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I'm currently running Windows 7 and decided to dual-boot with Ubuntu. I made a different partition (by referring to a tutorial).

The disk management window looks like: enter image description here

Once I boot it from my optical drive, it says:

enter image description here

I can't see an option to install Ubuntu alongside Windows so I thought of trying to make it manually. The problem is that it doesn't recognize either the unallocated free space or the Windows partition space.

enter image description here

What should I do?

Edit: I have seen the link in the answer to "Installing Ubuntu alongside windows 8.1", but it is quite complicated and I'm not very experienced at partitioning.

mickmackusa
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user240179
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1 Answers1

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You can't simply install Ubnutu on a GUID Parted Table that is GPT in short which is commonly used by Windows 7, 8... If you want to install Ubuntu on a GPT disk (you can check it via the sudo parted -l command), you will need either an EFI partition (if your BIOS is setup in EFI mode) or a BIOS-Boot partition (if your BIOS is setup in Legacy mode). How to create a boot partition provided in this documentation.

JoKeR
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  • Ok, can you explain how do I do it? Im like a noob.. :D I guess installing on a GPT disk is a more secure way without losing any data. Anyways, as you said, I've tried to check it via the sudo parted -1. As I understood I needed to type it in the Terminal. However, CTRL+ALT+T does not bring it... – user240179 Jan 29 '14 at 17:40
  • it doesn't matter in secure ways on a non-GPT is much easier to install it. During installation choose try Ubuntu and after it loads you must able to run Terminal Ctrl+Alt+T or try Alt+F2, F1 if it won't start but it's should start, notice system will be a little more slower in test mode. – JoKeR Jan 29 '14 at 17:51
  • Ok, so I've tried it and here what it says http://imgur.com/cNXlxCt After this I rebooted and nothing has changed. :/ – user240179 Jan 29 '14 at 18:09
  • it's sudo parted -l not "-1" – JoKeR Jan 29 '14 at 18:15
  • wow... such fail. gonna try again.. :D – user240179 Jan 29 '14 at 18:19
  • ... It didn't work too.. After i typed it I rebooted and still nothing changed. Here what it says: http://imgur.com/z954ifd – user240179 Jan 29 '14 at 18:33
  • no it worked indeed and it says that is GPT table. Take a look at this http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/html_node/BIOS-installation.html I'll try to provide you with a bit easier steps yet, I'm thinking. – JoKeR Jan 29 '14 at 18:40
  • Ahmm that seems a bit complicated though If I reread it couple times somehow it would become clear. As one person refered http://askubuntu.com/questions/244329/how-to-install-linux-on-a-computer-with-gpt/244334#244334 What are your thoughts about this one? I think it would be more easier to fix, however i don't know the exact commands. Still trying to figure it out though... – user240179 Jan 29 '14 at 18:49
  • try this one https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootPartition?action=show&redirect=CreateBootPartition I guess it shows evrything by step. – JoKeR Jan 29 '14 at 18:58
  • @JohnyD. the problem is that he is unable to see any partition --- I was not able to find an easy step-by-step procedure explained. (I added the screenshot to the question, hoping to make it more useful). – Rmano Jan 29 '14 at 19:05
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    @Rmano I see that but still tried to provide a solution even though indeed it's not that easy. – JoKeR Jan 29 '14 at 19:11
  • Ok, I found a minor error. As i moved to the 4th step. It said create 1GB (=1000MiB) of free space at the start of the disk where Ubuntu is installed... AS I'm running on windows I still don't have ubuntu installed. So if I was to create new partinion it warned me that I may lose data. (It still said 700gb left) – user240179 Jan 29 '14 at 19:18
  • In GParted, create a partition (an unformatted one works fine), then right-click it and select Manage Flags. Check the bios_grub flag, click Close, and apply your changes (some versions of GParted will not allow you to set a flag on an unformatted partition; in this case format the partition to FAT16 then set the bios_grub flag). The reason is you need to see the partitions, it looks like you have 1 partition and everything in it. – JoKeR Jan 29 '14 at 19:33
  • Yes I only have one partinion after downgrading win8. Thanks for your support. Aprecciate it. Will try your method tomorrow :). – user240179 Jan 29 '14 at 19:49
  • Follow this topic too https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI it's the last what I was able to find to show it more clearly. – JoKeR Jan 29 '14 at 19:59
  • Ok so nothing helped :(. Tried to create a partinion either as it was required but couldnt manage flags, then your way with FAT16, still couldnt do it.. here an image: http://imgur.com/SpsdvTh,exXXNj3 After this also ran boot repair http://imgur.com/SpsdvTh,exXXNj3#1 but it didn't do anything... – user240179 Jan 30 '14 at 11:34
  • BTW quick question. If i choose to allocate 10GB out of 700GB for ubuntu, does it mean that it will install ubuntu and give me a way to store files on that leftover of 690GB? or Will it install and give me just to use the rest ammount of space that I have chosen to allocate? – user240179 Jan 30 '14 at 11:48
  • ACTUALLY... found another way to install ubuntu. However, it is installed inside win7 so don't know if it is a good idea. I used wubi to install it. Let me know if it is still the same. Also information about free space would be helpful:) – user240179 Jan 30 '14 at 12:20
  • yes you can store information on NTFS partition, 10GB is just recommended partition size for Ubuntu OS root "/" usually it's 10-15GB in my answer provided in this conversation there's a link for more detailed info about partitioning. I also see on your screenshot unallocated space, did you try to resize it and create a bios boot partition out of it? the requirements of bios boot partition also provided in my answer. – JoKeR Jan 30 '14 at 15:52