Dual booting Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS with Windows 8



I've been using RHELs of Redhat Linux at work for a while, but in the last few years, our linux boxes have all been switched over to a dynamic compute environment. I miss having full control over what I could install on my own Linux desktop and how easy it was to develop in that environment.


Setting Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS to dual boot alongside Windows 8 was really easy. I thought I'd write down the steps to make it easier for people to install it the way I did.


Installing Ubuntu

First you'd want to back up your PC. Then download the Ubuntu Desktop distribution here:
http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

Now you probably want to put this image onto a CD or a USB drive for a bootable disk. 


Option 1: Creating an ISO

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto

That should create a Bootable CD, if you run into issues check this troubleshooting page
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootFromCD

Option 2: Bootable USD drive

For Windows 8, I didn't have a DVD so I used this program from Pen Drive called Universal USB Installer. If you have a USB drive with more than 2GB of space, this is an option.
http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/

Ubuntu also provides a program for creating a USB boot stick on Ubuntu

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-ubuntu

Installation

Now you're ready to begin the installation process. Ubuntu has a step-by-step instruction page here that enumerates them:
http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/install-ubuntu-desktop

Out of the box, you should have Unity desktop preinstalled. You can also switch to a Gnome look and feel if that's more familiar. There's a pretty wide variety of apps available through apt-get, include a Spotify Linux Beta.

Apps on Ubtuntu

http://www.unixmen.com/top-things-installing-ubuntu-14-1014-0413-1013-0412-1012-04/

Installing Sublime Text 3 in Ubuntu via PPA

http://www.webupd8.org/2013/07/sublime-text-3-ubuntu-ppa-now-available.html

Installing Git through PPA
https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-install-git-on-ubuntu-14-04

Spotify Preview on Debian Squeeze/Ubuntu
https://www.spotify.com/us/download/previews/