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Guide To Install Linux Mint 16 In Dual Boot With Windows

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GUIDE TO INSTALL LINUX MINT 16 IN DUAL BOOT WITH WINDOWS

Guide To Install Linux Mint 16 In Dual Boot With Windows

DECEMBER 12, 2013 By ABHISHEK 25 COMMENTS

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Last week I switched from Ubuntu 13.10 to Linux Mint 16 (which is also based on Ubuntu 13.10). For the sake of experimenting, I have been switching between Linux distributions quite frequently in recent times. I always dual boot Linux with Windows. As I leaned more towards Linux, I started using Windows less and less. In fact, now I hardly use it. But I just kept it as it is sort of back up if I screw up my system while playing with Linux. Dual booting Linux with Windows is always suggestible for the beginners. And in this article, Ill show you how to instal l Linu x Mint in du al boot with Windows . Once you have installed it, you can also check out things to do after installing Linux Mint 16. Before we proceed to see the procedure to dual boot Linux Mint 16 with Windows, let me give you some details. First, I had Windows 7 installed with 3 partitions on it. Later I installed Linux on it in dual boot mode. I changed the partition and kept around 100 GB of total 320 GB for Linux installation. In the course of time, I upgraded to Windows 8 and subsequently to Windows 8.1. I never had to face the problem of Windows 8s secure boot thingy. It is just to clarify that this process does not show you how to deal with UEFI.

Install Linux Mint 16 in dual boot with Windows 8:

Follow the steps below to install Linux Mint in dual boot with Windows:
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Step 1: Create a live USB or disk

Download and create a live USB or DVD. If you are using Windows, you can use a live usb creator tool. In Ubuntu, you can use Startup Disk Creator (if it works).

Step 2: Boot in to live USB

Plug the live USB or disk in to the computer and restart the computer. While booting the computer p ress F10 or F12 function key (defers from computer to computer) to go to the boot menu. Now, choose the option to boot from USB or Removabl e Media .

Step 3: Start the installation

It takes some time to boot from the live USB or disk. Have some patience. Once it boots in to live disk, youll be provided to Try Linux Mint or Install Linux Mint. Even if you choose to try it, you can find the install option on the desktop:

In next few screens, youll be asked to choose the language of the operating system. It will then do some checks on available space, battery and Internet connection.

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Guide To Install Linux Mint 16 In Dual Boot With Windows

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Step 4: Prepare the partition

This is the most important part of the whole installation. Where to install Linux Mint? As mentioned before, I prefer separate partitions for Windows and Linux. Windows is already installed here, well prepare a new partition for Linux Mint. In the Installation Type window, choose Something El se :

Now, I have 3 NTFS and some ext4 partitions. If you dont have ext4 partition, dont worry, we dont need that. As you can see in the picture below, one of the NTFS partition consists of Windows installation. This should be untouched if you want to keep your Windows installation safe. I hope you have more than one NTFS (or FAT 32) partitions (i.e. Drives in Windows term) on your hard disk, with one of them consisting of Windows installation (usually C drive). What you need to do here is to delete a NTFS or existing ext4 partition and create some free space. This will delete all the data in that partition and this is why I asked you to verify if you have Windows installed in a different partition.
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Click on the desired partition and press the - to delete the partition.

Step 5: Create root, swap and home

Once you created free space on your hard drive, its time to install Linux Mint on it. Now, there are several ways to do it. But here, Ill show you my favorite way and that is to have a Root, a Swap and a Home. Create a root partition first. Choose the free space available and click on +.

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Here, choose the size of root (10 GB is enough but I chose to have 20 here), choose ext4 file system, and mount point as / (i.e. root):

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Now, next is to create swap partition. It is advised by many that Swap should be double of your RAM. You can choose the swap size accordingly.

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The next step is to create Home. Try to allocate the maximum size to Home because this is where youll be downloading and keeping the files.

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Once you have created Root, Swap and Home partitions, click on Install Now button.

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Step 6: Follow the trivial instructions

Technically, you have crossed the main hurdle if you react till this point successfully. Now you will be taken through a number of screens to select options like keyboard layout, login credentials etc. You dont need to be a genius to figure out what to do here afterwards. I have attached screenshots for reference purpose here.

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Once the installation is over, you will be presented with the option to keep trying live version or to restart the system.

