#dual booting

[the-pickle-jar]

wasnt paying attention to grub bootloader and accidentally booted the wrong OS 12 dead 30 minutes wasted

[softlifesofttech]

To Mac or not to Mac. I learnt about Virtualisation, it was cool

Virtualisation is the process of emulating a physical computer system using software. This allows people to harness the components of systems in a virtual capacity without having to obtain the traditional equipment to run these components (Hopping, 2021). Although virtual machines (VM) interact with the host, they are completely independent, providing a level of security and isolation. Additionally, VMs undergo partitioning which allows for the running of multiple operating systems on one machine. You'll also find that VMs are encapsulated making them highly portable (Vmware, 2021).

One of the major advantages of virtualisation is the ability to integrate virtualised computing components on different operating systems. Operating systems can vary from machine to machine, and this means information must be recompiled to suit the language of that specific device. However, virtualisation allows for programs to be run anywhere, in their original state, provided there is a virtual machine installed. For example, python is not translated into machine code and is therefore incompatible with some processors. The python virtual machine simulates the processor but also has the necessary interpreter to convert the python bytecode.

This brings me to a regular debate I see take place regarding operating systems among techies. People entering tech are often overwhelmed with advice and calls to buy all sorts of new handy gadgets. The conversation at the forefront tends to be; to MAC or not to MAC. I've come to realise, when you're first starting, this doesn't necessarily matter (there are caveats to this statement). VMs provide the correct context for any program or software you run. Therefore, use what you have and can afford, as dual booting is a viable option. 

The general advice is to utilise the CPU or software that you most frequent in your area of expertise. A nuance often overlooked with random soundbites on social media. These could vary between Windows, macOS or Linux. As you solidify your knowledge and become familiar with your niche, you will most likely know which is most practical for you.

[howdououfeel]

Welp since windows 11 is taking away some features I like while making shit look worse(as well as telling me to go fuck myself) I think its a good time to dual boot my comp and try some Linux distro(s)

[heavymetalhexcode]

Halp

Have I got any technologically-inclined friends out there who might be able to assist me with a rather perplexing situation involving Linux getting there first and Windows whining about it?

[baphobae]

took a screenshot of both my Windows 10 and Ubuntu desktops~ I use Ubuntu mostly but when I wanna play Fallout 4 or Sims 3, Windows is the better choice haha. I have them separate, each on their own 1TB drive.

[ixellent]

Short Guide to Boot Camp Windows 10 on a Mid-2011 iMac

So this was my life for basically 10 hours yesterday. There are some more technical guides out there but they didn’t work for me. The problem is that I own a Mid-2011 iMac (Apple Icon > “About this Mac” will show you what your model year is). It’s a relatively common “older” model, but it was on the brink of a lot of upgrades that would make it easier to use and more powerful on the technical side. So what does this mean? 

If you have a mid-2011 Mac, you can’t just Boot Camp Windows 10 using the software like you can Win7 or 8. It won’t even give you the option. In addition, they can’t even boot from most USB sticks. So you have to burn a disc of the ISO, period. Anyway I’ve written a guide on how to do this as painlessly as possible for those of you that have this particular need as I do.

TL;DR: Install Windows 7 or 8, then upgrade to Windows 10.

You will need: A legitimate Windows 10 product key (...), 2+ blank DVDs (or one DVD and a disc copy of Windows 7), a blank USB stick/flash drive, an internet connection. A legitimate Windows 7 product key is optional, because we won’t actually be using it except briefly as a bridge to Windows 10, which requires a *different* product key.

NOTE: It is possible that you can do this with Windows 8 instead! But that is not what I did, because I already had a Windows 7 disc. Your mileage may vary.

1) Prepare: Back up your computer. Any time you do something like this, and any time you do a major OS update, make sure you back up your hard drive. Externals are cheap as hell these days. I use Time Machine and a 2TB USB drive. - Download the ISO file for both Windows 7** and Windows 10, and burn them to separate DVDs (DVD Burning Instructions: Yosemite, El Capitan), making SURE to run and pass verification (my Windows 10 ISO failed verification, wouldn’t even load, and effectively wasted a DVD. I burned at the slower 4x speed the second time.) If you own or can borrow a disc copy of Windows 7, you do not need to burn the ISO to DVD. ** Microsoft doesn’t offer the Windows 7 ISO without a product key so I can’t really help you here. I had an old Win7 Ultimate ISO disc from the first time I did this. Technically you don’t need a legitimate copy of Windows 7 for this BUT I DIDN’T SAY THAT. - Open Boot Camp Assistant (in Applications > Utilites) and check ONLY the box to download the Windows support software to a blank USB (the first option.) This is the drivers that Windows needs to properly use Apple keyboard, mouse, etc. and will be installed after everything else. - Have your product key(s) handy.

2) Partition and Install Windows 7: Insert the Windows 7 DVD. Open Boot Camp Assistant (in Applications > Utilities). Choose the second option ONLY, to create a boot camp drive partition. Follow the easy on-screen directions. This part is normal, because we’re just installing Windows 7 and creating a properly formatted partition (important!) using Boot Camp Assistant. When it asks for a product key, you can skip that step if you do not have a legitimate key. Windows will work for 30 days without a product key. If there is a problem with your Windows 7 installation you may need to look up the specific problem.

3) Upgrade: When your Windows 7 Boot Camp drive is set up correctly and you have successfully booted into it without an issue, remove the Windows 7 disc and insert the Windows 10 disc. Run the Windows 10 disc from within Windows 7. It will ask for the product key before installing. In a perfect world, the installation goes off without a hitch at this point!

4) Troubleshoot: So it’s very likely that you’ll run into a problem. My installation had the following problems: hanging at the first progress percentage screen, a straight up fail to install message, hanging at the Windows 10 start screen. - If the first install percentage gets stuck at 2% (like mine) or at 24% (another common place), you may have to quit the install and try again. - If you get a vague fail to install message (like I did) and it quits to desktop, you’ll have to begin the install again. - If your install hangs at the start screen (you WILL NOT see the spinning circles loading animation if this happens), you will need to force restart. - If your computer freezes solid (no animations, no nothing) for more than 30-45 min, you will probably need to force restart. Start the Windows 10 install again, this time with feeling. If you have a problem that isn’t listed here, you will need to look it up.

5) Success!: Once Windows 10 is installed, answer the questions and create/login to your Windows account and follow the prompts. Everything will look like garbage. Give it a minute to find and update the graphics drivers, and follow any other reasonable prompts. Feel free to eject the Windows 10 DVD. Once things have calmed down and figured out its resolution, insert the Windows Support Software USB and run the program to install the Apple drivers. When complete, feel free to eject the USB.

That’s it! YOU DID IT! Go play games and use Paint Tool SAI without fear!

[theedfather]

I finally got my computer working how I want it in regards to dual booting! Now I get the option to either boot to Ubuntu or Windows 10, like I was supposed to. Turns out the issue is that grub gets instantly broken by Windows 10, and you just need to run a quick command through the Command Prompt to fix it. 

Just ran command prompt as Admin and pasted in

 “bcdedit /set {bootmgr} path \EFI\ubuntu\grubx64.efi” 

and all was well.

The solution is always so simple in the end. This took me about a month to finally sort out!

[theedfather]

Been trying for the last two days to dual boot my computer with Ubuntu. It’s been not going that well. I’ve gotten it installed a few times but couldn’t get it to boot afterwards. On like my 20th attempt now.