Ubuntu Installer doesn't detect Windows 10 nor its partitions

Question

I recently became owner of a HP EliteBook 8460p laptop with Windows 7. I installed Windows 10, overwriting the previous version. So I tried to install Ubuntu 16 too like normal, but when I get to the menu where the option of installing alongside Windows always is, the option doesn't appear. Instead the main option is erase everything and install Ubuntu. I picked "Something else" to check the table of partitions but there aren't any, just sda and nothing else.

I have read that Windows 10's fast boot may cause this, so I disabled it and tried again. It didn't work. I checked the BIOS configuration and UEFI is disabled, and found no secure boot option (although I believe it's only available in UEFI).

Here's the output of sudo parted -l from a live USB:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo parted -l
Error: Can't have overlapping partitions.
Ignore/Cancel? ignore                                                     
Error: Can't have a partition outside the disk!
Ignore/Cancel? ignore                                                     
Model: ATA Hitachi HTS72323 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 320GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags: 

Number  Start   End    Size    Type     File system  Flags
 1      1049kB  316MB  315MB   primary  ntfs         boot
 2      316MB   300GB  299GB   primary  ntfs
 3      300GB   315GB  15.0GB  primary  ntfs
 4      315GB   320GB  5378MB  primary  fat32        lba


Model: Kingston DataTraveler G3 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 3927MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags: 

Number  Start   End     Size    Type     File system  Flags
 1      65.5kB  3927MB  3927MB  primary  fat32        boot, lba

The output from sudo parted /dev/sda unit s print:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo parted /dev/sda unit s print
Error: Can't have overlapping partitions.
Ignore/Cancel? ignore                                                     
Error: Can't have a partition outside the disk!
Ignore/Cancel? ignore                                                     
Model: ATA Hitachi HTS72323 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 625142448s
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags: 

Number  Start       End         Size        Type     File system  Flags
 1      2048s       616447s     614400s     primary  ntfs         boot
 2      616448s     585369599s  584753152s  primary  ntfs
 3      585369600s  614662964s  29293365s   primary  ntfs
 4      614649856s  625153409s  10503554s   primary  fat32        lba

UEFI has fast boot, Windows has fast start up which is just hibernation. And Windows turns it back on with updates. So if issues double check setting. http://askubuntu.com/questions/843153/ubuntu-16-showing-windows-10-partitions — oldfred, Aug 26 '18 at 03:40
I've reinstalled Windows 10, already disabling said setting. I have not made any new partition for Ubuntu and the problem still exists. — Orlando Gutiérrez, Aug 26 '18 at 12:36
If it was Windows 7, did you convert to UEFI/gpt, or leave as BIOS/MBR? Windows 7 is almost always BIOS, but can be UEFI. Post this above & perserve formatting: sudo parted -l — oldfred, Aug 26 '18 at 17:27
I did not convert to UEFI, HP's complex BIOS interface marks UEFI as disabled. I posted the output in the post. — Orlando Gutiérrez, Aug 26 '18 at 20:51
Those errors look alarming. See https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/310158/parted-cant-have-overlapping-partitions/310167 — Organic Marble, Aug 26 '18 at 22:58
You need to fix the overlapping partitions and only use Windows tools to shrink the NTFS partition where you want to make space for Ubuntu. You then can use Something Else install option either create / (root) in advance with gparted or duing install. Need to see where overlapping is occurring. change parted to this: sudo parted /dev/sda unit s print which shows sectors or more detail. See also: http://www.rodsbooks.com/missing-parts/index.html — oldfred, Aug 26 '18 at 23:31
You also will have to convert one primary to an extended partition. That partition will have to be backed up and you can restore data ot a logical partition if desired. Do not create partitions with Windows. My laptop already has 4 primary partitions: how can I install Ubuntu? http://askubuntu.com/questions/149821/my-laptop-already-has-4-primary-partitions-how-can-i-install-ubuntu Good advice on how to handle all four primary partitions used. - srs5694 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1686440 — oldfred, Aug 27 '18 at 03:31
Partition 3 and 4 were overlapping. I used GParted delete partition 4 (HP_TOOLS) and move partition 3 to the other end. After that I resized partition 2 (Windows) to have a new one for Ubuntu and that did the trick. Thanks for the help, everyone! I appreciate your comments. — Orlando Gutiérrez, Aug 27 '18 at 07:31

Orlando Gutiérrez · Accepted Answer · 2018-08-29T02:17:04.817

1

The problem was being caused by 2 overlapping partitions (3 and 4 in my case), as seen by the output in sudo parted /dev/sda unit s print.

I had 4 primary partitions already, so I deleted the HP_TOOLS and HP_RECOVERY partitions (which I believe I'll no longer need) to make space for Ubuntu's. All unallocated space was in one section next to Window's. I resized partition 2 (Windows) to make more space for Ubuntu. I only used GParted for all this.

By doing this the option to install alongside Windows appeared again. I chose to create the partitions for Ubuntu myself and both operating systems are working fine. Read question's comments for reference.

Thanks to olfred and Organic Marble I could fix it. Cheers!

edited Aug 29 '18 at 02:17

answered Aug 27 '18 at 07:53

Orlando Gutiérrez

91
7

1

Good job! Glad you got it sorted. – Organic Marble Aug 29 '18 at 01:41
1

Be sure to have good backups & keep both a Windows 10 repair/recovery flash drive and your Ubuntu live installer for repairs. Windows 10 will keep turning fast start up on with updates, and then grub does not boot Windows. You then have to temporarily install Windows boot loader to MBR, fix Windows & then restore grub boot loader. Windows 10 is really designed more for newer UEFI systems. – oldfred Aug 29 '18 at 03:50

Ubuntu Installer doesn't detect Windows 10 nor its partitions

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