Installing Ubuntu Linux along side Windows 7, for KSP 64 bit use only.

[Sokar408]

Hey everyone

Since the KSP community generally make me feel a lot less intelligent, then my average day in RL would have me believe me to be (which is nice, I prefer being an idiot among geniuses, then a genius among idiots), I thought I'd ask here, if anyone else has installed Ubuntu Linux a long side Windows 7 64 bit, and if so exactly how its done.

I run my OS off of a 250 GB Samsung SSD btw, but I have tons of hard drives, if there is no way to make the install with in already partitioned device.

Some side questions: When booted into Ubuntu, will I have to reinstall KSP with linux install? Will any of my other software work? What about device drivers and so on?

I have old ever used Windows, so ignorance concerning cross compatibility is causing me to worry. Anyway thanks in advance for any assistance.

[Acet]

Start by getting Ubuntu putting it on a flash disk or CD/DVD-R and booting from it to check if it works fine in your machine. Later when you are comfortable you can move that to a fixed partition in one you hard-drives (last I checked Ubuntu made it easy to move like that)

Keep in mind that applications installed in Windows will not run in Ubuntu (there might be crazy ways to make some work under Wine, but that's usually too much trouble), so you'll have to install in that OS anything you want to use in Ubuntu, and yes, that means you'll have to explicitly install the Linux version of KSP in your Ubuntu.

As for device drivers, Linux has its own device drivers. For any device drivers that don't come with Ubuntu you will have to search the manufacture's sites for their Linux device drivers. I believe both Nvidia and AMD have Linux drivers for Graphics Boards based on their GPUs.

[Torih]

Burn Ubuntu to dvd and boot up from that drive, it will (most of the time) give you an option to install alongside windows. It will partition a drive if needed (make sure you have data backed up!) or select another fresh drive.

Guide here https://sites.google.com/site/easylinuxtipsproject/installation

As its a different OS it uses different drivers and software etc. Double check your hardware has Linux drivers.

You can however run some Windows software with Wine https://apps.ubuntu.com/cat/applications/precise/wine1.4/ not everything works but its pretty good.

[Voidryder]

I'm not an expert, but I did exactly this a few months ago and am loving it - partitioned dual-boot. There are plenty of how-to-vids and even an installer that is easy to follow and use. That's how I did it.

And yes, you'll have to download KSP for Linux. As your other software, you'll have to get the Linux version.

Here's the forum thread link which can answer your questions:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/24529-The-Linux-compatibility-thread!

EDIT: Ninja'd by more helpful people

[sal_vager]

Hi Sokar, yes you will need to download the Linux version of KSP, you already have access to both Linux and OSX versions as well as Windows, depending on where you bought KSP you will see the other versions available to download.

Linux distributions usually handle all the drivers for you, with an option to install any proprietary graphics driver either during install or from the software repository for that distro.

Many people will recommend Linux Mint as it is very complete and easy to use, it is based on the same distro that is used to make Ubuntu so KSP should work fine.

There's lost of info online on installing Linux, and we'll be glad to help here as well