Laptop Triple Boot (XP, OEM Vista, Linux)

Hi. I just bought a new laptop pre-installed with Vista, I'd like to triple boot it with XP and 8.04 Ubuntu. What is the best way to do this? I'm going to have two SATA drives. I think a dedicated XP drive and a split NTFS/linux drive for Vista and Ubuntu is the way to to, as XP will be my primary OS.

I'm not sure if I want to use GRUB or not, but the only other way to boot into linux (using the new Ubuntu) means performance takes a hit, right? Preferably, I'd like to be able to set this up without touching a command line, although I can if I have to. Also, I'd like my computer to boot into XP by default.

 

That's easy, just do it in this order:
Install XP
Install Vista
Install Ubuntu

You won't have to touch the command line, and you can use a program(in ubuntu) called startup manager to make it boot XP.

 

Why ubuntu? Use Arch!

 

Yes, but Arch is a lot harder to use, I assume he is a new linux user.

 

You can always guide him!

 

It's different for every user, so, yep, no guide.

 

So the partition setup I described is okay? Would GRUB be the bootloader? What file system is best for Ubuntu? (preferably a shrinkable fs) I just really do not want to brick my laptop. I am a CS major at a university, and I have been using Ubuntu on and off for a bit, but I like to be ultra-careful when it comes to my primary computer.

 

Yes, please guide him. I'm eager to read suggestions; I've tried and failed miserably several times to triple-boot, though I was attempting Linux/Linux/Linux with various distros/combinations. Just guessing, I'd think what I tried would be easier than what the OP has in mind.

 

you can't brick your laptop by messing with your partition table / boot loader / etc.

you CAN lose all of your data and have to reformat and reinstall the operating system. its not the worst thing in the world, especially if you have backed up all your data.

by the way, BACK UP ALL YOUR DATA before messing with disk partitioning, OS installation, boot loaders, etc.

 

I know, but in terms of functionality its the same thing.

 

Yup should be.

 

Grub would be the boot loader and it can be set to automatically partition and format for you, though I'm not sure how exactly you aim it at the correct disk. I've only used Linux on machines with a single hdd.

 

create your partitions wisely

 

Some tutorial on how to do this step-by-step would be great. I really dont want to spend an inordinate amount of time fixing a screwup, especially my screwup.

Okay, I want to keep the HD that came with my laptop, but if something goes wrong and I have to restore the Vista bootloader, do I have to use a recovery CD or DVD?

I plan to use a second drive and partition it with a 10-20 GB spot for the latest Ubuntu release and the rest of the drive for a copy of XP that I have laying around.

So, I figure that I will install Ubuntu first on the second HD, and that will install GRUB and enable me to re-partition my second HD. Then, I can install XP off of a disc onto an NTFS partition on that secondary drive.

I restart my computer, and it should boot into Ubuntu by default, which is changeable, correct? Then I should be able to make any settings changes I need to from there.

The big worry for me is the bootloader. I need to know if I can restore the Vista bootloader, and if Quickplay or the recovery partition will be affected.

 

you can also install Vista>XP>Ubuntu (Alternate CD w/o GRUB)
and use the Vista bootloader and EasyBCD

 

I now have this exact problem. I need drivers so that Windows will recognize my SATA drives. Sigh.



Here are my SATA controller(s). It looks like Intel just makes this aggravatingly generic chipset for just about any I/O operation, which they also use in SATA controllers. Of course, HP does not offer any SCSI/SATA drivers for those who want XP on their dv9843cl.

I could use Nlite to see if I can get XP to boot, but that's gonna take a bit. I'll start making driver soup tomorrow. In the meantime, any ideas?

 

Yes. Use nLite to slipstream the Intel AHCI driver from the Intel Matrix Storage Manager setup program here, into your XP install CD, and you should be fine. To extract the driver from the driver installation program here's the instructions from the Intel README;

Alternately you could use the premade Intel AHCI floppy disk driver creator program here, (you need an A: floppy drive), and use the floppy disk created, during the XP install boot process by pressing F6 at the appropriate time.

Good Luck..

 

I believe xfs is the fastest fs for any linux distro, much faster than ext3, although some prefer reiser. If you wish to use xfs however you will have to use the ubuntu alternate install cd in order to install lilo instead of grub.