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How to dual-boot Linux Mint 13 Cinnamon/MATE and Windows 7

Windows 7 Boot Menu

Linux Mint 13 Cinnamon and Linux Mint 13 MATE are the latest editions of the popular Linux desktop distribution based on Ubuntu Desktop. This tutorial presents a step-by-step guide on how to dual-boot either one with Windows 7 on a computer with a single hard drive.

Because the Cinnamon and MATE editions of Linux Mint 13 share the same installation program, the steps involved are the same regardless of the edition you use. For this tutorial, a 32-bit installation image of the Cinnamon edition was used.

If your computer is running a self-installed copy of Windows 7, the default number of partitions will be just like the ones shown in the image below. Keep in mind that the partitions on an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) installation could be different. For this tutorial, the operating assumption is that you computer is running a self-installed copy of Windows 7. Note: On your computer, make a mental note of the amount of free space on the C drive listed on this image. You will need the information during the installation of Linux Mint 13.
Windows 7 Partitions

The objective here is to install Linux Mint 13 on the same hard drive, with GRUB, Linux Mint’s boot loader, installed in the boot partition (of Linux Mint), leaving Windows 7’s boot programs in the hard drive’s Master Boot Record (MBR) untouched. Then using another application to add an entry for Linux Mint 13 in Windows 7’s boot menu, so that at boot time, you will be able to choose which operating system to boot into. Selecting Windows 7 will cause the computer to boot into Windows 7 and selecting Linux Mint 13 will boot the system into your newly installed copy of Linux Mint 13, but not after a brief stop at Linux Mint’s boot menu.
Windows 7 Boot Menu

After creating partitions for and installing Linux Mint 13, the new partitions as seen from inside Windows 7 will look a lot different. This image shows the partitions from the computer used for this tutorial after the dual-boot operating has completed.
Windows 7 Linux Mint 13 Partitions

For this tutorial, the partitions that will be created for Linux Mint 13 are: a partition mounted at /boot; root partition mounted at /; a partition mounted at /home; and a Swap partition. You do not need to create all four, but that is what will be done for this tutorial.

What do you need to complete this tutorial? Just five items:

  • This tutorial
  • You, and an Internet-connected computer, needed to read this tutorial.
  • An installation image of Linux Mint 13 (MATE or Cinnamon edition). You may download it from here. Burn the downloaded image to a DVD, or transfer it to a USB flash drive.
  • The target computer running Windows 7 (Note: you may opt to reinstall Windows 7 anew)
  • EasyBCD – a free software from NeoSmart Technologies that will be used to add an entry for Linux Mint 13 in Windows 7’s boot menu

Note: If you are not familiar with disk partitioning in Linux and how to dual-boot operating systems, it is highly recommended that you read guide to disks and disk partitions in Linux and tips for dual-booting Windows and Linux before continuing with the rest of this tutorial.

Now that we have a pretty good idea of what we need to accomplish, time to get it done. To start, boot the computer from the Linux Mint 13 DVD installation image that you made. Linux Mint 13 DVD is a Live DVD and by default, will boot into a Live desktop environment. Click on the installer’s icon on the desktop to start the installation process. When the installer starts, click through the first steps until you get to the one shown below. You definitely do not want to select the second option. Like the second option, selecting the first option will lead to an automatic partitioning of the free space needed to install Linux Mint 13.
Mint 13 Disk Partition Options

Selecting the first option will actually bring you to this step, where you can see how the installer will resize the main Windows 7 partition (the C drive). The problem with selecting the first option, is that GRUB will be installed in the MBR of the hard drive, where it will overwrite Windows 7’s boot files. Since this is not what we want to do, the only option left, is the last option (Something else). So, if you are at this step, click the Back button.
Mint 13 Install

Selecting Something else and clicking Continue will bring you to the Advanced Partitioning Tool. “Advanced” does not mean that the tool is really advanced, it just means that it is for people who know how to partition disks in Linux. If you read and understood the material discussed in guide to disks and disk partitions in Linux, consider yourself an advanced user.

The main window of Advanced Partitioning Tool is shown below. By default, the partitions listed at this step – sda1 and sda2, are the two Windows 7 partition that we saw on the first image on this page. In Windows’ parlance, sda2 is the C drive, while sda1 is the System Reserved partition.
Linux Mint 13 Advanced Partition Tool

The task here is to resize sda2, freeing up enough space that will be used to create the partitions for installing Linux Mint 13. To begin, select sda2 and click Change.
Linux Mint 13 Windows Partition

This is the resize window, also known as the Edit Partition window. The sda2 on the computer used for this tutorial has about 320 GB of disk space. How much of that disk space we can free up depends, of course, on what is available. This is where you have to be very careful.
Linux Mint 13 Resize Windows Partition

The system used for this tutorial was a recent installation, so Windows 7 has only used about 7 GB. With that, I decided to allocate 100 GB to Windows. That amount is what should be shown in the New partition size field. And that is all you need to do here. Click OK.
Linux Mint 13 Resized Windows Partition

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s1nal
s1nal
11 years ago

I finished the Mint installation and selected to reboot the computer, expecting to go through a Windows constancy check on the C drive.

