(Solved)Win 7 64 bit dual boot

[kbz1960]

Hi, I've been searching - windows 7 - dual boot and can't seem to find anything that says yes it works fine. All of the threads I've been reading either end up in no solution or the op having to jump thru hoops to get a working system.

So, how difficult is it to setup a dual boot system with windows 7 64bit?

Thanks

[kbz1960]

OK, can anyone point me to instructions for doing this? You would think it would be a sticky in the hd install section.

Thanks

[gezza]

Hi kbz1960 ,
I have used used a usb stick (about 2GB+) to get over this problem.
I have 64 bit win7 on a laptop and decided not to grub that system
So plug in the usb stick, boot PCLInuxOS x.x and install it
At the partitioning point, pick the usb stick as /boot and at the end select the usb stick as the booting device.
Now without the stick in Win7 boots and with the stick in pclos boots.
Just make sure the boot order is  CDROM first then usb device then hard drive.
It works very well
Gezza

[kbz1960]

Hi Gezza, thanks for the info. I didn't know if it was a problem or just an old problem that has been resolved.

So you are saying to install everything but the /boot to the hard drive and install the /boot to an empty usb drive? Then just make the changes to the bios settings. Would it also work to just hit F9 on my laptop to choose the boot device instead of changing the bios order?

[gezza]

That is correct,BUT watch what each page of the installation is asking..it is important.
I find this to be the best method of 'dual booting' in this instance.
The usb stick must be very modern, not early last years version..it may work..but I had a lot of trouble until
I bought a modern version usb stick with "ready-boost for" win7.
Best of luck,
Gezza
PS.
I also use this method for booting raid drives.
Gezza

[kbz1960]

Thanks, I just got done backing up. Do you if the trouble with win7 is that 100mb partition it makes when it installs or something else? Just curious.

[kbz1960]

Oh, I also read conflicting things on partioning. Some say make the space with windows and some say do it with linux. Which do you recommend?

Thanks again.

[gezza]

hi,
I did it all with PCLos 2010.12,
But I did download gparted and use that since it allows resizing and moving.
rebooting into win7 before installing pclos gives win$ a chance to fix itself
I do not know what the small partition is at the front of the drive is. My system also has a repair/fixit partition at the other end of the drive as well.
watch your partitioning scheme is though. if win$ has a data drive you will find all primary partitions used.
You must then delete the data partition and recreate it as an extended partition or as extended partitions to put pclos onto it.
Gezza

[kbz1960]

Hi, just wanted to let you know that I shrunk my drive in windows disk management and rebooted with no problems and then followed your install to usb thumb drive and seems to be working great.

Thanks for you help.