How to Set Up Windows & Linux Operating Systems on a Computer

The Windows operating system, developed and released by Microsoft, is one of the most popular operating systems currently on the market. However, some individuals may wish to install and run the Linux operating system as an open-source alternative to their default Windows installation. Learn how to setup both Windows and Linux on the same computer to get the best of both worlds.

Difficulty:

 

Moderate

Instructions

1. Prepare Your Windows PC for the Linux Set Up Process

   • 1
     Verify that your computer hardware is capable of running both Windows and Linux. Click the "Start" button in the lower left-hand corner of your Windows 98/XP screen and select "Run." Type "msinfo32." If you are running Windows Vista, type "msinfo32" in the search box in the Start menu. A window will appear displaying your system hardware statistics. Ubuntu Linux, one of the more popular versions of the Linux OS, has very specific system hardware requirements. Your computer must possess a 700 MHz processor or faster (ideally, 1.2 GHz or more). You should also have 384 megabytes of RAM, 8 gigabytes of free hard drive space, a graphics card and an active Internet connection.
   • 2
     Setup your Windows operating system to prepare for the installation of the Linux OS on the same computer. Click the "Start" button and select "Windows Updates" to download all relevant updates and security patches for your Windows operating system.
   • 3
     Backup all of your computer data. Setting up an operating system such as Linux on a Windows PC is very system-intensive. Backing up your files can help prevent data loss should your system crash during the installation process.

   Set Up Linux on Windows Using Virtual PC

   • 1
     Download the Microsoft Virtual PC software by downloading a free copy from the Microsoft website (see Resources section).
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     The Virtual PC Console is the first screen you will see after installing the virtualization software.

     Double-click the installation file and follow the automated on-screen prompts to install Virtual PC on your computer. Once it is installed, you will see the Virtual PC Console.
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     Click "New" in the right-hand menu of the Virtual PC Console.
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     Follow the on-screen prompts to set up a new virtual machine. Name it "Ubuntu Linux."
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     Select "Other" in the drop-down menu when Virtual PC asks what type of operating system you are planning to install.
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     Click "Finish."
   • 7
     Click the "Unbuntu Linux" machine in the Virtual PC Console. Place your Ubuntu installation disk in your computer's CD-ROM drive. Click "Start" in the Console. The Virtual PC Console will immediately begin reading the installation CD and treating your virtual machine like a native partition on your hard drive. Follow the on-screen prompts to install the Linux operating system on your Windows PC.
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     Wait for Linux to boot up within the Virtual PC Console. You have successfully set up Windows and Linux on the same computer. Because you are using virtualization software, you are able to run both operating systems simultaneously