Dual Booting with W7 prioritized

Jackobyte

I don't know whether this is possible but I was just wondering whether you can set up ubuntu 10.10 so that the computer will automatically boot Windows unless you press, let's say F3, at the point when you press F8 to go into Windows Safe Mode. I would be using Windows primarily and my parents wouldn't have a clue what to do if the GRUB menu came up.

Stuxnet

download startup-manager from the ubuntu software center
run it, then select windows as default boot os,
you can set the countdown timer to 1 second in it also, give you enough time to select ubuntu if you wanted, but it'd be too quick for your parents, and it'll boot into windows without them noticing a thing

Jackobyte

iPwnage wrote: »

download startup-manager from the ubuntu software center
run it, then select windows as default boot os,
you can set the countdown timer to 1 second in it also, give you enough time to select ubuntu if you wanted, but it'd be too quick for your parents, and it'll boot into windows without them noticing a thing

So the grub menu will appear but will disappear after x seconds and windows will boot? Do you have to do anything special during installation of Ubuntu?

Stuxnet

Yes and no

Jonathan

Either:

1. Use EasyBCD to add Ubuntu to the Windows 7 boot manager.
2. Install Ubuntu on a separate HD and use the BIOS to select which drive to boot from.

Jackobyte

Have it working fine now. Installed ubuntu using wubi so it was automatically added to the windows boot manager. Using EasyBCD, I changed this boot manager to boot into windows after 2 seconds. If I select ubuntu, I end up at the GRUB menu which boots to ubuntu automatically after 1 second after I used start-up manager.

Stuxnet

well if you installed via wubi all you had to do was set windows to default and set timer through msconfig start>type>msconfig > boot tab

you didnt need to install grub through easyBCD !!

wubi installation has alot of limitations ! holler if you want to give it its own partition !

Jackobyte

iPwnage wrote: »

well if you installed via wubi all you had to do was set windows to default and set timer through msconfig start>type>msconfig > boot tab

you didnt need to install grub through easyBCD !!

wubi installation has alot of limitations ! holler if you want to give it its own partition !

I didn't do anything with the grub menu. It just happened when I wubi installed. Both the windows and grub boot menus appeared after the install. The grub menu only appears if I select ubuntu at the windows boot screen though.

What sort of limitations does a wubi install have?

Stuxnet

Ah right fair enough so !
Speed and performance mostly,

Ah it's grand as your only learning it, I wouldnt worry bout it tbf