Do you have dual-boot and why?

PardonTheWait · 23 Oct 2011 at 18:31

I've got a Windows 7 installation on my Mac but I've only ever used it for one program, which is an RC help simulator. I'm going to reinstall everything on my Mac in the next few days (I realised the installation is something stupid like 6 years old and has been on loads of machine and I fancy a fresh start), and I won't be putting W7 back on it.

D.P. · 23 Oct 2011 at 18:48

windows 7 + Ubtuntu. Will probably ditch windows 7 and go back to windows XP as win7 just seems unstable and several drivers just don't work.

Street · 23 Oct 2011 at 18:49

I have W7 and XP, wish I could get rid of the XP drive and just have W7 but I record off my decks onto my PC and for some reason I can't recorded without glitches on W7. I've looked into it and tried everything possible with no result so had to install XP onto a spare drive so that I could record properly. :mad:

I did have W7 and Ubuntu on my laptop but never really used Ubuntu as it was a pain rebooting to swap in for the few things I needed it for so got rid of it.

andy_mk3 · 23 Oct 2011 at 18:55

compboyo said:
how do you do this?

Does it just mean it runs xp compatibility or it actually switches to xp as in the whole os

XP runs inside W7 in a VM. Here's a screeny to explain

Rameses · 23 Oct 2011 at 19:00

I use OS X 10.7 because it's the best and I have W7 on virtual/bootcamp.

compboyo · 23 Oct 2011 at 19:07

Street said:
I have W7 and XP, wish I could get rid of the XP drive and just have W7 but I record off my decks onto my PC and for some reason I can't recorded without glitches on W7. I've looked into it and tried everything possible with no result so had to install XP onto a spare drive so that I could record properly.

I did have W7 and Ubuntu on my laptop but never really used Ubuntu as it was a pain rebooting to swap in for the few things I needed it for so got rid of it.

oh yeh thtas why i keep xp I have issues with creativee audigy and recordign guitar etc on win7, works on xp

compboyo · 23 Oct 2011 at 19:08

andy_mk3 said:
XP runs inside W7 in a VM. Here's a screeny to explain

and this feature is just an option in win7? where do i find it. its as simple as click on run xp?

andy_mk3 · 23 Oct 2011 at 19:10

compboyo said:
and this feature is just an option in win7? where do i find it. its as simple as click on run xp?

No

Download VirtualBox, then you can install the OS from the original CD, just click on 'New' in the top left corner of the program and it will take you through a wizard to set the OS up, it's very simple.

Hotwired · 23 Oct 2011 at 19:11

compboyo said:
and this feature is just an option in win7? where do i find it. its as simple as click on run xp?

If you look at the bottom he's running it with Oracle VirtualBox.

Hades · 23 Oct 2011 at 19:14

I used to dual boot Windows and Linux. Now I just run various Linux distro's inside Virtualbox.

compboyo · 23 Oct 2011 at 19:42

andy_mk3 said:
No Download VirtualBox, then you can install the OS from the original CD, just click on 'New' in the top left corner of the program and it will take you through a wizard to set the OS up, it's very simple.

oh right so I have to run vritual box then put in my xp disc and install it.

d_brennen · 23 Oct 2011 at 19:47

Hades said:
I used to dual boot Windows and Linux. Now I just run various Linux distro's inside Virtualbox.

Yeah, since Virtual Box got so good I just run VMs for tasks with require a specific OS. Discovered that Puppy Linux is the mutts nuts the other day. Will be bashing it on my netbook for my next trip overseas

TechFunctions · 23 Oct 2011 at 20:43

I run several VMs pretty much what ever OS I require for the task..

Dave85 · 23 Oct 2011 at 21:02

Running Ubuntu and W7 on HTPC to get a feel for Ubuntu

wannabedamned · 23 Oct 2011 at 21:02

Linux mint and windows XP. I used to think Linux was awesome. But the more I use it. The more I see its limitations. Which is why I need to stick with a windows based OS.

Killerkebab · 23 Oct 2011 at 21:12

I used to dual boot XP/7, and play older games in XP. Now there are solutions for almost everything I played except for Act of War... not sure what to do about this one

JosephNV · 25 Oct 2011 at 00:47

Win7, and XP Mode for some - for want of a better word - temperamental legacy applications.

Windows XP Mode is an update for Windows 7 (see here) which allows you to run a virtual XP machine in Win7. With HAV-capable hardware (pretty much everything nowadays) it runs really well! I keep it on one monitor with Win7 on the other

No need for VirtualBox or any other third-party software, XP mode integrates right into Win7.

wannabedamned said:
Linux mint and windows XP. I used to think Linux was awesome. But the more I use it. The more I see its limitations. Which is why I need to stick with a windows based OS.

Couldn't agree more. I had a tinker with Ubuntu, openSUSE and Linux Mint for a while, but I missed Adobe, couldn't get used to GIMP and the horrificly undeveloped replacements for other Adobe suite applications. Don't get me wrong, Linux has massive potential; but simply isn't mature enough, and doesn't have enough support from leading developers (e.g Adobe) for it to be viable for my needs.

I also had a go with OSX86. Got it working at one point, but I felt tied down with OS X, so back to Windows I went!!!

Antar Bolaeisk · 25 Oct 2011 at 00:50

I have XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 Developer Preview and Ubuntu.

No idea why though, just never got rid of them for fear or losing info.

numatic.nathan · 25 Oct 2011 at 00:53

I used to dual boot Windows and Linux, but now I just stick with Windows as it keeps the boot drive clean. If I need to use any other OS I either use a spare hard disk, machine or virtual machine

shoes · 25 Oct 2011 at 01:11

Macbook Pro...

OS X for general usage / photography / some steam games
Windows 7 for work (it's just better in my work environment) and other games (such as GTA)