I have created a bootable USB stick and intend to install Pep 5 on an Acer Aspire running Win7.
My problem is I need to keep the Win7 partition to run Autocad and MS Office.
The Acer has a 70GB partition with Win7 as Vista C: drive and it has 70GB partition as Data D: drive.
How can I make this a dual boot and choose which system to start up ?
Don W
PS I will probably wipe the C: drive and re-install win7 before I start, or is it better to install Peppermint and then add Win7 ? 
No … it’s ALWAYS easier to have Windows installed FIRST.
OK, dual-boot…
The Peppermint installer should discover the Windows installation and offer to “Install alongside Windows 7” (as in the top option in this slightly fuzzy screenshot … obviously this screenshot offer to install alongside Debian but your will say Win7)
http://linuxforums.org.uk/MGalleryItem.php?id=1595
(obviously DO NOT select "Replace Windows 7 with Peppermint)
It will then offer you a slider to adjust the amount you want to shrink the Windows partition by (therefore leaving space for the Peppermint installation).
It’s all pretty straight forward, but a couple of hints for you:-
and most importantly
Thanks Mark,
I installed Win7 this afternoon on the Acer.
I will install Peppermint 5 in the morning as suggested.
I have another 3 laptops to try Peppermint on so will let you know how it all goes.
(Translated, the above line means I will be back with my problems. ).
Thanks for the advice.
Don W
Heh … no problem, I’ll be waiting 
Hi Mark,
I went to install Peppermint 5 this morning and Win7 needed 166 updates :o. It was still updating when I left for lunch. When the machine is finished updating I will defrag.
I think this whole idea is a no-brainer and am considering wiping the HD and installing Peppermint 5 and running Autocad and Ms Office in Windows VM.
Is this a feasible plan ? and could I do it ?
Don W
PS Win7 update has reached 163 of 166 almost 4 1/2 hours sheesh
You could run them in a VM if you PC has the appropriate CPU (with virtualisation extensions).
You MIGHT be able to run Office & AutoCAD under Wine, not sure about that and your mileage will DEFINATELY vary!
What features do you need in MS Office that aren’t in LibreOffice?
I will be able to use Libre Office, so that is one problem solved.
Autocad does not run under Wine.
I will have a look at VBox
Thanks for the advice.
Don W
I’d be pretty confident that after those updates you’ll reboot and there’ll be a ton more … last tme I installed Win7 the updates took about 8 - 10 hours IIRC :
Yup you should be able to run AutoCAD and Office in a Virtualbox VM (only one way to find out) … don’t install VirtualBox from the repos though, you’ll want the non open source version … ask if you can’t figure that out
Hi Mark,
I’m asking
Is there a problem with the repos ?
I am quite happy following your instructions, ‘lead on MacDuff’.
Don W
Nothing wrong with the repo’s … it’s just that I think the version in the repos is the open source version.
If you’ve already installed the repo version, uninstall it:
sudo apt purge virtualbox*
Now let’s backup your sources.list:
sudo cp -v /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list.bak
now add the virtualbox repo and key:
echo "deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian trusty contrib" | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list
then
wget -q http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian/oracle_vbox.asc -O- | sudo apt-key add -
then update the package cache:
sudo apt update
then install
sudo apt install build-essential linux-headers-generic dkms virtualbox-4.3
Now go to:-
menu > System Tools >Users and Groups
Click the “Manage Groups” button … then scroll down to the “vboxusers” group and highlight it.
Whist “vboxusers” is highlighted, click the “Properties” buttton.
and tick any usernames you want to add to that group (ie. anyone you want to be able to fully use virtualbox)
Clck the “OK” button.
You’ll now find Virtualbox in the menu at:-
menu > System Tools > Oracle VM Virtualbox
Thanks Mark,
I have carried out the above instructions on my own Novatech computer as the Acer is still defragging.
My own computer details are in my signature. I installed Autocad 2014 in there this afternoon and if I can get this Virtual box thing to work with Autocad 2014 then I will probably wipe the Acer and install Peppermint 5 and the Vbox.
Hope this makes some sense as I feel great about installing Peppermint 5 on my machine, it is a pleasure to use.
I will report back when the Acer cools down.
take care
Don W
This you might have answered elsewhere, but are you absolutely tied to using AutoCAD or you could get by with Draftsight?
I am afraid it must be Autocad.
I have done as Mark suggested and installed the VBox. It appears easy enough to set up, (after a quick look at the manual), so I will try out in the morning.
At the moment I am having a problem typing anything as the cursor keeps taking leaps and sentences are split. I must find out what is going on >:(
Don W
Are you by any chance touching the trackpad whilst typing ? … maybe it’s being over sensitive.
run this in a terminal:
syndaemon -i 2 -d
now try typing
What that does is it kills the trackpad when you hit a key on the keyboards … it stays off until 2 seconds after your last keystroke.
If that stops the skipping we’ll know it’s related to the trackpad and we can either set that command to run at system startup or look into making the trackpad less sensitive.
Logging off/on or rebooting will get you back to where you are now.
If you get stuck installing Windows into a Vbox VM … just ask, but there are tons of online tutorials, and youtube videos
(Just remember to give the Win7 VM at least 1024MB of Memory as that’s the minimum install requirement)
–
Probably more if you’re going to be using AutoCAD!
What CPU is this again?
I said “at least”, any more can be adjusted later … but yeah, expect AutoCAD to be demanding on resources so having a large amount of physical RAM so you can give quite a bit over to the VM would certainly help.
Hi Mark,
I have run that command and all is working well at the moment. I use a mouse to navigate in Windross and have not set up the trackpad yet.
I had a look at the manual for the Vbox and it seems pretty straightforward, I will also have a look at your other suggestions.
I have been directed to an earlier topic in the forums ‘Can I run Windows in Linux’ which you posted some time ago and it really covers what I am trying to do.
take care
Don W
PS I managed to type this with only 2 jumps about the page and it was when I was thinking what to write and was leaning on the trackpad :-[
If you’re going to use a mouse, you could always disable the trackpad altogether
In Peppermint 5 this is in the Pepeprmint Control Centre
menu > Preferences > Peppermint Control Center > Keyboard & Pointer (tab)
then remove the tick from “Touchpad Enabled” under “Touchpad Options”
you could also try just disabling the “Tap-to-Click” option in the same place.
Hi Mark,
I have reinstalled XP on the Acer. The defrag was still running at 9 this morning at update 163 of 166. (12 hours >:(
The Acer has 3 partitions, 0 is a hidden partition and the C: is 53 GB with 48.6 free and D: is 31.1 GB with 31 free. XP is mounted on C:
I am off to read up on the ‘Can I run Windows in Linux’ thread.
Don W
PS The D: drive is actually 53 GB
How do you expect to get the XP updates ? … even if there’s a way, how long do you think that will take ? … and you’re at risk whilst getting them :-/
Your choice, but WinXP is beyond dead and IMHO anyone that continues to use it with the networking stack still active are being extremely selfish … at some point the PC will be compromised and probably become part of a botnet used to attack others.
XP as a network enabled OS including dual boot is a MAJOR data theft waiting to happen … but it WILL happen.
Your only safe choices are -
XP in a VM with networking disabled
XP as a dual booter but with the network stack disabled
or Win7