Puppy Linux Discussion Forum

bvjones59 · Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 76

I think that's called...
Boot Puppy from CD or USB, and keep the pup_save.sfs file on your windows drive. Laughing

erikson · Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 735 Location: Ghent, Belgium

I'm a bit late...

The definitive dual-booting guide: Linux, Vista and XP step-by-step

Wognath · Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Posts: 422

Hello,
I followed rcrsn51's suggestion above to use EasyBCD to dual-boot Vista/Puppy. It worked well. However, since Vista takes so long to start, I usually hibernate it. In this case, the computer skips the menu and starts Vista.

I found another method:
http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/95537-multiboot-vista-xp-and-other-oses-with-grub4dos-menu/

In brief, you place in c:/ grldr (from grub4dos) and menu.lst (sample menu.lst given in the link above). Then rename bootmgr to bootmgrv and grldr to bootmgr.

The computer sees grub before bcd and starts with the grub menu, even if Windows is hibernated. The changes are all reversible.

Hope this is useful to someone. Even though this thread is 4 years old, I found it and used it!!

ICPUG · Joined: 24 Jul 2005 Posts: 1307 Location: UK

Thanks Wognath for finding that little gem.

I wondered whether that trick would work with Vista/Windows 7. I could see no reason why it shouldn't but was too scared of messing things up to try!

Since my original posts in this thread I have now got Windows 7 and very recently started dual booting Puppy (FatSlacko). Rather than use Easy BCD to do all the work for me I do things manually - so I know its me if I mess things up! Very educational as well. Noryb0009 and Superchook helped to provide Lin'N'Win type simplicity to the instructions for dual booting with Windows 7.

I have since updated Lin'N'Win to include dual booting with Windows 7 from first principles.

Although the file renaming trick is easier to do it has a slight chance of messing things up if you get the typing wrong! Aesthetically, I really like it cos it puts ME, (via grub4dos), in charge of the boot process rather than Microsoft. I only use Windows boot if I say so! User choice rather than imposition.

Wognath · Joined: 19 Apr 2009 Posts: 422

I'm glad you liked that, ICPUG. Certainly part of the appeal is tricking Windows. All of the warnings about killing Vista by changing the mbr kept me from installing grub from puppy. The stakes were high as it is my daughter's computer!