Ubuntu – How to triple-boot Ubuntu, Fedora and Windows 7

dual-bootfedorawindows 7

I have an Acer Laptop with windows 7 pre installed. I want to install Ubuntu and fedora and make a triple boot configuration. I want to know how? I am a newcomer to linux and I need help.

Best Answer

I suggest you install Windows first, then Fedora, then install Ubuntu last. Installing Windows first will ensure that Fedora's or Ubuntu's GRUB will detect Windows and allow you to choose between all three operating systems.

  1. Install Windows! (Skip this step if you have it already)

  2. Shrink your Windows Partition using Disk Management by clicking the Start Menu, then right-click Computer, then select Manage. Then Select Disk Management from the sidebar.

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  3. Right-Click the Windows Partition and Choose "Shrink Volume". Decide How many MB's you will want to give to Ubuntu and Fedora. More is better. Remember: 1GB = 1024MB. I suggest shrinking about 20-50 GBs for both Fedora and Ubuntu, since they need at least 6.5 GB for both.

  4. Shut down Windows.

  5. Boot into a Fedora Installation or Live CD and choose "Install Fedora".

  6. Keep going and then stop at this step.

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  7. Choose Create Custom Layout.

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  8. Select the "Free" thing and then click the "Create" button.

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  9. Click Create again. Choose the Mount Point as / and give some space to Fedora in MBs. Remember to leave some space for Ubuntu!

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  10. Go through the rest of the Process.(next, next, next.)

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  11. Restart your machine and setup Fedora.

Fedora is now installed! Have fun with Fedora.

  1. Then reboot into a Ubuntu Live CD.

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  2. Again, stop at this step.

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  3. Choose Something Else.

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  4. Click the Free space and then click Add. Again choose / for the mount point and use a Logical Partition. Choose any Disk size you want.

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  5. Click OK and go through the rest of the process. (next,next,next.)

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  6. A GRUB menu should appear to let you choose Windows, Ubuntu, and Fedora!

Note: If Fedora didn't show up in the GRUB menu, you might have to type sudo update-grub in the Terminal.

Sharing swap on a USB flash drive between Ubuntu and Fedora

Here is how to share swap on a USB flash drive between Ubuntu and Fedora. (Thanks Akshit Baunthiyal!)

For anyone that doesn't know what Swap is, read the SwapFaq in the Official Ubuntu Documentation.

  1. Boot into Ubuntu.

  2. Insert a 4GB+ USB Stick. Use a spare one, because stuff on the USB will be gone soon! Of course, you can ignore these steps, so read the SwapFaq to decide if you really need swap.

  3. Then go to Disk Utility. The USB Stick should show up in the sidebar.

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Because I don't have a spare USB lying around the USB stick that is supposed to show up isn't shown.

  1. Click on the USB Stick, and then select Format Drive. Then choose linuxswap as the format. Remember not to format the wrong drive!!!

  2. After formatting, scroll to the side and look at the Device: column. Note the string that is followed by that. It should be something like "/dev/sdx1". Remember that!

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  3. Fire up a terminal by searching "Terminal" in the dash.

  4. Type sudo mkswap /dev/sdx1 in the Terminal. Enter your password when prompted and replace "/dev/sdx1" with the string that I told you to remember.

  5. Next, type sudo swapon /dev/sdb. Again, replace /dev/sdb with the string.

  6. Then, type sudo gedit /etc/fstab. A window will appear.

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  7. Add /dev/sdx1 swap swap defaults 0 0 to the end of the file.

  8. Save the file and close it.

Apply the same thing with Fedora if you want, but just remember that there is no sudo in Fedora and you will have to switch to a root prompt:

su --login

then type in your password in Fedora and follow the steps without having to type "sudo".

Now you should have a triple-Boot system with Ubuntu, Windows, Fedora, and a swap in Both Ubuntu and Fedora!

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