Dual boot on SSD. No Windows disks. How ?

[Armelius Cameron]

On Wednesday, January 11, 2012 08:19:38 AM linux guy wrote:
> I have a new Dell XPS17.
> 
> It came with a 500 GB hard drive loaded with Windows.
> 
> I want to install a 160 GB SSD in my XPS17.  I also want to install
> Fedora 15.   I don't have any Windows disks.
> 
> If I install F15 alone on the SSD, can I install Windows later or must
> it be present in the first place ?
> 
> How might I install Windows on the SSD ?   Is there a way to use dd to do
> this ?
> 
> Thanks !

Here's what I would try to do:

0. Create Windows Rescue CD from the currently running Windows. 

1. Somehow get a system where you can have both the SSD and the original 500GB 
hard drive available. One possibility may be put the SSD on an external case 
and plug into the laptop via USB or eSATA. (I'm assuming that XPS17 is a 
laptop and thus you don't have a space for 2 internal harddrive).

2. Get a live CD, e.g. Fedora live CD or even other live CD with recent 
gparted ("System Rescue CD" comes to mind, not sure if any of Fedora live or 
spin CD has gparted, never tried it).

3. Boot the system with both HD connected (original 500GBHD as internal, SDD 
as external). Now from gparted you can see both drives.

4. Create a new partition on the SDD that's enough to contain the Windows 
installation from the 500GB HD from gparted.

5. Copy the Windows partition from from 500GB HD to SDD. Now this is where I'm 
not sure: is it possible to copy partition with different sizes in gparted ? If 
not, alternatively do.

4b. Shrink Windows partition in 500GB HD to whatever you want it to be on SDD
5b. Copy partition 

6. Now you should have some extra free space on SDD. You can leave it alone.

7. Swap 500GB with SDD. Try to see if you can run Windows. Fix anything 
necessary with the Windows rescue disk. If you're lucky enough, everything 
should just work.

8. Now you can install your favorite linux distro.

NOTE that the above method as untested, YMMV, you assume all the risk, regular 
disclaimers apply, etc, etc.

Alternatively, although you don't have Windows install CD, Dell usually supply 
you with "recovery partition" on the original HD. I don't know what's in it 
(never cared to look at it, I just usually reformat completely and put 
Fedora). but you may want to look at it to see if it's useful.

Hope that at least provides some things to think about.

AC