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Rome5 · 12-31-2008, 05:41 PM

The advantage would only exist if you're booting Vista, XP, and Linux. Dual booting Windows; as long as the latest version is installed last, will be as easy as what you found. Include a Linux os system in that configuration and things get a bit harder (your link is meant for Windows/Windows dual booting). Vista won't detect a Linux os and allow you to boot it so you would still need to install a separate boot loader. Allowing grub to handle it for you simplifies the process because grub will detect Windows OSs and it's setup for you during the Linux install.

Also know that if you let grub handle the booting process for all operating systems, you won't have to reinstall Ubuntu simply because Vista or XP need to be reinstalled. Grub is separate from the Linux operating system. It can be uninstalled and reinstalled at any time without reinstalling linux entirely.

Adding a separate '/boot' partition when installing Ubuntu will allow you to boot your other operating systems even if Ubuntu fails.

12-31-2008, 05:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
Rome5 Alternative Computing Team Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Denver.CO Posts: 311 OS: Arch linux	Re: Using Vista and XP with Unbutu The advantage would only exist if you're booting Vista, XP, and Linux. Dual booting Windows; as long as the latest version is installed last, will be as easy as what you found. Include a Linux os system in that configuration and things get a bit harder (your link is meant for Windows/Windows dual booting). Vista won't detect a Linux os and allow you to boot it so you would still need to install a separate boot loader. Allowing grub to handle it for you simplifies the process because grub will detect Windows OSs and it's setup for you during the Linux install. Also know that if you let grub handle the booting process for all operating systems, you won't have to reinstall Ubuntu simply because Vista or XP need to be reinstalled. Grub is separate from the Linux operating system. It can be uninstalled and reinstalled at any time without reinstalling linux entirely. Adding a separate '/boot' partition when installing Ubuntu will allow you to boot your other operating systems even if Ubuntu fails. Last edited by Rome5; 12-31-2008 at 05:43 PM.