Dual boot PClinuxOS with Windows 7

[Tretarn]

Hey guys,

I'm about to completely wipe my laptop (Think I got a virus ) and would like to set up a dual boot system with PCLinuxOS and Windows 7. I will be installing PClinuxOS via a USB stick. However, I have some general questions:

1) Is this the correct method of what I need to do:

Back up data => Insert USB and boot up => boot PClinuxOS =>  Format Hard drive, partition hard drive following usual instructions but create extra one for windows 7 => update etc => reboot system but with windows 7 disk instead => install windows 7 on extra partition => update and transfer data over.

Have I missed out anything important?

2) I would like to encrypt my hard drive as well, would this need any additional set ups in terms of partitions?

3) Will I be able to store all my work files in one place so that I can access them no matter what OS system I boot up?

Thanks

[Just17]

I advise you to install Win 7 ....  and check that it is working properly too .....  BEFORE installing PCLOS.

You might wish to create partitions before any install so that Windows goes into your selected space, leaving sufficient room for PCLOS.

[menotu]

I advise you to install Win 7 ....  and check that it is working properly too .....  BEFORE installing PCLOS.

You might wish to create partitions before any install so that Windows goes into your selected space, leaving sufficient room for PCLOS.

+1

I too would advise pre-setting your partitions so they are ready for the OS installs, with Windows being the first one installed.

[mellon]

In stead of using dual boot, you may consider running win7 in a Virtualbox if your hardware supports it.  With a lot of the applications I use running in Linux and the ability to use shared folders, I have a much leaner Win7. On my laptop I use Win XP in a Virtualbox. I will never go back to dual boot.

Mellon

[pags]

In stead of using dual boot, you may consider running win7 in a Virtualbox if your hardware supports it.  With a lot of the applications I use running in Linux and the ability to use shared folders, I have a much leaner Win7. On my laptop I use Win XP in a Virtualbox. I will never go back to dual boot.

Mellon

+1

Unless you need Win7 to have access to your hardware, for some reason...my current Wacom isn't working in PCLOS (yet!), so I need to boot Windows to use it (for now).  Other than that, I use VirtualBox.

[CaptainSarcastic]

Definitely install Windows first, then PCLOS.  You can set the partitions beforehand using several methods, and if memory serves the Windows installer itself should let you just a create a partition with empty space following it, too.

Also, regarding Virtualbox, depending on your hardware you could also run PCLOS in Virtualbox on Windows.  The machine I am typing this on is a dual-boot that I run PCLOS KDE and Windows 7 Home 64-bit on as the boot OSes.  When in Windows I run PCLOS XFCE in Virtualbox, as doing anything on the web in Windows makes me uneasy, and this machine has the hardware to run it so it is at almost native speeds.  I have wobbly windows and transparency, and it handles everything fine with two processors and 2.5GB of RAM assigned to the VM.

[Tretarn]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I followed your advice and installed windows first and got that working and then went on to install PCLOS.

Everything is working perfectly and I just have to iron out a couple of things here and there.

Thank you very much for the advice!