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Solve : 2 OS on my laptop help please!!!!!!?

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Hi this is the more major reason I joined your site.I want to run both Vista and Ubuntu Linux on my laptop, but dell says they don't support 2 OS and so they wont HELP me .I got a Dell Inspiron 1521 notebook and I want to make a partition but I'm having alot of trouble. Somebody told me that I should get a External Hard drive and so I picked up a 250 GB one from radio shack and if I'm correct these are the steps I must take to have both operating systems on my computer along with all my current programs files and such(keep in mind that I don't have the Vista installation cd's and the dell operator said that they are in my system).

If I am correct I must

-backup everything by transferring all my stuff on my computer to my external hard drive
-install drivers for Ubuntu
-delete my recovery and (C:) partitions(or is it just (C:) that I delete?)
-create partitions
-format
-install vista and Ubuntu on separate partitions
-then transfer my files and stuff from my external hard drive to my pc on the vista partition

Is this right?I know that Ill have trouble with this so this thread may be ongoing.And where can I get the drivers for my pc?I dont quite get how to find the Vista cds in my system and don't understand the majority of whats above, but if you guys help me it'll save me $250,seriously.And if you got a donations thing or something then im willing to put in $25.So please help thank you.

below are pictures of my system and information:






Well, you do happen to have 14GB of un-allocated space...

You can just install Linux on it.

Pop your Ubuntu disc in, and load its installer. Once you get to partitions, select "Manual" (assuming you are using Gusty Gibbon Ubuntu version 7.10) and right click the allocated space. Right click your un-allocated space, and click "New Partition". Make a partition with 2048MB, and use the filesystem/format type titled "Swap".
Click OK, and then go to the rest of your un-allocates space, right click, and this time, use all the space you have left over. Select the format/filesystem type titled "EXT3"
Type in the mount point:
/
Click OK
Verify that everything is the way it should be.
DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, MODIFY YOUR WINDOWS PARTITION(s) IN LINUX. (Sorry Linux fans, Linux isnt stable enough to do that yet...)

Continue with the installer. It will ask you at the end if you are sure you want to apply those changes to the hard drive. Make sure it doesnt mention anything about your Vista partition.

Once the installer is finished, restart your system. A dual-boot will have been set up by the Linux installer, you can now run either OS by selecting it on start.

Please wait for someone to verify these directions first, I am not the great Linux guru... Thanks for the fast reply!Im aware that I can create a partition out of the 15 Gb, but thats just to small for me and since I cannot shink the (C:) partition I think I have to do it the hard way.Is there no way to add more space to the hard drive or something, probably not right?It almost seems to me that dell and microsoft dont want me to have linux, since theyve made it so much harder then it should be.

If I did end up using the 15 GB as my new partition how many programs could I shove in.I know linux isnt meant for movies and games but will 15GB be enough for a wide array of programs.

Ill leave that as a second plan if my first one fails.Where can I get these drivers for my inspiron 1521 because dell.com won't TELL me, those bastards!You know that they are based out of India now to save money, what about helping the American economy?Those GREEDY F**Ks piss me off! Quote from: cheese11 on January 14, 2008, 08:43:28 PM

Ill leave that as a second plan if my first one fails.Where can I get these drivers for my inspiron 1521 because dell.com won't tell me, those bastards!You know that they are based out of India now to save money, what about helping the American economy?Those greedy F**Ks piss me off!
Someone needs to learn about economics before they complain about India...
American cant develop computer parts for cheap. Outsourcing jobs makes the computer cheaper. Your computer would be greatly more expensive if it was made in the USA, since our majority of population will refuse to work for low wages. Our economy is going down the drain at the moment... (Due to our Wonderful Fearless Leader who "found weapons of mass destruction (-G.W. Bush Sr.)")
Back to Dell:
Their support is outsourced, and almost all computer companies get parts from out of the country (very little electronic circuit board production takes place just here in the US. The research and development is often done here) but, the parts are assembled here. (I dont mind chat being outsourced, but, its just plain hard to understand some of their support representatives over the phone.)

Back to Linux (I dont think political arguments should start):

Since your space is unallocated, you can shrink your OS partition, (right click, click Shrink) then Expand the unallocated partition.
Just a quick note: Since Vista doesnt know how to handle the EXT format, you cannot resizing it after you install your OS. You will have to use a Linux tool called GParted. I strongly recommend that you backup your data first. The last time I resizing my partitions, I my Master Boot Record completely, and was unable to boot anymore. Your probably right about the economics, I dont quite care about America(canada rules)its just that I want what I pay for and the dell operators now are hard to communicate with and I dont think dell is going broke.

as for shinking the (C:) partition ive tried it and it wouldnt work ealier because it sayed i cant modify it because it CONTAINS boot,page file and other important stuff, but Ill try and seeOk I just had a talk to the guys at dell and they are sending me the vista cds and they said I should backup my data and then delete the partitions,create new partitions, format and install Vista on one partition and then linux and the drivers and then put all my software on the vista partition.Dos that sound right or is it in a different ORDER that Im supposed to do it?uh they sayed they would help up until the part when I install linux stuff.It sounds about right. You should definitely install Windows first. If you install windows after Linux the windows installer will overwrite the Linux boot loader.what about the drivers where would I find those?Someone told me I have to have a certain wireless card too(I got a dell 1505 wireless card)so where can I get the drivers?The cd's are on the way, but I surprisingly didn't pay for shipping so dos that mean I got to wait 6-8 weeks, lol.Drivers please!Quote from: cheese11 on January 15, 2008, 08:58:04 PM
what about the drivers where would I find those?Someone told me I have to have a certain wireless card too(I got a dell 1505 wireless card)so where can I get the drivers?The cd's are on the way, but I surprisingly didn't pay for shipping so dos that mean I got to wait 6-8 weeks, lol.Drivers please!
If you are installing Ubuntu version 7.10 or higher, you will be prompted for Restricted Hardware. Just enable the devices restricted hardware, its self explanatory.


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