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I installed Ubuntu but I did not partition my 500GB HDD at all, so basically it's one partition. Now to install Windows 7 in the installed Ubuntu, I had to create a partition using GParted, but can't because the ONE partition is the filesystem that can't be unmounted.

What do I do? Do I install Ubuntu again with partitions and then install Win 7 in a new partition? If someone can give me a step by step process on the partitioning that would be best! I would like 1:1 partition for Ubuntu and Win 7 spaces.

A J
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zombieforlife
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4 Answers4

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You may shrink ext4 partitions only when they are unmounted (enlarging would work also at mounted state) with gParted, to free unpartitioned space for Windows. But therefore, you must have enough unused space inside the partition.

Step-by-step: (note: inscriptions may vary, as I translate it from the German version)

  1. Boot your machine from an Ubuntu live CD or USB.
  2. Run gParted.
  3. Select your Ubuntu partition on the HDD, right-click it and chose something like "Move/resize..."
  4. Change "free space before" to 0.
    Change "new size" to 256000MB. (500GB/2=250GB=256000MB; whole Maths done :D)
    Change "free space after" to 256000MB. (or equal to new size, if it's smaller)
    Press "move/resize" button.
    This will NOT perform the task, but show it in a queue at the bottom of the window.

I think you should finish here and don't create and format a partition for Windows, as it might be easier if you just present it the unpartitioned space and let it arrange its partitions itself. It sometimes uses e.g. some small boot/recovery partitions which I am not sure about how to configure them properly.

  1. Before exiting gParted you must make gParted perform the task you entered. To do this, click on the green tick symbol (or in Edit-menu, or hit Ctrl+Enter). This will send it to work and hopefully not make it throw any errors.
  2. If it succeeded, exit gParted, shut down live-Ubuntu, insert your Win installation cd and reboot.

If you encounter any errors or have more questions, feel free to leave me a comment. Hope this works for you anyway. Greetings and see you!

Byte Commander
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I think you need to start again, windows likes to be first. Back up your data from /home. Install windows, it will use all 500gb. Boot windows. Run all disk utilities to defragment and compress c:. Now using windows partition split your disk, possibly making a d: drive for windows data. Your disk will now look something like c: 150gb, d: 50gb, unused 300gb Reboot your machine with Ubuntu disk in, when prompted select custom partition. Swap should be about 2-4 times memory, split the remaining space between /home and /. I also have partitions for /var and /tmp, be warned /var is used to store application installation information each new package needs space.

rhubarbdog
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Note: Answer to your QWERY probably next Question:

you can update grub if you are able to boot in to ubuntu 

sudo update-grub

It will add the boot entries

or use boot repair by running ubuntu live cd:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair && boot-repair

for dual booting windows and ubuntu

Mudit Kapil
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you can update grub if you are able to boot in to ubuntu

sudo update-grub

It will add the boot entries

or use boot repair from live cd

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair && boot-repair

for dual boot windows and ubuntu

Mudit Kapil
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