# Is It Possible To Install Linux over Windows ??



## dr911 (Sep 21, 2005)

Hey All,
I've got 2 PC's....1 with 98se & the other with XP-Pro. My question is...Is it possible to install Linux (Ubunta) with any windows system ? I have plenty of room on my HD. And when I did, should I back-up all my files on the windows system ??

Thanks,


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## Old Bob (Dec 18, 2004)

dr911,

Don't know what you mean by "Install Linux over Windows" ???

You can install "most" Linux distros as a "dual-boot" along with Win98SE. 

The other choice is, boot up on the Linux CD and when the installation comes to "partitioning steps" choose "Use ENTIRE drive", this will "write over and remove" Win98SE.


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## dr911 (Sep 21, 2005)

Thanks for the quick responds...Old Bob.......but (I must be losing my mind....I need a vacation) ..What do you mean by dual-boot ??


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## tsunam (Sep 14, 2003)

dual-boot equals the ability to boot both linux and windows on the same machine..just not at the same time.


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## dr911 (Sep 21, 2005)

Thanks tsunam & Old Bob !!!


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## saikee (Jun 11, 2004)

There are a few distros, for example Topologilinux and CoLinux, that are designed to be installed "inside" Windows with limited capability. This type of distros gives a taste of Linux like only its Bash shell and invariably not a full-feature system. Such distros are managed by Windows.

A full blown distro like Ubuntu is meant to be installed as a competitor to Windows and has to be housed in its own partition (or partitions) within a hard disk.

There is also virtual machine software that acts as a manager in Windows to host a couple of full Linux distros. However the Linux are run concurrently but separately along side with Windows. 

Dual-boot is the ability of an OS to boot another system in addition to its own. NT versions of Windows, Win2k and XP for examples, are all capable of "multi-boot". 

Linux is much more advance in its ability to "multi-boot" because it was designed to fit in with any existing PC system. I would say one needs 1/10 of the effort to produce 10 times the performance when using Linux to dual boot Windows than the other way round. 

As an example if you have a couple of empty partitions to installed Ubuntu then on completion of its installation you should find it dual booting XP or Win98 already. Ubuntu can boot all the operatings systems for you if you install them in the same box


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## Mike46 (Jul 6, 2005)

I have not done this but I know the guys that do so if you are interested in this here is some information on PenDriveLinux

This walkthrough will illustrate how to install a SLAX Linux compilation to a USB stick through windows. You'll need the following:

128MB or Larger USB stick 
HP USB tool (for formatting the stick) 
A Live Slackware Linux compilation (Slax 5.0.6 was used in this demo) 
Winrar (or another ISO extracting application) 
Syslinux V2.11 (other versions may not work)

For more installation intructions you can visit this site

http://antigeeksquad.com/slax.html

http://pendrivelinux.com/pdlforum/


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## fenderfreek (Mar 14, 2006)

"The other choice is, boot up on the Linux CD and when the installation comes to "partitioning steps" choose "Use ENTIRE drive", this will "write over and remove" Win98SE."

ftw


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