Dual boot Windows 7 and Fedora Core 11

A first attempt in creating a dual boot system.

SETUP:

Create recovery disks for Windows 7.

Reference the fedoraproject.org documentation on installation options.

I shrank the default C drive partition to create free space for the Fedora installation. In the start menu, right click on the "Computer" item, then select "Manage". In the new window, on the right-hand list, select Disk Management. Shrink as appropriate.

I downloaded a boot.iso file that creates the minimum installation of Fedora so I could finish the installation from the internet.

I downloaded an iso recorder to burn the boot.iso file onto a cd. Supposedly, the windows option "Burn" found at the top of the file viewer window will not copy the iso in the proper format.

INSTALLATION:

(The initial mud walk)

The installation documentation for fedora was quite thorough. However, I was not warned that canceling the network setup would cause the installer to exit and then leave my computer unbootable! I didn't think the installation would affect anything outside the linux partition of the drive. Not sure what happened. Good thing recovery disks were made!!!

So second time around. Another installer issue. The installer hangs on the screen for selecting the partition arrangement. Seems like it didn't like the selection of "Use free space" and also checking the checkbox to review partitions. On my fifth time around, I selected "Create custom", clicked next, then went back and selected "Use free space". Not sure what the exact problem here was either.

Moving on ... the bootloader options. I am installing the bootloader on my one hard drive and selected only the linux partition. I expected an advanced settings screen to select whether I wanted to install the bootloader in the master boot record or the linux boot partition, but none followed. I went straight to network configuration and then install package selection. Afraid that going back would blow up the installation and cause me to go through hours of system recovery again, I just proceeded and finished the installation.

This installation set up grub as the bootloader with Fedora as default. Pressing any button within the first few seconds that grub starts up will bring up the menu. The configuration file for grub needed to be changed to start Windows. I used the following entry from http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/grubconf-for-windows-vista-or-xp-dual-boot/

title Microsoft Windows 7
root (hd0, 0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

I also deleted the "hiddenmenu" command near the beginning of the file.

Things seem to be working ok except an error message when booting Fedora, supposedly involving a broken bios. This then causes the Fedora kernel to complain. Fedora still seems to work though. No problems on the Windows side though.