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I would like to dual boot my Windows 7 with Ubuntu Linux 12.04. I created a bootable usb with Ubuntu installed and it works fine. But now, I would like to install Windows and I have a little problem:

There has to be an option like this: "Install them side by side, choosing between them each startup" when you choose how to install Ubuntu, but it isn't there in my installation. I can only choose to delete Windows or manual configure the paritions.

I have not much experience with partitions and would like not to use the "manual configuration".

So, could someone tell me how to get the button "Install them side by side, choosing between them each startup" there in the installation (or other solution)?

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  • Stack Overflow is for programming related questions (see faq). This question is more suitable on Super User. Voted to migrate.
    – Shawn Chin
    Jun 15, 2012 at 11:10
  • You might have better luck with an answer on the askubuntu.com site Jun 15, 2012 at 11:12
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    Actually I just Googled this and the first hit was for this lifehacker.com/5403100/… seems pretty complete Jun 15, 2012 at 11:14
  • @mouters That should have been an answer instead of a comment. It's what the OP wants.
    – Mr Lister
    Jun 15, 2012 at 12:42
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    Well it doesn't seem right to answer with a link to another site :) Jun 15, 2012 at 12:58

2 Answers 2

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Perhaps another option you could consider is installing Ubuntu on a Virtual Machine under Windows. I have been using Ubuntu like that for the last 2 years on different systems under XP and Windows 7 w/o problems. This mostly works because Ubuntu isn't such a resource hog so this has even worked with XP on a small netbook and it's very nice to be able to switch back and forth so easily between both OSes (and be able to easily share data/clipboard between them).

I am using Virtual Box, easy to install and use (and free).

Essentially Ubuntu becomes another application you can run at the same time as Windows. Before this I used to dual-boot, but that meant only access to one OS at a time.

You can choose which system to make your host OS and which your guest OS. Some people boot into Linux and run their VMs under it. So you'll have XP/Win7/or even other Linux OS's running under Linux. It gives you great flexibility

Anyway, just thought I'd throw that option out there.

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  • thanks for the answer, but i would like to use ubuntu next to windows (hence without having to start windows)
    – Thomas
    Jun 15, 2012 at 11:11
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    than you'd better learn some partitioning ;) Jun 15, 2012 at 11:11
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    @Thomas You would be using it next to Windows .. it sounds like you want to use it instead of Windows and make that decision at startup. Nothing wrong with that, I did that (dual-boot) for many years, but I think this is a much more flexible setup and just wanted to provide another option. Good luck.
    – Levon
    Jun 15, 2012 at 11:12
  • installing Ubuntu under a Windows-based VM runs really slow!.. its better to install Ubuntu within the NTFS partition, you can still dual-boot.
    – Joe R.
    Jun 22, 2012 at 2:08
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Just use WUBI which is included on the Ubuntu ISO image. That installs the Ubuntu next to windows and you can remove it if if you want like any other program through control panel of windows. I used it myself last week and it works great!

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  • wubi is a bit slow and not so great when memory fails...
    – Thomas
    Jun 15, 2012 at 11:14
  • You mean for installation it is slow? Yes that's true but still I find it very useful and ubuntu boots up fast at my pc, so I can live with it.
    – TimVK
    Jun 15, 2012 at 11:17

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