How do I Get my Desktop to run two OS

Palladini

Palladini

New Member
I am not sure if this is right place to post this question.
What I want to do, since I have a heavy duty Video Editing Computer that needs repair, I am wondering, once I get it running, could I run both Windows 7 and Linux, with a screen that comes up on my computer monitor that lets me choose which OS to use on start up or reset switch. I Have 5 Hard drives in my computer, how would I do this?

And Like I say, I have an open slate here. I included a video of what my computer is doing at this point, the Motherboard needs to be replaced, I have pulled everything but the start wires off the motherboard with no change, I have installed another PSU, it does the same thing, Motherboard is toast

Things starts for a second, then dies. the fan on the front is LED, so can see how long power is running, that fan, from start up to shutdown has blue LED light

One thing this video does not show, I have a fan and filter, bolted to the horn that sits on the removable side of the case, that 80 MM fan is blowing filtered air right down to the processor fan The lighted fan, 120 MM, at the front of the case blows in, with a filter on the draw side, cooling my Hard Drives. Then the fan on the back blows out of the case. All fans are controlled by that motherboard for speed.

 
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Yes it's possible to dual boot a computer, where it asks you which OS you want to boot from when you turn it on.

However, I would recommend setting up Linux in a virtual machine under Windows if you primarily plan to use Windows. This would allow you to launch Linux whenever you desire without having to shutdown and restart into Linux. Check into VMWare Player or VirtualBox.
 
I do not think I want go with either VMWare Player or VirtualBox.. I want it to start, then let me choose which OS I want to run. I can put both OS on different Hard drives. What I do knot know, if I do that and press start, will it automatically ask me program to run or do I need a program either written or downloaded that tells the computer to let me choose.
 
Palladini said:
I do not think I want go with either VMWare Player or VirtualBox.
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Suit yourself, most distros will automatically install GRUB into the bootloader so you can choose. If you install Windows second it will overwrite the GRUB bootloader with its own one and not give you an OS choice.

Having used Linux pretty extensively I would second Geoff's suggestion of a VM. You can -instantly- and -concurrently- switch between and use both environments instead of rebooting your entire system for some random utility.

There's a third option of installing Ubuntu on Windows which will give you a bash shell and a lot of Ubuntu dependencies within a more 'native' Windows environment:
http://www.howtogeek.com/249966/how-to-install-and-use-the-linux-bash-shell-on-windows-10/
 
Is there a reason why you do not want to go with a virtual machine? It sounds like you want to play around with both OS's, and a VM not only makes that easier, but in the event you screw something up you can easily restore to a previous state.
 
You can use EasyBCD to modify your boot loader. It is free for personal or non-commercial use.
You install it and run EasyBCD under Windows but you can set it to boot various versions of Windows or Linux.
With EasyBCD you can select a default operating system. The default will load automatically after a set period of time.
If you don't select a default operating system the EasyBCD will prompt you to select which operating system to load.


EasyBCD
http://neosmart.net/EasyBCD/
 
install each OS on a different drive, dont partition a drive and have them both on the same drive for a start.

install them both independently detecting all other Hard Drives as you install each OS, reconnect the additional drives after you have a working OS on each drive, then go on to connecting both OS drives together and go to the BIOS and have a play around, more than likely you will find a boot feature that will allow you to choose which drive you want to select when starting up, worse case scenario is you have to enter the BIOS to re-select the boot drive when you want to switch OS, but its likely you will find a BIOS feature that will give you the option to select which drive you want to boot during the start up.
 
killershark1978 said:
install each OS on a different drive, dont partition a drive and have them both on the same drive for a start.

install them both independently detecting all other Hard Drives as you install each OS, reconnect the additional drives after you have a working OS on each drive, then go on to connecting both OS drives together and go to the BIOS and have a play around, more than likely you will find a boot feature that will allow you to choose which drive you want to select when starting up, worse case scenario is you have to enter the BIOS to re-select the boot drive when you want to switch OS, but its likely you will find a BIOS feature that will give you the option to select which drive you want to boot during the start up.
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You are making things much more complicated than they need to be. EasyBCD gives you a menu at startup to select which operating system to load. You can't get any simpler than that.

You can even modify the boot loader with EasyBCD if needed. For example suppose you reinstall Windows and lose the dual-boot menu. No problem. Just run EasyBCD and add the Linux boot to the menu again.
 
I think I know what I am going to do, once I get a new motherboard (motherboard, processor, Ram) installed in my beast, I am going to install windows 7 pro, EasyBCD and Linux.

The only question left, seeing as I have multiple Hard Drive in my box, do install both OS on one DVD or can put Win 7 on one drive and Linux on a second drive?

Now I know a Windows install wipes the drive clean before installing, so after windows, how do you install the other two, in what order?
 
Geoff said:
Is there a reason why you do not want to go with a virtual machine? It sounds like you want to play around with both OS's, and a VM not only makes that easier, but in the event you screw something up you can easily restore to a previous state.
Click to expand...

Yes, VM's are great for dual booting. This way it's very easy to switch from OS to OS. And file sharing across these operating systems is as easy as drag and drop!
 
Arkstar0 said:
Yes, VM's are great for dual booting. This way it's very easy to switch from OS to OS. And file sharing across these operating systems is as easy as drag and drop!
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So... you are agreeing with me? I was asking why he preferred a dual-boot option instead of VM's. I know why VM's are great.
 
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