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I currently have a machine running Windows 7 on it and would like to set up a dual boot with Ubuntu (14.03). The computer is an all-in-one and therefore came preassembled and preinstalled with the OS. It also has 4 partitions: 1 System partition (I think Windows creates this upon installation automatically), 1 Boot partition on which the main part of my OS resides, one Recover partition (20GB) and one OEM partition (I think this might have been created by the manuacturer of the HDD). I also shrunk my Boot partition and created some unallocated space to install Ubuntu in. Now as I understand it, I will not be able to install Ubuntu with 4 (primary?) partitions already on my system. I don't know if the OEM partition for example could be removed without causing damage so that I can install Ubuntu. Also one quick question to the installation itself: Should I choose install alongside Windows? Will Ubuntu automatically install in the unallocated space if I do that? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

user2209024
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The OEM partition will be too small. to gain you enough space and if they are ordered in the way you say deleting it will be of little use unless you the move the recovery partition, moving partition does not always work. The OEM partition contains all your windows installers, so it is good to back this up onto a DVD.

You should be able just run the install on the live CD and it will give you the side by side option where it will shrink the windows partition and then create an extended one for windows. Shrinking partitions can cause data loss (I have never had a problem myself) so backing up is a good idea.

Julian Stirling
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  • I don't think space is the problem here. I have already made a 150GB partition to install Ubuntu on by shrinking my boot partition by 150GB. I have read in some places that you cannot have 4 partitions on your hard drive and install ubuntu on top of that. – user2209024 Dec 16 '13 at 14:56
  • 4 can't be primary this is true, so you can kill the OEM after backing it up. Or you can have ubuntu as part of an extended partition which should be possible with your current set up by just running the liveCD (best thing to do for that is remove the 150GB partition and leave ubunutu installer space it can see to extend into). – Julian Stirling Dec 16 '13 at 14:59
  • Ok thanks, so how do I back up that partition? I can't access it from inside the OS like my Boot or Recover partitions – user2209024 Dec 16 '13 at 15:02
  • Best method is to back up with clonzilla. You can follow a tutorial. – Julian Stirling Dec 16 '13 at 15:36
  • Would it help at all if I simply changed the type of the OEM partition from primary to logical? That way I wouldn't have to delete it and would still only have 3 primary partitions but I read some stuff about extended partitions and I'm not sure what exactly would happen. – user2209024 Dec 17 '13 at 15:43
  • I am not sure you can do that. Based on my understanding would need to be a logical partition inside a different primary partition, so you can't just change it (I may be wrong though) – Julian Stirling Dec 17 '13 at 20:23