Quote:
Originally Posted by Skybird
What I would like to know right now, is just this: If I wipe my PC's HD, and make it a Win7 (gaming) platform, probably with three partitions again: Windows system files, swap file (easier to delete that one and format the partition than trying to occasionally defragmentize a swap file with a separate tool), and a third partition for games, simulations, Steam, and the needed AntiVir, Firewall, anti-Malware, maybe Sandbox - if I set up my PC for that, is there anything I should make different or should prepare in advance for later attachment of a second HD from which I run Linux? I read that one should install Windows BEFORE Linux, that the other way around could cause troubles. Is there anything I should know about partitioning, max number of partitions, partition types, even when for the moment I only install W7 and game-related stuff - so that later I will not get caught by the revenge of something minor when I want to install Linux on a second HD?
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Okay, if you have the two operating systems on two separate drives, you're doing something I heartily recommend. Setting up your Windows disk in three partitions will work great. Windows 7 64-bit doesn't care too much whether a partition is defragmented or not. Being old school I defrag anyway. Then after you're happy with your Windows 7 operation it's time to install Linux on the other hard drive.
Go ahead and let it decide swap partition size. During installation it will automatically find your Windows disk and set up GRUB to dual boot. If you boot the Linux disk you'll get a menu to pick Windows or Linux.
But the beauty of the separate hard drives for different operating systems is that if you boot the Windows disk you have the Windows bootloader intact. That makes all Windows repair, reinstallation, etc work entirely normally and they don't have to ignore the GRUB partition and complain that you are missing the Windows bootloader so can't proceed with the repair. Yes, it is a major headache to deal with Microsoft's willing blindness.
Now you can manually boot each disk separately. With the Linux disk as your default boot disk you get the GRUB menu asking whether you want to run Linux or Windows. So yes, you are installing just as I would and have done.
Steam is adding more and more Linux versions of top games. There's a guy running around Subsim who can set you up to run Silent Hunter 4 flawlessly under Linux. Microsoft is in danger of losing it all with their boneheaded moves. The truth is that we don't need them any more.
They're just like Commodore was with the Amiga. No idea what they have or how to sell it. Clumsy moves getting customers mad could make Microsoft the NEXT Commodore and Windows the next Amiga.
If that happens it will happen fast and take them totally by surprise. One day they'll wake up and find all they are is an article in Wikipedia.