

Windows 8 to support Multi-Booting - samvj
http://windows8news.com/2011/02/03/microsoft-submits-multibooting-patent-application/

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krmmalik
I think one key reason the iPad succeeds is that, there's no boot taking place
when you want to use the device. So for light computing such as browsing the
web, checking email, watching a quick video, the iPad works very well.

Of course, there's the portability aspect. but with something like this, if it
comes to fruition, people could start using their computing devices more
readily, which would open up for some very interesting uses.

Just my 2 cents ;-)

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uvTwitch
If there is no boot taking place, then how come an iPad takes around half a
minute to turn on if it's been powered off, and not left in sleep mode?

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krmmalik
I think my comment was poorly worded. I just meant, that its quicker to start
using the device than a laptop say booting Windows 7.

Of course, i realise that the iPad can take time to 'get ready' too, but it
was a very generic comparison.

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nwmcsween
Prior art <http://pdos.csail.mit.edu/exo>

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trafficlight
I don't want to reboot every time I want to do something different.

I've tried to dualboot Windows and Linux from time to time, but I end up never
doing it because rebooting is a hassle. I can't imagine rebooting just to
watch a DVD on my laptop.

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mathias_10gen
I think I've finally found the "holy grail" of dual booting. My laptop now has
Windows and Linux on different partitions, and either one can run in a
VirtualBox inside of the other. That way, no matter which OS I booted too, I
still have access to everything in the other.

~~~
greyfade
How did you do that? Last time I tried, it left Windows nearly unbootable.

~~~
mathias_10gen
Take a look at
[http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=33356](http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=33356)
(win7) or
[http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=9697](http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=9697)
(winxp).

Protip: never use VirtualBox's "save machine state and close" feature if you
plan to dual boot like this. Its too easy to forget and boot to that OS
directly next time...

