Linux mint

[artie]

A number of years ago I installed ubuntu alongside windows xp.

It was simple and at boot up I could pick which one to use.

I didn't get on well with it and uninstalled it.

I have taken another notion to rid myself of the great Satan which is windows and have downloaded Linux mint, but it doesn't appear quite so simple.

Is anyone running a dual boot with 8.1 and mint.?

 

[mseries]

I am running Mint 17.2 alongside Windows7 dual boot. Not all Live CD versions of Mint/Ubuntu have worked on some of my older laptops so perhaps it's this that's your problem - the live CD doesn't have the right drivers to start up the video. However I suspect it's the computer and secure boot and/or UEFI. I have never had the misfortune of having to wrestle with those, it's not a blocker though other people have gotten past it, I suggest searching on the Linux Mint (http://forums.linuxmint.com/index.php forum and/or posting for advice there, they are very helpful.

 

[toast]

ive never had a problem with lmde= debian edition,
i think 17.2 is based on ubuntu, which desktop version did you go for?

 

[artie]

It's mint 17.2 but it doesn't give the option to install it alongside windows like ubuntu did.

I will peruse the mint forum and see what I can pick up.

It is pretty good just running it from the disc, it picked up all necessary drivers and even configured the printer without drama.

 

[toast]

it should give you the option to partition the drive on install so you can install it to that partition and then you choose which system to boot at the grub boot menu?
if it doesnt, i seem to remember one o/s i tried didnt, then just install a partition manager on windows and create a partition from there and then boot and install from the mint disk to that new partition.

 

[monkeybiter]

I've gone from 100% MS to 67% Linux in the last couple of months. Achieving dual booting with 8.1 and Mint Mate 17.1 took some doing due to UEFI. I can't remember the exact solution but I think I ended up using Mint in 'legacy' boot mode, selecting 8.1 from the BIOS boot menu.
The reason I'm not sure/don't remember is that the dual boot machine is the living room laptop which is used for casual browsing and media viewing. I've had no need or desire to revert to 8.1 since successful installation of Mint. I've since installed Mint as the sole OS on a desktop machine.
Persevere, it will be worth it.

 

[toast]

monkeybiter have you tried out kodi media centre on linux, you can stream the latest tv/movies and watch u.s tv series before we get them over here.
if you do try it, install the fusion repository and the hubwizard addon.

 

[monkeybiter]

Will investigate that, thanks!

 

[DrPhill]

I am running Linux Mint 17.2/mate on a machine that can dual boot into win8.1.

I installed the Linux onto a machine (Dell) that came with win8.1.

I had no difficulties, though you have to pick the right path through the install.

Make sure that windows is shut down. By default it goes into this odd mode where it is ready for a fast start-up. Even when you tell it to shut down. In that state it does something uncooperative to the boot sector.

It also does something nasty to the boot sector if it has (been) shut down to install some (more broody) updates.

PITA.

If you need some more help, just pm me and we will take it off the forum. I only know about Mint, and probably only with the Mate desktop as well, but I am happy to help.
Or there are the amazingly helpful Linux Mint forums - if it takes more than 24 hours to sort your problem there I would be very surprised.

 

[artie]

Thanks guys but it turns out, like most things, it's easy when you know how.

If there is nowhere on the HD to put it then it doesn't offer the option of dual install.

So I had to shrink the HD and leave some "unallocated space".

Then when I run the disc "magically" I get the option to dual install.

So now I am using mint and will probably spend the evening exploring.

 

[mseries]

Ace ! When I tried to resize mine, I had to do a bit of housekeeping in the brand new Windows to have release most of the space.

 

[DrPhill]

Thanks guys but it turns out, like most things, it's easy when you know how.

If there is nowhere on the HD to put it then it doesn't offer the option of dual install.

So I had to shrink the HD and leave some "unallocated space".

Then when I run the disc "magically" I get the option to dual install.

Excellent. That makes sense. I always use the 'something else' option which can resize partitions. Its probably a little unfair on windows to resize its partiton when it is not looking. It certainly bitches about it when it next starts. Last time I did the co-install I found that windows has an option to shrink its disk usage which was far quicker and friendlier than doing it from outside.

I usually create a partition for my home directory/ies, and one for the OS and one for swap, hence my use of 'something else' option.

So now I am using mint and will probably spend the evening exploring.

Lots of good stuff for free in the app-store-equivalent. If you want a good time waster try Wesnoth. DAMHIKT.

 

[artie]

I usually create a partition for my home directory/ies, and one for the OS and one for swap, hence my use of 'something else' option.

I tried to use the "something else" option. so that I could have windows and mint each standing alone, with a separate utility

providing the switch between. I can't remember it's name now, but had to give up and go with the pre packaged option.

It's working well so far.

 

[Eric The Viking]

It's all down to the applications you run, in the end.

I am running a "no-Win" Xubuntu configuration, on two machines (one is still dual boot, but not used that way in six months), and one more plain Ubuntu server.

I can use Sketchup 2015 under Wine, and have Linux native apps for most other things now. The final missing piece for me was Blender for proper video editing - it makes my head hurt learning it, but it works. I also have a big Wacom drawing tablet working really well, including all the custom settings for pen and button behavior.

The only annoyance is AfterShot (proprietary, from Corel Corp.) for photo workflow: I've used it for years and like it, but the 64-bit version won't run (32-bit is unstable but usable). Although it's Corel's problem, as bits that crashed under XP also do so in native xubuntu and the same GUI bugs are there, it's also true that Nvidia graphics chipsets are generally better supported than AMD/ATI.

IIRC, Mint is another Debian strain of Linux, so very similar video code, probably: you might bump into similar problems. I am considering swapping my graphics card to a Nvidia chipset one, which might fix many niggles.

On the whole, it's wonderful to be finally free of Microsoft, after 30 years!

E.

 

[DrPhill]

I usually create a partition for my home directory/ies, and one for the OS and one for swap, hence my use of 'something else' option.

I tried to use the "something else" option. so that I could have windows and mint each standing alone, with a separate utility providing the switch between. I can't remember it's name now, but had to give up and go with the pre packaged option.

I think the utility is GRUB, and you are probably using it anyway.

In case you are interested, GRUB is a small program that sits at the start of your hard drive. When the hardware has started it fires up the first program on the disk (in this case GRUB) which is responsible for loading the operating system. Windows has its own bootloader which only loads windows.

So when you installed Linux, it put GRUB where the windows loader was, so you get a choice.

It's working well so far.

Excellent - exactly my experience. Enjoy.

 

[toast]

another way to use windows progs instead of using wine is to install virtualbox, you can install windows inside that, or any other o/s.