Linux Driver issue

[Jblanda]

Hello, i'm new to Linux and have been working with Windows all my life. My desktop computer isn't very fast and i think Debian Linux can help.
Can i install Debian Linux without formatting Windows 7 (i know you can if you install windows last)
my wireless card doesn't have any Drivers for Linux, but there is a XP-Vista that works on Windows 7 that i need to know how to install in Debian, Thank you!

 

[Jblanda]

i'm reading the Debian Linux manual and it says i can install it with windows as long as i have another partition, which luckily i do with 142GB and nothing on it. so can i install the driver somehow?

 

[arochester]

(Generally you need to install Windows FIRST because it wants to take over everything.)

You can dual boot Windows 7 and Debian. Look at something like... http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2011/02/17/how-to-dual-boot-debian-6-and-windows-7/ or http://www.complete-markets.com/2013/06/dual-booting-windows-7-and-debian-7.html

To get a wireless card to work on Linux you need to find out what wifi chip is being used. Does your wireless card have a Make and Model? Can you find the basic specs from Windows?

 

[Jblanda]

(Generally you need to install Windows FIRST because it wants to take over everything.)

You can dual boot Windows 7 and Debian. Look at something like... http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2011/02/17/how-to-dual-boot-debian-6-and-windows-7/ or http://www.complete-markets.com/2013/06/dual-booting-windows-7-and-debian-7.html

To get a wireless card to work on Linux you need to find out what wifi chip is being used. Does your wireless card have a Make and Model? Can you find the basic specs from Windows?

i am using a Linksys Cisco compact wireless-g usb network adapter
Model No: WUSB54GC Version 3
i cannot find any Linux drivers for it and i cannot figure out how to install ndiswrapper-1.5.8

 

[Jblanda]

have a bigger problem, when Grub opens it can't find Windows 7

 

[arochester]

Linksys WUSB54GC v3 802.11g Adapter [Ralink RT2070L]

Look here: https://wiki.debian.org/rt2870sta

 

[Jblanda]

Look here: https://wiki.debian.org/rt2870sta

Grub can only pick up Linux, and the Windows Vista recovery (The computer came with vista)

 

[arochester]

have a bigger problem, when Grub opens it can't find Windows 7

How about this? http://superuser.com/questions/102532/how-can-i-make-grub2-boot-into-windows-7