12.04, dual boot with Windows 7

[Tony1949]

I have GX620 with Windows7. I would like to install 12.04 64bit alongside. I have USB stick and I can 'Try' Ubuntu, all OK, but when I try to install, after I select 1st option, (dual boot) computer waits for a while then restarts. Perhaps I could opt for option 3 but it looks complicated. Can anyone help? Tony.

[TheFu]

Please run boot-info and post the results. See my signature for links. If there isn't room on the HDD for 2 or 3 partitions, you don't really have any choice but to use "do something else" at install time.

[Tony1949]

Thanks for this -but you're dealing with an amateur! how to run boot-info ? I'm unable to load Ubuntu.

[TheFu]

Thanks for this -but you're dealing with an amateur! how to run boot-info ? I'm unable to load Ubuntu.

Please run boot-info and post the results. See my signature for links to instructions.

[oldfred]

Does not liveDVD/flash boot to live installer. Then you can also test to make sure everything works.

Almost all Windows 7 systems use all 4 primary partitions.

My laptop already has 4 primary partitions: how can I install Ubuntu?
http://askubuntu.com/questions/14982...install-ubuntu
Good advice on how to handle all four primary partitions used. - srs5694
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1686440
Be sure to create recovery DVD(s) first. And a Windows repair CD.
HP tools partition discussion - similar for other vendor utility partitions:
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Noteboo...on/td-p/228360

[Tony1949]

Right, I've done that! It gave me: http://paste.ubuntu.com/6936601/ What does it all mean? Tony.

[TheFu]

Thanks. Now we have some information.
You have an 80G HDD and all 4 primary partitions are already taken. That means installing any Linux "the right way" will entail lots of partition work first. This is not for the faint of heart, since it can leave your Windows system unbootable, needing repair.

I would strongly recommend using virtualization if you have a Core-2-Duo or better CPU in the machine AND at least 2G of RAM. There is good news. Seems you have plenty of space for a respectable Ubuntu/Linux install. With virtualization, you can put a 15G "virtual HDD" on the sda3 partition without risking Windows.

/dev/sda1      vfat        32M  4.0M   28M  13% /mnt/boot-sav/sda1
/dev/sda2      fuseblk    300M  177M  124M  59% /mnt/boot-sav/sda2
/dev/sda3      fuseblk     71G   22G   50G  31% /mnt/boot-sav/sda3
/dev/sda4      vfat       3.5G  3.4G   17M 100% /mnt/boot-sav/sda4

BTW, be certain to thank Dell for using all 4 primary partitions (4 is the max allowed under MBR partitioning), preventing you from easily creating any more partitions. The 1st and last partition appear to be Dell hardware utilities and a re-install Windows partition, but I don't understand what the 2nd partition is. Seems odd to me - and I've owned 4 Dell laptops myself.

If you want to move forward, there is a path to either Virtualization or Dual Booting. So - do you have a Core2Duo or better CPU with 2G of RAM or more?
Or
Can you add another HDD to the system?
Or
Can you 100%, completely, backup the HDD and are you prepared to wipe partitions, resize partitions, and recreate "logical" partitions which will allow much more flexibility? Definitely read up on MBR partitions at wikipedia first.

The first 2 options are much, much, much easier than the 3rd.

It is your decision now.

[Tony1949]

Thanks for that. I like the sound of option 1 best. My machine has a Pentium D (inside!) and 2Gb of memory. I would really prefer to use Ubuntu but there are just a couple of applications that I use windows for. (eg. DSO).
I would be grateful if you could guide me with this Virtualisation or Dual Booting procedure.
Thanks again, Tony.

[fantab]

If I were you, I would shrink the 76Gb NTFS partition and make room for Ubuntu with say, 21Gb space.

After you shrink the said partition leave it as unallocated space. Boot with Ubuntu DVD/USb and use Gparted to further partition your HDD:
Make two partitons from 21Gb space but first:
In Gparted select the 'unallocated space' on HDD and make a new 'Extended' partition.
Then you will still have 21gb 'unallocated space'.
Make two partitions:
20Gb Logical Ext4
1Gb Logical SWAP

Install Ubuntu.

Here is a Gparted tutorial.

[TheFu]

If I were you, I would shrink the 76Gb NTFS partition and make room for Ubuntu with say, 21Gb space.

He can't. The extended partition is a type of "primary" partition and the 4 limit of MBR partitioning has already been taken. This means he has a bunch of work moving data, shrinking, deleting and creating an extended partition **before** he can even think about creating the 2-4 partitions for Linux "inside" the new Extended partition. If this is a GPT disk, life is good. 100+ primary partitions are possible.

Sadly, the PentiumD is just under the sort of CPU performance where virtualization will work well, but I'd try it to see if you can live with it. Be certain to follow a "best practices guide" for setting up virtualization to avoid terrible performance. This will matter tremendously on that CPU. I wrote one, but it isn't meant for people new to Linux or virtualization. I'm terrible at step-by-step instructions. Much better at large architecture ideas for other pros to leverage. Sorry, it is a failing.