Need Help With Dual Boot Install.

Mountain High

The 3 Books I bought:

- PHP, My SQL and Apache 5th Edition By SAMS

I plane to study this book in sequence. Programs build on each other.

Comes with DVD and has: PHP 5.4, MySQL 5.5 and Apache 2.4 that I can install individually.

Or I can install XAMPP that will install everything and give me an interface, to my understanding.

- Beginning PHP and My SQL from Novice to Professional 4th Edition. By aPress

This book is more of a reference, the topics do not build on each other.

- Linux for Dummies 8 books in 1, 4th Edition.

Comes with DVD and has: openSUSE, Debian, Fedora, Ubuntu and Xandros.

Plan A:

For my studies, I would like to run Linux as OS and install Apache, MySQL and PHP to run a Web Server and to learn everything as I go. I would like to keep Windows 7 on this new HP Pavilion p6 series AMD Quad-Core A6-3650 Accelerated Processor PC and partition the hard drive to have a dual boot system. Then on the new partition install Linux and so on. Then I can start to have a wonderful life with open source.

Plan B:

As I understand, there is a flash drive that will boot Linux. First of all, I don’t know where to download it. Then if I did, will it change Windows 7 in anyway?

Now – if I can run Linux off a flash drive, can all of the other software be install on the same flash drive and run properly and not change Windows 7 box at all???

Plan C:

Format the drive and install Linux and so on.

Plan

Using the program XAMPP on the DVD from the book PHP, My SQL and Apache 5th Edition By SAMS and start learning PHP, MySQL and a little about Apache with Windows 7 as OS. But this will not give me Linux knowledge!!!!!!!!!

One Last Item:

What is the command to find out what type and version of Linux on work server?

rechil_colin

According to Plan A- There is no probs to install Linux on another partition (extended) but be careful during partition, don't accept system proposal, best to select custom partition and declare partition as u need.

Plan B - U may take a look at:www.pendrivelinux.com/ where u can find all of ur answers. and also see here: http://askubuntu.com/questions/129901/how-to-install-ubuntu-12-04-with-pendrive-linux
as u work from flash drive, it is necessary to make boot sequence to boot from flash drive first !! No, it doesn't make any harm of ur Wind 7 OS. Yes, u may install other necessary SWs on the same drive.

Plan C - If u r a new babie in Linux OS, then No, not necessary to format HDD and install Linux as standalone OS (See Plan -A). If u r expert then u may go for format and install Linux as single OS.

Plan D - Using 7 u can not get understand of Linux though Windows 7 has some features that likely to Unix/Linux OS (referring to inner mechanism). 7 can't help u at all in this scenario. Best to install all necessary SWs on Linux OS and start to gather knowledge of OSS.

One Last Item - Open terminal and type as: uname -mrs (for kernel version/PC architecture)
cat /etc/*-release (for full history about OS)
or lsb_release -a
or more /proc/version

roobal

If you want to install Linux only as a server to provide apache, php etc. I suggest you to install Linux, preferably without any graphical environment, on virtaul machine, for example VirtualBox and run it with headless option. Guest OS will run in background and you can connect to it via ssh to manage and you can use also web server.

nixsavy

As mentioned on previous post installing virtual box on windows and installing linux as guest OS into the virtual machine is good option.

you can download virtual box from below link. Previous it was sun product and now its oracle product :-)

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/virtualbox/downloads/index.html

Installing virtual box is simple. For installing guest OS (linux ) you can check google :-)

if u hve any question post here.

prashantkadre

I do agree with Nixsavy & Roobal..

Virtual box is an very good option for you. Even you made any mistake you can roll back to previous step and it's easy to handle/Understand.

Their would be no harm to your Windows 7.

Virtual Box or VMware will work smoothly. But i suggest to use Virtual box easy to understand.

Roguehorse

While I agree with all of the above posts with using virtualization over dual boot, I would actually suggest going in reverse order and installing your Linux choice as your host OS then installing Windows as your guest. The advantage to this is you get the native system protection Linux provides and Windows ends up in a sandbox environment in case it should become compromised as many Windows systems do.

The other advantage to running Windows as a guest on a Linux host system is you become more and more used to using the system for the majority of your daily operating needs yet still have a Windows system to fall back on in case of compatibility issues with some interfacing devices such as GPS.

arijitadmin

I am also agree with Nixsavy & Roobal.
VirtualBox an extremely feature rich, high performance product for enterprise customers, it is also the only professional solution that is freely available as Open Source Software.

it is very easy to handel and also required for dual booting planning.