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edju wrote:
> I went to Circuit City to look at laptops. All come with Vista.
> When I mentioned to the salesman that I don't use Windo$e but Linux,
> he said that there is no way to install Linux on a Vista machine.
> Something about the file system, NFFS. I then said that I would
> partition and format the disk anyway so the Vista file system
> shouldn't matter. He said it does anyway, and furthermore that any
> live CD would not recognize the hard drive or, indeed, any of the
> hardware, which is Vista-specific somehow. He said one could not even
> install XP on a Vista machine. Finally, any fooling with the disk
> would render the "recovery" CDs (DVDs?) unbootable. Does this make
> sense? Anybody dual-booting with Vista? Are drivers available?

Hi,

What you can be absolutely certain of is NOT to buy a laptop from that man!

You are likely to have no problems dual-booting Vista and Linux,
providing you install Vista first ;the other way round is problematic
for Vista. If you delete the Vista partition during installation of
linux then you don't have to worry as it will definitely work.

Some further points, recovery CD's that don't recover in all situations
even with the original hardware installed sound a bit crap to me.

I have a machine with Vista Home Premium OEM on and had a lot of trouble
getting hold of an installation disc to do a clean install with, despite
the fact that I have a licence key and it's all above board; I couldn't
even download a torrent of a legitimate disc as all the ones online have
been cracked in terms of activation, which I wasn't interested in.

I wanted a proper installation disc and in the end bought one directly
from Microsoft for just £3.25 packing and posting. It turns out that
the disc Microsoft label 'Windows Anytime Upgrade' can clean install any
of the Vista flavours from the bottom basic to Ultimate. If you don't
have your OEM key to hand it will still install the flavour of your
choice and give you 30 days to enter and activate it. It's happily
activated my OEM key now.

My point is that I would just get your OEM key for Vista stored in a
safe place (usually on the bottom of the laptop) and get hold of a
'Windows Anytime Upgrade' disc directly from Microsoft so you have at
least the opportunity of a clean reinstall at a later date. I would
then just install my favourite linux distro while wiping Vista in the
process. At least this way you can always clean install your way back
to Vista if you feel like you're missing out on too many blue screens.

It always amuses me the most to walk past BT phone boxes and see blue
screens.

- --
Regards,
Sheridan Hutchinson
Sheridan@Shezza.org
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