And that would be it. On next boot, you will see the option of Linux Mint on the grub screen. And thus you can enjoy the beautiful and beginner friendly Linux distribution. I hope you found this gu ide to Linu x Mint 16 du al boot with Windows helpful. If you have questions, suggestions or a word of thanks, feel free to drop a comment. Stay tuned for more Linux Mint 16 tutorials. Ciao Image: http://vickym72.deviantart.com/art/Linux-Mint-Wallpaper-187274258
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Filed Under: HOW TO , LINUX Tagged With: GUIDE , INSTALL , LINUX MINT 16 , WINDOWS

ABOUT ABHISHEK I am Abhishek Prakash, 'creator' of It's F.O.S.S. I have a Masters in Communication System Engineering. I am an avid Linux lover and Open Source enthusiast. I use Ubuntu and believe in sharing knowledge. Apart from Linux, I love classic detective mystery. Huge fan of Agatha Christie work. Feel free to circle me on Google Plus and
Follow @abhishek_pc

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Harman Signh

14 days ago

Let me restate my comment that I posted at school earlier today: How to Install another OS if you have 4 Partitions that look like this: C:, Recovery, System, [Manufacturer] Tools Step 1:Back-up system. Step 2: Make a System repair disk(NOTE:NEED A DVD BURNER) -In Windows Control Panel, go to Backup and restore -On the right, click make a system repair disk Step 3: Power off computer, and boot into CD/DVD Step 4: Select Language, etc, wait for it to initialize.
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Guide To Install Linux Mint 16 In Dual Boot With Windows

Step 5: When you get to the main screen open Command Prompt. Step 6: Type in "diskpart" Then "list disk" Then select the main Hard Drive you are using by typing "select disk [Number of Disk with Windows Installed]" Step 7: Now type "list partition"
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TheAtheistReverend

23 days ago

Used the above method to install Mint xfce to dual boot with Win 7 except for the partitioning, I let it choose "Install mint along side windows". When I boot the computer, I get no option to boot into anything. It goes straight to Windows, no Grub, no nothin'. Anyone have a suggestion for me?
1
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Pat

TheAtheistReverend 19 days ago

Hi, maybe you should try a program named "Easy BCD" - it worked very well for me!
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Zachary Sonicfast

a month ago

It does NOT work at all. NOTHING works for me to dual boot Win7 with *any* version of linux. It takes 2 1/2 hours to reformat and repartition the default Windows image. Not something I want to do again. No fun sitting at the computer for hours on end over and over again just to 'see' if it will dual boot. I shrank Windows down using it's native disk management to make a LOT of extra space. I tried just about every combination I could devise and it REFUSES to dual boot Linux and windows. I even tried install alongside windows and THAT didn't work. Can no one fix linux so it will dual boot with windows 7?? I am able to access linux if I use supergrub2 cd first. But this is unacceptable. I only have remimaging disks(4 dvd's) for my laptopand not a regular windows disk. I feel the problem is with the bootloader. Seems it either won't install or is not recognized or windows overwrites it. The default is /sda for bootloader. I tried installing it to the linux partiton and other partitions and to no avail. I used easy BCD and that too did not work - ALWAY S an error
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Abhishek Prakash
http://itsfoss.com/guide-install-linux-mint-16-dual-boot-windows/

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Zachary Sonicfast a month ago

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Hi Zachary,

1/28/2014

Guide To Install Linux Mint 16 In Dual Boot With Windows

Hi Zachary, What do you mean by it "refuses to dual boot"? What error do you see and at what point?
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KidBengala

3 days ago

Nice post!
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prasad

4 days ago

I am following the same procedure but windows is opened, linux mint not opened. what i will do
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Seth Kvam

5 days ago

Is the GRUB installed automatically or do I need to do that seperately?

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Abhishek Prakash

Mod

Seth Kvam 5 days ago

It should be installed automatically with the install.

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Harman

15 days ago

Hey Abishek ,maybe you should make a guide on how to install another OS if you have 4 partitions. I had that problem, and it took my like 50 hours to find a solution. For my way, you need a System repair disk.What I did was NOT touch the Manufacturer tools/Recover partitions(IF you have a uefi PC) and I deleted the "System Reserved" Partition on Windows using Easus Partition Manager. Then I shut down the comp, and a note: It will not boot up the regular way. After it got shutdown, use the system repair disk to use startup repair OR open cmd and type " bootrec /fix mbr" & "bootrec /fixbcd". Found it on windows 7 forums.
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Matthew Nickl

a month ago

When I get to step five it only shows the entire internal 320GB harddrive, not multiple partitions I created in Windows 7. I'm not quite sure what I'm doing wrong here, I should be seeing several partitions shouldn't I? This is the first time I've taken the plunge into Linux, so I'll just wait a few days and do a little more research to make sure I'm doing this right. I'd appreciate a few tips on why I can't see the partitions I made in Win7 32bit and an explanation on how I can install Linux Mint 16 Cinnamon 64bit on a seperate partition.

