Triple boot

[Praveer]

Hello all,

I have Windows xp and 7 as dual boot currently. Now I want to install Fedora 17. Can you please guide me as to how to triple boot my computer so that I get an option when I boot as to what os I want to boot.

ATM windows 7 is booted by default.

Thank you for reading.

Regards
Praveer

[stoat]

The traditional way, the easiest-to-explain way, the default way, is to proceed with installing Fedora and allow Anaconda, the Fedora installer, to install the GRUB boot loader as the new default boot loader. A Windows menu entry usually is created (or usually is easy to create) in the GRUB boot menu, and selecting that presents your old Windows 7 boot menu from which you would choose either Windows 7 or XP. There are other boot loader arrangements, but they are mostly less simple to explain. Mostly.

P.S.: You should back up everything important on every hard drive that will be connected and running during the installation. Also have the means and know-how to repair the Windows boot loader in case you don't like what happens (not unheard of).

P.P.S.: No promises for anything above this sentence.

[droidhacker]

The absolute best and easiest solution is to let the Fedora installer wipe out those two viruses you have on there altogether. Why would you want SOOOO MUCH BALMER??? Makes me want to barf.

[DBelton]

droidhacker,

The original poster wasn't looking for help in wiping out Windows or opinions on whether to keep Windows or not. Please refrain from these types of remarks for someone that is seeking help. This isn't the place for bashing other operating systems.

These types of answers to help requests do no good, and actually run users away from linux. If you were to lend helpful solutions to the poster, then possibly they would get Fedora installed, use it for awhile, then realize it is a very good alternative to Windows. At that point, they may possibly decide to remove some of the Windows stuff and make room for more linux stuff

[Praveer]

Exactly....I am new to Linux and all my data on Windows. Can't remove it with out checking out Fedora.

Any other way to triple boot.

[stoat]

Originally Posted by Praveer

Exactly....I am new to Linux and all my data on Windows. Can't remove it with out checking out Fedora.

Any other way to triple boot.

Well, what I suggested above doesn't remove Windows. It only replaces the Windows boot loader with GRUB as the default boot loader.

And yes, there are more ways to boot multiple operating systems. For example, you can install Fedora and prevent it from making GRUB the default boot loader. Then configure the Windows 7 boot loader to boot Fedora. Or, a variation of that is to boot Fedora via a boot disk. Another variation of that is to use your computer's BIOS boot device menu (if it has one) to choose Fedora. And there are third party boot loaders, I guess they'd be called, that can boot all of your systems. It may sound strange, and it is not beautiful to the eye, but my preferred boot loader is GRUB for DOS. It can boot anything, and it can access a variety of filesystems to find its boot loader files. There are others similar to that.

But if you just want to "check out" Fedora, then try the live CD version.

Lastly, even if Fedora works well for you, don't be peer pressured into removing Windows unless you no longer have a use for it. You paid for it. If you understand its vulnerabilities, and if it performs some useful function for you, then use it until it no longer does that. I personally am not interested in recent Windows offerings, but I still have XP on one machine. I use it for two specific tasks that I have no other way to perform at the moment. Additionally, it belongs to my wife, so I should leave it be.

[Praveer]

Thanks a lit for such an informative reply :-) Appreciate it.

Regards

[David Batson]

You should create a Windows System Repair Disk from Windows 7 so that you can restore the Windows bootloader if you decide to remove Fedora and the GRUB boot loader at some future point.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...em-repair-disc