I’ve got a question for you Linux experts. I want to install Mint along side my current WinXP, Windows 7 and Windows 10 installations on the same PC but keep windows boot manager and not use Mints. Is there a way to do that? I’ve setup another partition just for Linux (70 gBytes) but I don’t want Mint to take over the boot menu.
Why not use Linux boot menu (grub)?
It gives you the option which OS to boot into..
#8 Use Linux in a virtual window. You can download the free Oracle VirtualBox https://www.virtualbox.org
Install any OS you want and you can run it in any size window or full screen.
How to with screenshots
http://www.everydaylinuxuser.com/2014/05/how-to-install-linux-mint-as-virtual.html
Video - start around 2 mins in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmBjqjqCawc
Yes, though I would recommend playing with it on a test machine before committing to your real install... Been a while since I did multi-boot, but in the installation dialog in any Linux there is an option for advanced installation - the thing you are interested in in the advanced dialog is how Grub is installed, and you want it to install to the partition rather than to the Master Boot Record (MBR)...
Then, after installation, you'll want to adjust Grub to point to the Linux installation by default, and the timer set to a low number (I always used 3 secs to allow me to stop the process and enter different aspects of the Linux boot scenario if I wanted to). This isn't necessary, but it resolves the time/wait of going through two boot loaders (WIN and Grub), which is what you will be doing every time you enter Linux...
As to whether Win boot loader will see Linux, you are on your own (I haven't messed with modern Win Boot Loader much [Since Vista]), with the exception that you would point it to the partition holding the grub boot loader (usually root).
Do what you want, but I would highly recommend using separate hard drives for each operating system, and using an after-market boot loader... Much easier to maintain, and 'system' sized drives, say 150-250g are a dime a dozen (I can routinely pick them up for 10-20 bucks)... I used to use a FAT32 partitioned hard drive as my initial drive with the boot loader residing there... Most are compatible with FAT32... And it's a great place to store system images for all the OS's on the machine...
Then just load each OS normally on it's own drive (with only that drive 'live' in the box)... Once they are all made, set the drive with the boot loader in it to boot first, and set up the boot loader to access each OS... Piece of cake to maintain, as each OS is installed without any stupid pet tricks... And if any OS craps out or needs to be updated/re-installed, just unplug everything else, reinstall the system normally, plug the rest back in, and make any adjustment to the boot loader. Easy, and way better than multi-boot parts on a single drive or VMs. Then just keep all your data on a monster drive out back, and each system drive can be rubbed without regret.
I’ve setup another partition just for Linux (70 gBytes) [...]
Better to leave that space raw, and let 'nix set up what it wants in that space. You will find that it likes at least 3 parts - root, swap, and home. It will run in a single partition, but standard is better.