Multi-boot with Win8--dead issue

[dougmack]

Presently have Win7-64 and PCLOS-64 on one machine. Is it possible to add Win8-64 on a new partition keeping Win7 and PCLOS?
What would I have to do to do this, if it's possible. (I will not give up Win7 or reinstall it.)

--doug

[agmg]

Most probably, when you install Windows 8, it will take over your MBR and you won't be able to boot on either Win7 or PCLOS.
You can use redo-mbr after installation from a Live CD or USB to restore your MBR and be able to boot to each one of them.

The general rule is to install Windows first and then Linux.
But redo-mbr is a very useful tool in this case.
Search in the forum, there are many related threads.

[DeBaas]

Buy yourselve an extra HDD for testing.
Now do a bare install of the iso's you want.
Be very carefull and disconnect your work HDD before installing W8
Keep us posted of your experiences
We have all to learn, even W8 , sometimes former friends use W8.

[agmg]

A thread that might be helpful:

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,113684.0.html

[dougmack]

Good information from the crew. To follow up on DeBaas: I have discovered that the version I have of Win8 is an "upgrade" and will only work to replace
an existing Win install, so that's out. I'm not really in a hurry to buy the full version; I was thinking I would have something to play with. (It will not install
on an XP machine--I don't know why, and the MS forum has a whole bunch of complaints just like mine!)  Also, MS says that it is possible to have both versions
installed on a machine, but of course they don't reckon with Linux!
So, I think I'll just call this a dead issue at this time.
Thanx for the inputs--doug

[The Chief]

It will not install on an XP machine--I don't know why

Because it is an "upgrade" disk, and XP is too far back to be "upgradeable!"  To Win8, at least.

[dougmack]

When I bought this, MS did a test of my XP system over the Internet and said that Win8 could be installed over it, and sold me the program by download.
So XP is supposedly not too old.  Actually, I just wanted to see how it worked, and to try the various fixes that make it look like Win7. I wouldn't mind
having a Win7 look-/work-alike on this machine, for the few times that Windows is more useful. But apparently I wasted the money. If I still had the
credit card bill with MS on it, I would call up the card company and tell them that I was cheated and I want my money back! (But I don't have it anymore.)
--doug

[sammy2fish]

I played with the alpha & beta versions of windows8.

It wouldn't kill the windows7 install, but just made it impossible to boot to it.

Plus, windows8 has no start menu.... even you you switch the the desktop that looks like windows7.  Windows8 is crap.  Their sales are proving it..!

[jberkpc]

I totally agree with those who say, don't bother with windows 8. You should watch a few videos on you tube about it. It's going to make the failure that was Vista look awesome. I can get all the win 8 drivers and BIOS updates for my MB and I still wouldn't touch it with a hundred foot pole. If you plan to operate multiple versions of MS OS's, use something like System Commander which fools MS products in to thinking  that whatever partition you select is the first partition on the first drive, something that they all need. System Commander is a little dated, it thinks my windows 7 64 bit is 2003 server but it works. Or if you really want to fool around you can use the MS boot loader to boot multiple versions of windows.
The great thing about it (windows is that it's going to extend the support by MS for windows 7, just like Vista extended XP's support for years. MS in windows 8 uses a note book type interface on the the desktop. If you really want a "Fisher Price" style interface designed for touch screen monitors, then go ahead but I don't think you'll like it.
Newer is not always better!

[The Chief]

As I see  it, Windows 8 is Windows 3.1: Twenty Years Later!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/253287/windows_3_1_twenty_years_later.html

[sammy2fish]

As I see  it, Windows 8 is Windows 3.1: Twenty Years Later!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/253287/windows_3_1_twenty_years_later.html

Clicking that link, sure brought back old memories.

The first time I tried windows8-alpha.... The colours reminded me of the old cga monitors.

[dougmack]

Revisiting this thread: Win 8 32 bit did finally install on my desktop machine, with the Foxconn mobo, etc. After I had just about given up, I said I'd try it once more. This was the downloaded version, that somebody said would not install on top of XP--but it did, at last. I bit the bullet, since I can live without XP on that machine, and I wanted to see it in person. Mainly curiosity. Requested report here:

Important observation: When I got done with the install, the Linux grub bootloader was still working!!! (The install requires a couple
of reboots, so I'd always get the grub menu, scroll down to Windows, and enter.) I was prepared to "Redo MBR" as the expression
says, with a live disk in hand, but I didn't have to!

I have an NVidia card with an HDMI output. At first I had a lot of trouble getting the display on my local monitor. Finally, when I did, I
found an NVidia set-up program on the system, which must have been upgraded from XP, and set it to one monitor.
That worked for a while, then I rebooted and the d*** thing wen to the TV again, so I disconnected the HDMI line.
I got Classic Shell and installed it, and it looks and works pretty much like Win7, but with the added features of mousing to a right corner and bringing up some W8 features--and it's possible to bring back the bix square boxes, if you're in a goofy mood. Tried to download KDE for Windows, but without success. (Other research leads me to believe they're having some kind of trouble.)
BUT! Now the DNS recognizer has failed, and I don't know how to fix it. I can ping the ip number, but not the hostname. Also, the
clock reads the minutes right, but I have reset the time three times, and it always has the wrong hour. And I have tried repeatedly to log into/or get an MS help account (from this machine) with no success. They promise to send me an email, but it never comes!

I have almost never used Windows on that machine--or for that matter, on the machine I have "dedicated" to Win 7, for WordPerfect
and AutoCAD--but I am just stubborn enough that I'd like to see it work. End of promised report. If and when I get it working, I'll
report back, but I think the people who said forget Win8 were correct!

--doug

[johnmart]

Funny we are banned from discussing other distros on the forum......
A thread discussing Win8 seems really wrong.

[dougmack]

DeBaas, in reply #2, Mar 18 04:44;38 AM:
"Keep us posted of your experiences
We have all to learn, even W8, sometimes former friends use W8." (Funny faces removed.)

--doug

[The Chief]

DeBaas, in reply #2, Mar 18 04:44;38 AM:
"Keep us posted of your experiences
We have all to learn, even W8, sometimes former friends use W8." (Funny faces removed.)

--doug