I left my work station and came back to a blank screen but with the computer still running.

I’m wondering, is this blank screen the consistency check, and should I just leave it? I have been waiting about 20 minutes on this screen and the C partition is about 200GB.

s1nal
s1nal
Reply to  s1nal
11 years ago

Never mind. My system must have stalled right before the reboot, because when I restarted my computer manually Windows booted and started the C: disk check.

Dov
Dov
11 years ago

All I can get is page 1- w I can not get remaining pages for article on dual boot? Only page 1.

Jon
Jon
11 years ago

Question:
This seemed like the best tutorial on the web, I think my issue may be similar to what Ben experienced… I followed the tutorial up to the point where I’ve brought up the partition window. Like Ben i have three sda partitions for windows already – sda2 with the largest GB i assume is my C drive, but when i click to change it, the Edit partition window does not show the option to re-size…

And ideas on this? (also when i brought up the initial install window it did not give me the first option “to install along side” – because i am installing from a USB onto a net-book is it possible that i’ve missed something or am already maxed at 3 partitions? or do i need to somehow designate the sda2 as an extended partition from windows as talked about in the link you provided?)

Thanks!

whhhy wwhy
whhhy wwhy
11 years ago

Thanks!

mousse
mousse
11 years ago

I’m having some trouble. I went through the steps as you stated them (minus the /home partition – I omitted that), and it all worked (ignoring this problem I’m having). The issue is that when I select Linux Mint from the bootloader, it brings me to a screen that says only “Initializing variable space. Starting cmain()…” or something to that effect and does not do anything beyond that, except blink the cursor indefinitely.

Does anyone have any insight on this?

mousse
mousse
Reply to  mousse
11 years ago

I guess something went wrong in the installation, because I reinstalled it and it works fine now. Cheers!

mousse
mousse
Reply to  mousse
11 years ago

I guess something went wrong in the installation, because I reinstalled it and it works fine now. Cheers!

Atul
Atul
11 years ago

When i’m creating a ‘Primary’ partition with Mount Point ‘/boot’, the system shows the rest of the available space 178GB as unusable. It does not allow me to create any further partitions.
Can anyone help me on this.

Ben
Ben
11 years ago

Quick Question:

When I get to the Partitioning table, I see sda1[ntfs], sda2[ntfs], and sda3[ntfs] with sizes 14.0 GB, 0.1 GB, 256.0 GB respectively. I’m running Windows 7 Home Premium, and it was pre-installed by the OEM.

Is this normal?

Ben
Ben
Reply to  finid
11 years ago

Yeah, it is the recovery partition. But the problem is when I make the Linux Mint boot partition (primary) the Linux Mint installer won’t let me create another partition – even a logical one.

Ben
Ben
Reply to  finid
11 years ago

Well – don’t do what I did.

I deleted my recovery partition, moved all the partitions up to fill that gap, put the excess back into my Windows partition, and tried to reinstall Linux Mint (/boot in a primary partition now). Table looked like this I guess:

Primary – System Reserved
Primary – Windows (C:)
Primary – /boot
Logical – /
Logical – /home

I got a “grub rescue >” prompt on next reboot and then a Windows Boot Manager message saying to insert my installation disc on the next one.

Jason
Jason
11 years ago

Hello,

Great tutorial. I used the tutorial for Linux Mint 13 KDE. Up to the part when you need to install EasyBCD … is this necessary? I can choose from the different operating systems when I start my computer.

notafish
11 years ago

Thanks a zillion, this went flawless.

dave
dave
11 years ago

Hi there, this tutorial is great!
I’ve got a problem when I follow your tutorial. After I chose “Primary” as the “/boot” mount point, the remain free memory coudn’t be done any more new partition. So, I chose “Logical”, and followed your steps.
After the installation, the dual boot menu didn’t show up. It just run Win7 directly.
Can’t figure it out!!
Thanks anyway. You did a great job.

Paul
Paul
11 years ago

This tutorial is perfect! I’ve set up dual-boot systems before using this method, but it’s so rare I always have to hunt and peck to figure things out.

Having everything in one place, well explained, is a service to humanity. 🙂

Brusan
Brusan
11 years ago

Thanks a lot forsharing this information, it was a big help. A side note: I have installed Linux Mint on two HP/Compaq laptops. In both of these, all primary partitions were allocated by the os and junk from HP and the installation failed. So if you end up with a new partition that can not be used, you’ll probably have to get rid of one or more of the “bonus” partitions.

toxic
toxic
11 years ago

goood, thanks.

Elson Justine
Elson Justine
11 years ago

This is the best tutorial ever! I had no idea on how to do this stuff, but thanks to you I’m able to and I did it.

Colin
Colin
11 years ago

Excellent tutorial. Everything worked as expected.

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