dual operating systems - Mageia & Windows 7

[kizzlesnizzle]

A friend of mine wiped my computer and replaced the Windows operating system with Mageia. I don't know anything about this system but am trying to put Windows 7 back on. I would like to add Windows 7 as an optional operating sysetm under the dual system option. Help!!!!

[wintpe]

while im not going to be of any help here to you if it was not backed up....

except to say take a windows 7 dvd and start from scratch...

BUT

I would say, why dont you take advantage of that great gift that your friend has bestowed on you and try to live without windows.

I do, i use mageia on my desktop's my laptop, etc.

for windows use , install virtualbox (it comes free with mageia) and install windows in that.

depending upon your system, it will run faster in virtualbox then it does native , for 2D stuff, and only use it when theres no app that does what you want in mageia.

you would be surprised once you get your head round mageia just how much more powerful then windows it it.

if you want games, get an xbox or similar, more likly to be a better experience anyway.

regards peter

[benmc]

hi

First step: make sure there is an empty partition to put W7 onto.... does your HDD have the minimum spare space available to make the partitition or do you have a 2nd HDD installed?
You will need the Mageia system root password to enter the utility from within Mageia to make the partition or use something like gparted.

Please advise which Mageia 1, 2 or 3 is installed, and which desktop?

[kizzlesnizzle]

Well then how would I remove Mageia all together from this machine and put Windows 7 back on? I'm giving this laptop to my son, he's 7 and more familiar with Windows. I have other computers and will install Mageia to one of them.

[jiml8]

I am not sure that you can install Windows 7 as a dual boot with Linux, when Linux is installed first. If you CAN do that, I don't know how. Windows does not cooperate with Linux.

You could, however, reinstall Windows THEN install Linux in order to have a dual-boot. That would not only work, it is very straightforward to do and most installers will directly support it, though I am not sure the Mageia installer is one of those (haven't tried it).

Probably your laptop has a recovery partition on it. At least, it almost certainly did before your friend worked on it. Most likely, you have to reinstall Windows using that recovery partition. If your friend wiped the recovery partition when he switched it to Linux, then you cannot reinstall Windows unless you have a Windows install CD. This will cost money, but that is your choice to make. Probably the laptop manufacturer will sell you an install CD fairly inexpensively.

If the recovery partition is there, then there should be a boot-time startup option to do a full recovery. If you do not see that option when the machine starts, look in your BIOS for the setting to enable it.

All that said, if it were me I would give the Linux system to the 7 year old (who, after all, won't have any need for microsoft-specific products) and say: "you will like this." Show him how to configure compiz with KDE and he WILL like it. He can have a very bizarre-looking desktop which he tailors to suit himself (KDE is configurable to a truly absurd extent). Also, should he be so inclined, he will be able to dig "under the hood" in Linux to an extent unimaginable in WIndows and therefore learn a lot about how an OS is put together.

[Lebarhon]

Hello,
You can find help here to re-install W7 first and then Mageia in dual boot:
https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Installation ... th_Windows
If you don't have the Windows 7 DVD any more, nor the recovery partition, you can borrow any Windows 7 DCD (home or pro, like yours), all you need is your own product key.

All that said, if it were me I would give the Linux system to the 7 year old (who, after all, won't have any need for microsoft-specific products) and say: "you will like this." Show him how to configure compiz with KDE and he WILL like it. He can have a very bizarre-looking desktop which he tailors to suit himself (KDE is configurable to a truly absurd extent). Also, should he be so inclined, he will be able to dig "under the hood" in Linux to an extent unimaginable in WIndows and therefore learn a lot about how an OS is put together.

I don't think so, kids want the same things that their friends and mostly the same games.

[benmc]

I have exactly this setup , Win 7 installed a long time after Mageia.

Requirements: Mageia install media [ dvd for me ] , Gparted cd [ to resize and make partitions ], Check online for minimum partition size requirement for Win 7. Win7 setup / installation disk. Windows license / authentication code / product key - should be on the bottom of your machine or came with disk. All required disks for programs to be installed onto Win 7. Windows driver disks as required for mother board, printer etc. Consider which system you want to boot into primarily.

Step 1. Check / change Bios to boot to cd and insert Gparted into optical drive. Note bios settings so that they can be later reset. Reboot
Step 2. Make partition for Win 7 using Gparted. You will have to resize Mageia partitions, there should be 3 : /. [ 10Gb Min ] , swap, and /home [ 10Gb min] . Consider carefully that Windows cannot access data [ photos / music / etc ] in a non-windows partition but Mageia can access the data in windows partitions. Make a note of the sizes as it will help to distinguish them in step 4. Create new partition.
Step 3. Reboot into Mageia to check everything ok. Insert Win 7 disk and reboot
Step 4. Install Win 7 onto new partition. During installation the system may reboot into windows several times. This is normal. When finally done, confirm internet access, ok etc.
Step 5. Insert Mageia install media. Reboot and select rescue system and choose option - reinstall bootloader. Reboot.
Step 6. Reset bios to original settings. Reboot
Step 7. Boot into Mageia and if you want to change the boot order, go to Mageia Control Centre. Select boot options. Make Windows the default option and relabel if you wish to Windows 7 . Save and close.
Step 8. Boot into Windows. Register Windows. Update Windows. Continue to load drivers for periphial equipment as required. Load required programs as required.

[kizzlesnizzle]

Thank you very much for your help!!!

[benmc]

You are welcome.

It was a while ago that I did this install and what I wrote was from memory, I hope I included each step.

If everything is working as hoped /expected, please mark the original thread as [ Solved ].
I do hope that you continue with Mageia.
As you may already have had a 18 year learning curve with Windows, be prepared to put some time into learning to use Mageia. I have found it very stable and easy to operate.

Hope to see you around.

Benmc

[kizzlesnizzle]

Well now I've really messed up....I changed a few settings while trying to Personalize and learn Mageia now I can get logged onto my machine at all. PLEASE see the post I just made called Help....

Kizzle Snizzle

[zeebra]

Well now I've really messed up....I changed a few settings while trying to Personalize and learn Mageia now I can get logged onto my machine at all. PLEASE see the post I just made called Help....

Kizzle Snizzle

What is the problem?


Also,installing Windows after Linux is a pain. Windows will rewrite the MBR no matter what you do, so you have to reinstall GRUB again after installing Windows, and the best way to do that is ofcourse a liveCD

They could have just been nice and given you and option, but they aren't.