[ubuntu-uk] Question on dual-booting 11.04 and Windows 7

[alan c]

On 05/07/11 17:16, Gordon Burgess-Parker wrote:
> Hi.
> I'm looking to dual-boot Windows 7 and 11.04.
> My current setup is as follows:
> Windows 7 and programs on C with 28GB free space, data on D with 9 GB free.
> My question is this - I have many times created a dual boot by manually 
> adjusting partitions, but can anyone explain precisely what the "Install 
> side by side" option in the installer actually DOES? How would it 
> install for example on my current setup?

The side by side option chooses a hard drive (and a) partition and
offers to resize it. often in this option there will be a slider to
allow you to modify the space offered.
It will then create an extended partition in the new space and  within
it then create two logical partitions, a system and a swap partition.
I do not know  what happens if an extended partition already exists.
The side by side facility is probably not intended for complex situations.

1) Some vendors have already created all four primary partitions. If
this is in your machine, you will not see a side by side option I
believe, there will be no new partition available.

2) My understanding is that both vista and windows 7 are likely to
place system files at the end of the partition, which means that a
third party partition editor (such as gparted, as used in Ubuntu etc)
may resize the partitons ok, but you may find that the windows file
system is damaged. It may be repairable I expect, I am not sure. A
frequent reccommendation is to let vista or windows 7 resize its own
partition first, using its own tools. The disadvantage of this is that
it may not release as much HD space as you may want.

3) Consider and prepare for a reinstall or full recovery if things go
badly for you, just in case.

-- 
alan cocks
Ubuntu user