Linux Installing linux over Windows 7 on a single partition

A

amd3000

Disciple
Hi, Friends

I have a single partition on which windows 7 is already installed ( genuine ) i don't have the restore or image of this windows with me which came preinstalled with Dell.

Now, the question is i want to installed Linux over windows and i don't have a separate partition for that .. can i still install linux and what will be worst case when something bad happens and can will it be repairable.

Please Linux gurus help... due to work restrictions i can't stop using windows though i still like to work on linux whenever i can.

Thanx in advance

Akshay
 
Re: Installing iinux over Windows 7 on a single partition

If you don't have separate partition create one your self; all Linux distro allow you to create on the fly partitions.

#Most probably current file system on your disk will be NTFS and Linux doesn't support installation on NTFS. In this the only option that will allow you to use Linux is virtual machines.

# In case if you have FAT32 on your disk, there may few be tricks which allows you to install Linux on same partition having windows. But keep in mind FAT32 doesn't support file journaling meaning if anything goes wrong like data corruption your system will not be able to recover them.
 
Re: Installing iinux over Windows 7 on a single partition

Thanx 47shailesh, for early reply... yes i am using windows 7 which uses ntfs partitioning... well...thats what i thought..though i like linux a lot... still cut go fully on linux due to some restrictions as some of the office apps only works with windows and only support.. IE.. it make my heart go sad as i work in one of the best org in the world having this vast infra but still very limited support for linux :(

--- Updated Post - Automerged ---

i wonder, can i use PD for linux but not live cd as though it works just fine but it won't give me performance which is my first priority otherwise i can use linux in vmware just fine. If it can give me same performance that a HDD can provide i can invest in 16gig PD for just using Linux :)
 
Re: Installing iinux over Windows 7 on a single partition

Well don't feel that way, Organisation are requirement driven, infra is usually bloated in areas which suits requirement but squeezed otherwise.

Like I said if you just want to use Linux once in a while download MS VPC and install Ubuntu and use both OS simultaneously. Else use bootable ubuntu USB/disk to partition and install Linux.
 
Yes, the best approach would be to use WUBI and install Ubuntu. Performance loss is minor but you can get a feel of Linux.
 
Thnx, Friend for replying... but still i have this one question.. How much will be the performance drop..? I mean what will i loose if i go for wubi? What i know and according to my information wubi is just another form of virtualizaion and it will work almost same as Vmware is working right now... some plus and minus??
 
ayanavish said:
Yes, the best approach would be to use WUBI and install Ubuntu. Performance loss is minor but you can get a feel of Linux.
Click to expand...

one does not need to install ubuntu to get a feel of linux, just boot into live cd and the purpose is fulfilled.

Ubuntu installation gives you an option to manage the space on its own, it will resize the partition and create one for itself alongside.

boot options will be taken care of by grub2.

you can do all this manually too but that requires 3rd party tools and patience along with caution.
 
amd3000 said:
Thnx, Friend for replying... but still i have this one question.. How much will be the performance drop..? I mean what will i loose if i go for wubi? What i know and according to my information wubi is just another form of virtualizaion and it will work almost same as Vmware is working right now... some plus and minus??
Click to expand...

No, its not like virtualization.

You will have slightly slower HDD performance, but thats it.

Basically, it creates a file on your HDD which acts as the partition instead of having to risk your partition tables

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madnav said:
one does not need to install ubuntu to get a feel of linux, just boot into live cd and the purpose is fulfilled.
Click to expand...

Live CD's arent persistent by default, and performance is quite bad.

A better way is to use wubi to get comfortable with Ubuntu.

Later you can do a full install

--- Updated Post - Automerged ---

Also, with wubi, uninstalling it if you need to will be as easy as uninstalling a windows program.
 
My suggestion will be that while in windows, you use a hdd partition software like partition magic or Acronis disk manager (preferable) to create a new blank partition from the free space of your existing Windows partition.

After this install boot from linux cd and install linux on newly created partition and run your computer in dual boot. Am I missing anything here?
 
You want to work with Linux then use wubi .... It installs Ubuntu and creates a dual boot it will be better than virtual machine in performance and by lot. Only thing you will compromise is the disk speed as mentioned earlier.

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