Linux was installed first), you boot a
Live CD and rewrite the MBR - if you know how.

>
> I'll admit that Vista has a pretty neat feature - one can shrink or
> expand the partition from within Windows. Linux requires a separate
> program to shrink or expand the partition.

It has always seemed problematic to me to attempt to resize a mounted
file system.

>
> So, please explain why Windows must be installed before Linux or if
> Linux can be installed first, what is the sequence of steps.

Outlined above. If you need more detail, we can go into that.

Why bother? Why not run one in a virtual machine within the other - that
way it's no hassle at all.


>
> Thank you.
> David