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Table of Contents
Install Tiny Core if you already have Windows
If you already have Windows installed on a computer, and want to install Tiny Core, while keeping Windows, you may use one of the following methods.
This guide suggests options which may be used. This is to help new users. There are also other options which may be used. To try to explain them all would make it confusing.
Use the Latest Version
Use the latest version of Tiny Core. New versions have improvements and additional features.
Option 1: Install Tiny Core on a USB Drive
The easiest way is to install Tiny Core on a USB drive, and run it from the USB drive. This may be done using one of these methods:
Be Aware: Some older computers may not be able to start an operating system on a USB drive.
Option 2: Install Tiny Core in a New Partition
If a computer already has a recent version of Windows installed, while running Windows, and logged in as Administrator, you may defragment the drive, then reduce the size of the Windows partition.
Then create a Linux partition and a swap partition in the free space.
An easy way for new users to partition a drive is using GParted. People connected to the internet may install GParted in Tinycore, and use it for partitioning. People not connected to the internet may download the latest version of Parted Magic, and use it for partitioning.
Experienced users may use fdisk, mkfs.ext4 and mkswap.
For more information, see Partition a Drive to Install more than one Operating System.
Install Tiny Core using one of these methods
If install.gz is used for installation, it will automatically set up the Extlinux bootloader so you can start either Tiny Core or Windows.
To modify the Extlinux setup, see
Option 3: Install Tiny Core in the Windows partition
To use this method, you need version 3.7 or higher.
Download the latest multicore iso from one of the mirrors, and write it to a CD.
Put the multicore CD in the drive, and restart the computer, so it runs Tiny Core with grub4dos.
At the boot: prompt, type
tcg
Click on the Mount Tool.
Click on the CD drive so it becomes mounted. It will be green when mounted.
The CD drive will be something like sdc, without a number at the end. Hard drive and USB drive partitions are normally something like sda1, with a number at the end.
To run the installer, click the Run icon, and type
tc-grub4dos
Click OK.
Select Tiny Core.
Select the location of the tinycore.gz file. It will be in /mnt/sdc/boot. If not sdc, use the correct drive
Select Embedded.
Select the Windows partition (usually sda1 or hda1).
Click the Forward arrow.
Boot options. Type:
opt=sda1 home=sda1 norestore
If not installing to sda1, change sda1 to the correct partition.
Click the Forward arrow.
Click Proceed.
Tiny Core will be installed.
To install from a USB drive, copy install.gz to the tce directory (not /tce/optional) of the USB drive.
Restart the computer for it to be loaded.
Manually Install Tiny Core in the Windows partition
Experienced users may manually install Tiny Core in the Windows partition.
The procedure is described on the GRUB4DOS page.
