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I am trying to install Windows 7 alongside my Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. I went through some answered questions and basically got the idea how to do it from here.

First step is as follows:

First, you have to make sure that the 50GB free space is available, resizing your Ubuntu by using GParted if necessary.

But I can't resize anything:

GParted Screen Capture

And then:

Also use gParted or Disk Utility to format the free space as NTFS, this prevents Windows 7 from creating an additional boot partition in addition to the "C" drive.

I would gladly do that but I just can't and I'm not quite sure how:

GParted Screen Capture 2

I'm basically stuck here and have no idea what to do, please help.

Community
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Rado Radev
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  • Go into your control panel in Windows, and search for Partition. (I think the app is called Disk Utility) From there you can re-size your Windows partition in the OS, and name it whatever you want to. From there you should be able to install it through the Live CD or Live Media you're using, just click the "Something Else" option if you don't see "Install Alongside Windows 7" – Samm Cobiskey Mar 30 '15 at 19:54
  • @SammCobiskey: I think you misunderstood, as far as I can tell he wants to install windows onto the computer where he already has ubuntu in use. – Peter Nerlich Mar 30 '15 at 20:16
  • @MichaelLindman: It's often recommended to install windows first and then ubuntu, since windows really is a diva. Just saying. – Peter Nerlich Mar 30 '15 at 20:17
  • @PeterNerlich Its more the fact that the Windows bootloader isn't compatible with Linux and just overwrites the Linux bootloader completely. – Michael Lindman Mar 30 '15 at 20:19
  • @MichaelLindman Yes I read about the bootloader problem, and from what I know there is a simple solution. My problem is that I cant even get to that step. – Rado Radev Mar 30 '15 at 20:27
  • One could overcome this issue if he installed Windows on first partition, then Ubuntu on second and let Ubuntu choose which OS to boot. This way, the GRUB boot loader of Ubuntu can boot the untouched Windows boot loader. The other way it will not work, because Windows (above XP) always wants to be on the first active partition of the first disk. – NetAndif Mar 30 '15 at 21:09
  • tried this? http://askubuntu.com/questions/6317/how-can-i-install-windows-after-ive-installed-ubuntu – Irsham Ali Apr 04 '15 at 07:40

2 Answers2

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As far as i see, you're using a LVM volume, which is kind of software RAID. For these partitions you cannot use parted. Look into the documentation of LVM at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Lvm on how to resize LVM volumes.

NetAndif
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  • The partitions are also currently being used by Ubuntu and couldn't be edited anyway, even if they weren't LVM. – Michael Lindman Mar 30 '15 at 19:55
  • You can boot your system from Live Media and edit the partition from there. – NetAndif Mar 30 '15 at 19:58
  • But yeah, you're right ;-) – NetAndif Mar 30 '15 at 20:01
  • So basically what I have to do now is re-install Ubuntu, only this time set the partitions properly (Which I have no idea how to do) and then try this: http://askubuntu.com/a/158319/389027 Am I right? – Rado Radev Mar 30 '15 at 20:03
  • @NetAndif I already tried that, unfortunately didnt work. Thank you though ! :-) – Rado Radev Mar 30 '15 at 20:04
  • I would never use LVM layouts, unless i have a server with two or more drives which i had to mirror and stripe. – NetAndif Mar 30 '15 at 20:05
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    However, to resize the LVM volume and then the partition, would be an option for sure (with the right commands) – NetAndif Mar 30 '15 at 20:07
  • I had no idea what was happening when installing Ubuntu... – Rado Radev Mar 30 '15 at 20:08
  • Could you find another source for LVM which isn't in Deutsch but in English instead? If you make these changes I will upvote your answer. Ask Ubuntu is an English Q&A site and sources in English are preferred. – Michael Lindman Mar 30 '15 at 20:08
  • Sorry, here it is: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Lvm – NetAndif Mar 30 '15 at 20:09
  • I'll read into that, hopefully I find the answers I'm looking for. Thank you all! @NetAndif I'm seeing the commands under "Resizing Partitions" but mate, to be honest I have no clue how or which command to use in order to do it. Im totally lost... – Rado Radev Mar 30 '15 at 20:24
  • @RadoRadev Take at look at this answer on AU. It may help you. – Michael Lindman Mar 30 '15 at 20:35
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You see that little Key symbol on each partition? That key means the partition is mounted. I'm telling you this because even if you boot from an external medium such as an ubuntu live boot flashdrive or CD or DVD, you may inadvertently mount a partition and be unable to move or resize it until you unmount such a drive.

To unmount a drive you have accidentally mounted, right click on the partition you wish to unmount and click on the menu choice called "unmount".

I would also like to suggest that I am not certain if you can install Windows entirely within the extended partition, SDA2, which it appears you may be trying to do. I mean, you can try resizing SDA5 within SDA2 to make room for another partition there, but I had the impression that bootable partitions had to be primary partitions. You may need to resized SDA1 instead or in addition.

One last comment, and I apologize for straying from the subject. I would like to add that while I have configured many dual boot installations, I do so while preaching caution. It appears that MS is increasingly totalitarian and prone to running over linux installations. I recommend keeping them separate as much as possible.

One way you can keep the installations somewhat separate is to remove your linux drive, install windows on another drive, and then connect both drives to the same computer and reinstall grub. Grub will ask you at boot time which operating system you wish to load. At one time this could only be done with desktops, but in recent years a couple of laptop manufacturers have made computers with two hard drive bays. Some even have slots for mSATA solid state drives in addition.

gyropyge
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  • That's all correct, but you're missing an important point: OP's whole Ubuntu installation lives inside a logical volume managed by LVM, which needs special LVM-related tools to resize it. – David Foerster Apr 07 '15 at 03:53