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Want to install Linux so that I can boot to my old windows and another Linux.

phuclv
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Ashe Danni
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  • [How can I Install Linux on flash disk with NTFS filesystem?](https://superuser.com/q/240809/241386) – phuclv Jun 14 '17 at 16:20

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I think you misunderstand drive partitioning? just because one partition is fat32, does not mean that another has to be as well. you can shrink the partition of the fat32 to make room (if room is not available?) then use the free space to make an ext partition during linux install, and use the bootloader to choose which os you wish to boot into at startup.

Nalaurien
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  • When I tried to install Linux my PC was not recognizing the currently installed Windows. At the partitioning its showing my whole hard drive instead of previously installed Linux and windows partitions. Any way to install without rewriting my Linux and windows files. – Ashe Danni Jun 08 '17 at 04:43
  • i think you need to go back into your computer on whatever you are booted into, open gparted in linux, or disk management on windows, select the drive you are talking about, take a screenshot then come back and edit your question by posting it. we need to see what you are dealing with i think. – Nalaurien Jun 08 '17 at 04:47
  • When I tried to boot. I was not in the multi boot screen. It said there was an error in reading the partition. And I was directed towards the grub rescuer – Ashe Danni Jun 08 '17 at 05:28
  • so you have already installed linux on a partition? which partition? can you boot into anything at all? we need details here. – Nalaurien Jun 08 '17 at 05:29
  • Right now I'm in the grub rescue mode. Can't able to boot into anything. Please halp – Ashe Danni Jun 11 '17 at 06:05
  • The best thing you can do now is get Ubuntu installed on a USB stick. Then use that to boot into a live version of Ubuntu (boot off of the USB stick). Use the resulting OS and a completely separate (not another partition) drive to save all of your files and anything worth saving. Then attempt to fix the drive. If you cant fix it and you got your files off, you can wipe it and start fresh. – Nalaurien Jun 11 '17 at 06:12
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I guess no Linux installer will allow you to install on FAT32 filesystem. Even if it would or if you migrated the files from elsewhere and managed to boot, many tools would break, misbehave or complain because they rely on files and directories having proper ownership and permissions set.

FAT32 does not support these features in a Linux way; nor at all.

According to LưuVĩnhPhúc's comment (below):

There are [Linux distributions] (often live USB/CD ones) that allow you to install onto FAT32, but they mostly copy the ISO or disk image into the FAT32 partition and boot from that.

I believe it's true but note that in this case there's underlying non-FAT32 filesystem in the disk image itself. It would be unnecessary complication for you. Nalaurien's answer is right. You should have at least two partitions and choose their filesystems independently. Having Linux on a non-FAT32 filesystem won't affect your Windows.

Kamil Maciorowski
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  • there are ones (often live USB/CD ones) that allow you to install onto FAT32, but they mostly copy the ISO or disk image into the FAT32 partition and boot from that – phuclv Jun 08 '17 at 04:57
  • @LưuVĩnhPhúc Good to know. I have improved my answer thanks to you. – Kamil Maciorowski Jun 08 '17 at 05:14
  • some examples are [Unetbootin, Yumi, Rufus or the (now dead) Wubi](https://superuser.com/a/240820/241386). They can make NTFS or FAT32 bootable Linux live USBs – phuclv Jun 14 '17 at 16:22