Bdtyktl

My Dad wants Ubuntu installed as a second operating system on his Windows-7 laptop. Is this reasonably easy to do and easy to choose with op system to boot up with each time he uses it?

The URL link below shows you the options you can choose.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsDualBoot

You can very much. Most people i know usually install Windows first, then put Ubuntu second.That way Ubuntu can take over the grub and Include Windows. So Yes you really can and I'd recommend you do it that way. Good Luck.

When there is a preinstalled windows I believe that most laptops have only one partition.

BUT

you can use disk management utility in Windows 7 (Create and Format Disk Partitions) to cut some space from any partition (it depends on where the last data is lacated). You can select your partition and choose "Shrink volume" to free a space for another partition.

Then you can reboot with your Ubuntu CD/DVD, format that unpartitioned space you got and install Ubuntu there.

You can dual boot the laptop, certainly, there are plenty of instructions out there:

http://lifehacker.com/5403100/dual-boot-windows-7-and-ubuntu-in-perfect-harmony

https://www.google.com/search?q=dual+boot+linux+windows&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t

But I might offer you another alternative, which I use. Instead of dual booting, which means shutting down the whole system and booting into the other system, why not run both simultaneously and just alt-tab between them like you do an application? It's also easier to set up.

If you use one OS for the larger majority of the time (like say, Windows as your main OS 70% of the time), then just run that OS and create an Ubuntu OS inside a Virtual Box image.

It's actually quite easy to set up Ubuntu in a Virtual box:

1. Install Virtualbox (free)


2. Download the ISO image of ubuntu (a file version of the installation CD)


3. Create a new Ubuntu (or whatever OS) in virutalbox)


4. Configure the virtualbox CD to have the Ubuntu installation ISO image as its CD


5. Boot and go through the setup

Here's a fuller discussion of this option:

http://lifehacker.com/5901055/should-i-run-a-second-operating-system-in-a-virtual-machine-or-dual-boot

David Parks’ suggestion on using VirtualBox is excellent and works like a charm. I’ve been using it for years.

Two things David did not mention

• it’s easy to transfer data (files and clipboard) between OSes.


• you can install multiple VM images (subject to resource, disk, memory, etc.) and run one or more VMs. Great for trying different distros, or even sandboxes if you isolate the VM.