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naresh kumar

Matthew Nickl 25 days ago

I am also facing this problem during installation of linuxmint 16 kde/cinnamon. i have 4 partition hard drive shown in win7 64 bit but during installation of LM there is only one 500gb space shown. If any body have same problem and get solution please help me.
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Matthew Nickl

naresh kumar 25 days ago

I dont' know if your problem was my problem, but I found a solution to the problem. There's a lot of programs out there that'll allow you to convert a GPT partition table to MBR partition table, which was my problem, I had a GPT partition table that wasn't allowing Linux to see the partitions I made for it. So what I did was I grabbed MiniTool Partition Wizard Professional for Windows, which is a paid program. However, there's plenty of free and effective programs out there that'll do the same thing. I used my new program to convert from GPT to MBR. Then I booted from my LiveCD and this time Linux saw the partitions and I was able to follow through with this tutorial to get the two OS running together.
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Matthew Nickl

naresh kumar 25 days ago

I may have found the problem, but it'll be awhile before I can learn the fix. I have a GPT partition table and the Linux Mint installer cannot work with GPT partition tables which is why no partitions are detected. Here is the topic and forum where I was able to figure out the problem, www.techsupportforum.com/forum...
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Abhishek Prakash

Mod

Matthew Nickl 25 days ago

I am late in answering the comment but I see that you have already found the fix. Great!
1
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Naresh Kumar

Abhishek Prakash 23 days ago

i have already MBR partition but the problem was same only a partition of 140Gb and 360Gb shown but actually i have 4 partition of hard drive so what can i do to install LM16 KDE/Cinnamon alongside win 7 64bit.
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http://itsfoss.com/guide-install-linux-mint-16-dual-boot-windows/

romulo guedez fernandez

a month ago

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Guide To Install Linux Mint 16 In Dual Boot With Windows

romulo guedez fernandez

a month ago

Thanks for you wonderfull guide. Now in my PC I have dual boot with Windows 7-64 bits.and Linux Mint Cinnamon 64 bits. I just installed Cinnamon from my 16Gb USB (using Unetbootin to create a bootable usb). I followed your step by step guide and everything went smoothly. Keep up the good work. Thank you so much.
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Abhishek Prakash

Mod

romulo guedez fernandez a month ago

Welcome Romulo :)
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TokiTech

a month ago

Y OU ARE A F******N GENIUS MAN!! TY VM Ive been looking for two months this guide! Anything in youtube or else where help me to go through to the dual boot, til now! Ty Vm
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Abhishek Prakash

Mod

TokiTech a month ago

Welcome TokiTech :)
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Staks

a month ago

This is quite the guide, however I only have one windows drive and 4 partitions. How do I know which to choose?
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Abhishek Prakash

Mod

Staks a month ago

Hi Staks, It depends upon requirement. If you don't have useful data on some partition, choose that. Anything of size 20GB+ would be enough for the start.
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Dave Darr

2 months ago

Great write up. I do have a question that I have searched google for and cant find the answer. First off, I have went into the windows 8 machine's BIOS and disabled the EUFI secrure boot feature (under the advanced settings). This finally allowed me to Boot Linux Mint 16 KDE from USB stick. Next I booted Windows 8 and shrunk disk space, freeing up 70 Gig to use for Mint. From there I booted Mint (from USB). Started up the install process. I set the 3 required partitions like the article instructs from within my 70 Gig free space. / - approx 15GB http://itsfoss.com/guide-install-linux-mint-16-dual-boot-windows/ 20/26

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Guide To Install Linux Mint 16 In Dual Boot With Windows

/ - approx 15GB Swap - approx 8 GB /Home - approx 47 GB which all combined = 70 GB When I click the "install now" button, i keep getting a error prompt title "Do you want ot return to the partitioner" in a nut shell it says that my my home partition is too small and to make sure that my home partition is a least this large: /home 0TB0. Anyone know what I'm doing wrong, or what I need to adjust to get Mint on my PC? Thanks
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Abhishek Prakash

Mod

Dave Darr a month ago

Hi Dave, Sorry for my late reply. Y our comment just got piled down among several others. I have seen this error in past. But at present I don't remember how I fixed it :( I did not have to Google for it for sure. After freeing up the space, try resizing (with different sizes this time) the home, swap and root.
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med marcovic

Abhishek Prakash a month ago

hi mr abhishek i can't find my "D" partition plz help

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Abhishek Prakash

Mod

med marcovic a month ago

Hi Med, The drive number in Windows are just a logical name. One can always change it. So you can have a C drive and P drive or similar. So for your question, was there ever a D drive that you lost after repartitioning?
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