[ale] Linux install breaking windows?

[Ron Frazier (ALE)]

Hi James,

It really depends on the needs and desires of the user.  I've been dual 
booting Ubuntu and Windows on 3 computers for over a year.  My hard 
drive is partitioned as 1) NTFS  2) Linux EXT4  3) Linux Swap  4) NTFS 
for shared data.  This works great for my purposes.  On a laptop, adding 
another drive is not an option.  Virtualbox is a good solution, but, 
there will always be a few things you can do with a native OS that you 
cannot with a VM.  Performance in a VM will always be a bit slower.  The 
Linux install running in a VM inside of Windows may not recognize and 
have access to all the system devices properly.  Finally, since I keep 
my Windows and Linux systems pretty much functionally identical for the 
main applications I use, if one system gets hosed somehow, I can reboot 
into the other and be back up and mostly running normally until I can 
fix the problem.  I can even use the Linux system to troubleshoot 
problems in the NTFS system, to a point.  I've been experimenting with 
GPS usage for timing purposes with NTPD on Windows.  Also plan to do 
that on Linux.  I understand from reading over on the NTP list that 
running in a VM can inhibit the virtual OS's ability to keep time even 
worse than the native OS.  So, I would say, to each his own multi OS 
structure.

Sincerely,

Ron

On 2/9/2012 12:03 AM, James Sumners wrote:
> I don't really care if it isn't practical. Dual booting is something I 
> do not reccomend _at all_. But if you insist on it, then pony up and 
> get a $40 320GB drive for the second OS. Hell, even a USB thumb drive 
> could be used.
>
> My actual reccomendation in a case, as I think this is, where someone 
> just wants to dabble with Linux to start learning is to use a VM 
> hosted by their primary OS. VirtualBox is great, and you can install 
> as many distros as you have time and disk space for. Just switch to 
> full screen when you're using the VM so that you're not distracted by 
> the host OS.

-- 

(PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
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mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new messages very quickly.)

Ron Frazier

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