For many PC users, the question of installing multiple operating systems on one computer remains open. Meanwhile, the operating systems of the Microsoft and Ubuntu families are not difficult to install: they do not conflict with each other and provide the user with more options.
Many have heard about the conflict of operating systems from Ubuntu and Microsoft. Modern versions of operating systems allow you to avoid problems when working alternately on both operating systems, as well as make the installation process easy and fast. Whereas in the past, mastering Linux required time to learn the peculiarities of working in a new environment, with the advent of more advanced graphical shells, even a beginner without deep knowledge of the features of operating the OS through the command line will be able to install it.
Preparing the hard drive
Although at the moment there are many programs for installing different operating systems on one disk partition, this is not recommended. Ubuntu does well on dedicated logical partitions, which should be done first.
If you cleanly install Ubuntu and Windows on a computer that does not have an operating system, you can use the GParted utility to partition the hard drive into logical partitions - it is included in the standard software set of the Ubuntu distribution, which can be booted from disk. After entering the operating system, you need to call the command line and enter the command gksu gparted. The program has an intuitive interface and allows you to divide your hard drive into logical partitions. One partition can be left for storing information: access to it will be possible from any OS, so the file system should be selected based on the user's needs. To install Ubuntu, you need two logical partitions: a swap partition, formatted in SWAP and having a size of 1024 MB, and a partition for Linux files with the EXT4 file system and an arbitrary size of 20 GB and above. With the same utility, you can select the system partition for installing Windows, but there is no need to format it.
If Windows is already preinstalled on your computer, you can also use Gparted to partition the hard drive. However, the Windows7 system utility for working with hard drives will be much more convenient and familiar to the user. To start it, open the Control Panel and select the “Computer Management” service in the “Administrative Tools” menu item. In the left menu of the program, you need to open the "Disk Management" tab and perform the necessary operations. Before dividing a particular disk partition, you need to save important information and defrag the partition itself.
Installing Ubuntu
Installing Ubuntu follows the standard scenario. First, the installer will confirm the configuration of the computer and the presence of an Internet connection, then the system will automatically detect the disks suitable for installing the OS. The user can only confirm the correct choice and wait for the unpacking of the system files.
Installing Windows
Installing Windows shouldn't be a problem either. There will be no confusion with the many partitions created, since the Windows Installer simply does not see partitions with file systems other than NTFS and FAT. In any case, the partition prepared for Windows installation will not have a file system, which will make it stand out from the rest.
As a complement
Operating systems can be installed in any order. The OS is selected for loading when the computer is started after the POST-report appears, the screen with the list of operating systems is displayed by default for 20 seconds. Do not forget also about changing the priority of the boot device in the BIOS after the installation is complete.
