How To Install Linux Mint On Windows 7

Dualbooting Windows 7 And Linux Mint 12

Version 1.0
Author: Christian Schmalfeld <c [dot] schmalfeld [at] projekfarm [dot] de>
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Dualbooting means having installed two operating systems on one hard disk and being able to kicking from any of them. This tutorial will explicate how to install Linux Mint 12 aslope Windows 7 - the procedure however should exist the same for all Ubuntu based distributions and but slightly different for every other.

I do non issue whatsoever guarantee that this volition piece of work for you lot!

1 Preliminary Notation

Installing multiple operating systems involves the partition of your hard disks (each operating system needs its own partition, a seperate office of the hard disk) - this tin can crusade impairment or file loss if you practice not know what you are doing. Therefore back up the files of the existing operating system on an external medium earlier you proceed with sectionalisation.

2 Freeing Hard Disk Space

If you want to install both operating systems on ane hard disk, you need to partition information technology offset. Most probable your Windows seven installation will accept up all infinite on your disk by default and even if not all of this space is used, information technology nonetheless is assigned to the Windows OS. Therefore you first have to shrink the extent of Windows on your HDD. Enter partitions into the Windows 7 search bar and open the Create and format hard disk partitions tool:

The entries you will exist shown in the Volume cavalcade are your difficult disks' partitions. By default, your computer's hard disk is either ane large division or it is already divided into two parts, 1 smaller boot/system division and 1 file partition. In my example I accept one large file partition and a much smaller boot sectionalisation. If your primary division still has plenty Free Space left, it is possible to shrink it and install another operating system on the hard disk. To do that, right-click it and select Shrink Volume...:

You will take to wait a short time for your organization to scan the disk for the possible amount to compress:

After y'all will be shown a menu where you tin give the size of the infinite that shall exist made unallocated, this is the space that will be available for your second operating system afterwards. Click on Compress to initiate the process:

After shrinking, the graphical view of the hard disk'southward partitions will have changed and you will see the unallocated space on it. You could now create a new partitioning by right-clicking the space and clicking New Simple Volume..., but in instance of installing a Linux system it is recommended to let the OS installer practice the formatting because of the correct file system format. Therefore, information technology is now fourth dimension to insert your installation medium and install your second operating organisation.