From my experience you can leave it. If there is no bootable cd in the drive the computer will go to the next option.

leave as is, in most cases if you were trying to do some type of recover these days you would be using a windows cd anyway so that would need to be the boot order for that also.

all you have to do to boot back into windows is pull the live cd out of the cd drawer and restart the pc it will boot back to the windows OS

I can not believe you have a windows 7 machine that still has a floppy???? I have one of my custom built machines that has a floppy but that was because I specifically wanted one, I have not seen a new pc in a few years that came with floppy.

Thanks to both for your replies.

I'm liking the Ubuntu OS so far ! :-) I just may bite the bullet one day and install it permanently along side my Windows 7.

Re: floppy: actually my (custom-built) machine doesn't have a floppy drive, but the BIOS information still had it listed at the first thing to boot (followed by HD and CD). That's the only reason I mentioned it. :-)

Thanks again !

if you do choose to install ubuntu you might consider using the wubi method which allows you to run it with in widows as an application so you do not have to partition the drive and all that stuff. I prefer kubuntu since I like KDE instead of Gnome
KDE and Gnome Comparison you can view some of the differences, KDE to me is more user friendly for those coming from windows.

Wubi

Don't make the mistake I made, I use to dual boot Ubuntu on XP. Never had a problem. One day I decided to delete the Ubuntu Partion and I lost the ability to boot back to windows. Ubuntu changes the boot file. I did not know anything about Wubi at the time. So that for sure would be the way to go.

Thank you, ravencajun and zep, for the additional information.

The Wubi site says: You keep Windows as it is, Wubi only adds an extra option to boot into Ubuntu. Wubi does not require you to modify the partitions of your PC, or to use a different bootloader, and does not install special drivers. It works just like any other application. Wubi is free of spyware and malware, and being open source, anyone can verify that.

It has been my (limited) understanding that one of the attractions of the Linux OS's is the lesser vulnerability to viruses, spyware, etc. Does this Wubi set-up -- with Ubuntu working within Windows -- compromise that aspect at all ?

Question for zep: Are you saying that Wubi is the better choice specifically for those who might want to remove any partition in the future ? IOW, if you had it to do over again -- and IF you knew you weren't going to remove the partition -- would you still choose Wubi ?

Also, what about firewalls ? Do they come with the Linux distros, or are they unnecessary (as some say AV programs are unnecessary when using Linux) ?

(Sorry for many questions.....)

Thanks !

I think every distro comes with at least one firewall included and I think they all come with clam AV, at least Mepis does and I think ubuntu does but it has been ages since I used that distro. If they do not come with it you can get them from the repositories and add them if you want them.

I run my linux on an entirely different hard drive from my windows, in the same box but 2 hard drives, I also have linux on a separate box also and use a KVM switch between the various boxes.

If I ever install it again I would go with the separate hard drive, to keep the 2 operating systems separated.

I run my linux on an entirely different hard drive from my windows, in the same box.

So ravencajan how do you access the linux drive? Do you go into MyComouter and double click the linux drive on the box with the 2 drives installed. Curious! and If you reboot that machine what does it boot into I would assume windows.

Thanks, RC and zep, for the comments ! I don't know that I want to get into the expense of having another HD installed, so I may go the simpler route for the moment (Wubi ?) -- either that or just keep playing with Live CDs. :-)

One more follow-up if I may... The Ubuntu I downloaded yesterday was (by default) 32 bit. I'm going to download another live CD (Mint) and I now have a choice between 32 and 64 bit versions. I have 64 bit Windows 7. Does this mean that 64 bit Mint is better/more compatible ? Or would the 32 bit be easier on the system (as a live CD) ?

Anyone like OpenSUSE ?

Thanks again !

Zep, it takes a few seconds longer to boot up than using GRUB but the way I installed Ubuntu on a separate drive was by turning off the C drive in the bios and installing Ubuntu on the D drive. That way when you want to switch operating systems you have to turn off one drive and turn on the other in the bios. Not a lot more trouble than GRUB and doesn't write anything to the boot sector of the windows drive.

I also did not want to mess too much with my windows so when I boot my machine I immediately hit the Esc key which takes me to the boot order screen and there I select the one I want to boot too, if I don't do that it will default to windows and boot right up to windows. So I only have to access that menu if I am booting into the linux drive. May be weird to some but it works fine for me just one little extra step to take in the bootup for linux. When I select the drive with linux then it begins that boot process, says loading grub and then up comes my Mepis.

My linux guru was here visiting last year and that is when we tackled installing the new hard drive, I was glad he was here! I am not very good at that kind of stuff so he handled most of the process.

for those considering linux you might check your area to see if there are any Linux user groups or LUGs around that is an excellent way to meet linux users and get hands on help. You can look them up online using google.

Mint is a good choice for new users, not sure if openSUSE would be. if you go to distro watch they list all the flavors and you can click on each and get some info on them.
I also love the coding studio site, you can click on each distro and see it in pictures, they have changed the site and it is not as good as it used to be but still ok.
The Coding Studio OS Screenshots

Here is a link that might be useful: distrowatch

"I'm liking the Ubuntu OS so far ! :-) I just may bite the bullet one day and install it permanently along side my Windows 7."

I am now Windows free and love it. If you do decide to install Linux alongside Windows I would suggest that you check out "Zorin" or "Linux Mint." They are both based on Ubuntu but are much more friendlier than Ubuntu. Zorin even as the option with the click of a button to transform your desktop to look like Windows XP or Windows 7 and include all the files you need to play movies.

Thanks for your continued input ! :-)

One point not addressed yet (I'm not nagging; it's just a point of curiosity for me) is whether Linux's touted lesser vulnerability to viruses, malware, etc. is/would be at all compromised by using the Wubi method that ravencajun and zep both noted. It's Linux's near immunity to malicious stuff that appeals to me (as well as other things, of course !) and I wouldn't like to do anything to open any Linux distro I use to Windows' vulnerability. If I used Wubi, would/could that happen ?

@premio53: I'm burning a live CD of Mint 9 as we speak ! :-D

I'm not sure about the virus thing (I don't use one with Linux but Linux will probably run a little slower using Wubi as opposed to a hard drive install.

@ not2bright,

Some virus information so you can be informed. Lot of reading.

Linux malware

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_malware#cite_note-17

I also suggest you REGISTER on the ubuntu forums and participate in the community.

http://ubuntuforums.org/

Oops, that link above
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_malware#cite_note-17

Sorry just scroll up to top to the start of article, the link I gave you puts you in the end.......

Thanks for the link, zep.

And thanks to all for your responses. I'll play with my two live CD's a bit and take it from there ! :-)