Dual Or Triple Boot?

Ok, I got a new computer as a christmas gift ( my son said that this one is too old now) I have W7 64 but given the inpending change to W10 and all the confusing information about... I want to try (again) Mint Cinnamon and a new install of Win7, but can I install Win10 too? I Am planning a different partition for each one. All I want are opinions, pros and cons to finally decide what to do. Which one first? Do I need aditional software to achieve this? All the information will be higly appreciated.

 

I'm not running any form of Linux. But, I am running 5 versions of Windows (Win 7 Enterprise, Win 8.1 Pro and Enterprise and Win 10 Pro and Enterprise) on my laptop which has two hard drives. The main drive has three partitions and the secondary drive has two.

My computer uses EasyBCD 2.3 and iReboot to handle boot options. With the EasyBCD, I can choose which OS to boot to on Restart. With the iReboot, I can switch from one OS to another quickly without waiting for the boot choices on Restart.

You can use EasyBCD to boot to Linux as well.

 

My advice would be to install 7 and 10 in that order but on no account to also install Mint to the same disk, as doing so overwrites the Windows bootloader with Grub 2. This can lead to real difficulties if you later have problems booting Windows for any reason. Better to load Mint to a bootable 8GB flash drive. Plodr here is the sage on doing that, or you could run it in VMware Player.

 

thank both of you for the fast answers! I rarely turn off my computer, my main problem is that I call that my computer but it is used by my wife and my daughter I guess I still will need EasyBCD and I will check iReboot and play with it. So, in that rig my son installed a SSD and there I will install 7 and as soon I get the DVD/USB with 10 I will installl it in another partition, same disk. I have lots of USB laying around and I coul get easily confused with the Linux one that is why I was thinking in installing Cinnamon in other disk/partition; can I do that? I will check that VMware Player as well.

 

He could run EasyBCD's Linux Boot Loader. But, initial setup of Linux proved insurmountabe for me. I ran Linux briefly along side XP and like Earthling said, I had difficulty getting back to Windows.

 

I won't advocate mixing Windows and Linux on the same disk whatever the boot method. Absolute guarantee of future serious problems imo.

@chapincito - if you only install 7 and 10 you have no need for EasyBCD. Windows sets up the dual boot for you. I run Mint and several versions of Windows in VMware Player, very easy to set up and use.

 

The complications (and potentially fatal obstacles) to dual booting Windows and Linux on the same drive are much greater in Windows 8 and 10 due to UEFI and GPT. But with Windows 7 it should not present any insurmountable problems and many experienced Linux users have done so successfully. And there are reputable guides to doing that online.
Having said that the option to just run Linux Mint from a bootable USB drive should be a headache-free option, even if the system has Windows 10.
However about 6 weeks ago, with the help of a friend and expert Windows/Linux user, I was able to create a - until now - very successful dual boot of Windows 10 and Linux Mint on a Windows 10 desktop PC that continues to work easily and well. Having said that I am waiting for my friend to let me know, (or post here) the exact steps that enabled that, though he did tell me I was assisted by my system manufacturer (Novatech) not having done what many brand manufacturers do which cause serious problems for hopeful Linux dual booters with OEM Windows 10 installed.

 

I don't see setting it up as a problem, but subsequently deciding to remove Linux from the dual boot, or sorting out any boot problems that may arise with either system can require a degree of knowledge well beyond that of most users, even well experienced ones.

 

I agree with you, Earthling. I consider myself a "mid experienced" guy and I fell inclined to use a USB for Mint (my son say that too!); I think I read something about but can't remember the name, because I I intend to use Linux Mint as my prefered OS but I usually save what I do for my wife, mostly word and excel works, so which is the name for that function to save what I do in Linux? I will be waiting to hear from your friend too Max!

 

Thank you! plodr

 

Yes I agree using a USB Linux option is the safest.

 

I didn't know you could run MS Office programs in Linux, but if that's what you mostly do why choose to do it in Linux?

 

There are programs that are completely compatible with MS Office files that work on Linux - Libre Office being a good one. WPS Office also works in Mint and also states that is fully compatible with MS Office.

 

Ah! just to avoid the hasle of changing from one OS to another, but eventhough my son is running just Linux (I do not know which flavor) he is using sometimes my W7 machine to other things (?) But I will use Libre Office and he will keep coming back for W7 and eventually for W10 (I know that will happen!!!)

 

If this lesson needed hammering home read this

 

Yes, I read that. No worries here, I already did move some files to my daughter's computer (Music and Pictures) and I already have a back up in two places and a working W7 computer, just in case. The big job will be for the next weekend!