[SOLVED]Trying to dual boot -- Not working so well.

Question

I've had arch and windows 7 dual booted before on this computer, but for some reason I cannot seem to replicate my initial steps to success.
My current setup is:
Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142448 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0003b81c
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 208844 104391 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 208845 1269134 530145 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda3 1269135 32001479 15366172+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda4 32001480 625137344 296567932+ 83 Linux
Sda1 = Boot Partition
Sda2 = Swap Space
Sda3 = Root
Sda4 = Home
I'm trying to figure out how to add Windows 7 to this.  Now, one thing I have tired was to delete my home partition,  create an extended partition that would include space for a windows 7 install and another home partition.
Basically split sda4 into two logical partitions.
That works fine, I can reboot into arch linux and change the UUID in the fstab table to point to my new home directory, but on installing Windows 7 I have to have another partition for the 100mb sys reserve.
Can I make 3 logical paritions in the current sda4 setup?  Then just have windows install to those two locations?
Last edited by Si1v3r (2011-08-25 21:17:01)

Answer 1

Inxsible wrote:
I am not sure Windows 7 can be installed in an extended partition. It requires primary. also, it tends to create a 100 MB hidden partition for system files which probably needs to be primary as well. So right of the bat, you need to spare 2 primary partitions for Windows. You can however move your Arch install in an extended.
take my advice, install Windows first and then re-install Arch. It'd be a lot easier.
Windows MUST be installed to a primary partition.
To successfully install Windows on the same disc as an existing Arch / Linux installation you will want to pre-create an Primary NTFS partition right at the front of the drive (to prevent Windows greedily using 2 of your total 4 primary partitions) and flag all you Linux partitions as "hidden" so the Windows installer cannot "see" them - this can be checked from the windows setup before committing to anything. Once Windows is installed you can the unflag the hidden linux partition and start re-establishing Arch. I can be done but it is time consuming and very easy to get badly wrong.
This really is no mean feat as you will need to be familiar with moving partitions with gparted (from a liveCD), flagging partitions as hidden, reinstalling and reconfiguring grub etc etc.
As inxsible says - it is easier (and quicker) to wipe your drive and install Windows 1st.
Back up all your data onto dvd / ext usb, copy across any custom rc.conf etc files that have been tweaked along the way to somewhere safe - boot into a live ISO and nuke away. If you create your windows partition in advance you will only use 1 primary partition as stated above - leave it to the windows installer and you lose 2 to windows
I would also suggest creating an extended partition and your logical partition layout for Arch from a liveCD / gparted once Windows is installed to smooth the Arch install process.
If your previous Arch was installed from the old ISO - now would be a good time to grab the new one
Last edited by satanselbow (2011-08-25 09:25:25)