8.10 CD Insallation Not Providing "Guided -- Resize" Partition Option

[LSUaubert]

Everyone,

I want to install Ubuntu 8.10 in a dual booth setting with WinXP on my HP Pavilion laptop (AMD64) processor.

When I attempt to partition the drive using the 8.10 Desktop edition CD, the "Guided Resize" option is not available (as indicated in other Ubuntu discussions/docs that I found).

Why does the software not give me the option? Is it something about my laptop setup? It indicates that I have a SCSI drive? Does this affect my partitioning?

Do I need to run the manual partitioning option (just concerned that I will miss something doing that way).

Is there something about HP laptops that complicates this installation?

It is crucial that I keep my WinXP materials so I cannot afford any mistakes here.

I originally used Wubi to run Ubuntu within my Windows disk area, but I found that to run too slow, so I am hoping that Ubuntu would run faster in a partitioned setup.

A thousand pardons if this is already documented/posted in this forum. I did not find it.

Any suggestions, ideas, or places to look for this answer?

Thank You and Regards,

LSUaubert

[starcraft.man]

Everyone,

I want to install Ubuntu 8.10 in a dual booth setting with WinXP on my HP Pavilion laptop (AMD64) processor.

When I attempt to partition the drive using the 8.10 Desktop edition CD, the "Guided Resize" option is not available (as indicated in other Ubuntu discussions/docs that I found).

Why does the software not give me the option? Is it something about my laptop setup? It indicates that I have a SCSI drive? Does this affect my partitioning?

You know, I think you got me. I don't know why the option isn't available, maybe someone else can enlighten us both. I've never liked 'guided' partitioning, I don't think something as important as partitions should be done automatically.

Do I need to run the manual partitioning option (just concerned that I will miss something doing that way).

Manual partitioning isn't a problem, since I don't know why guided is greyed out I'll get ya down that road. You won't mess anything up, partitioning isn't very hard.

Is there something about HP laptops that complicates this installation?

Can't comment, I'm not an HP person.

It is crucial that I keep my WinXP materials so I cannot afford any mistakes here.

Even more reason not to use guided IMO!

First step! Back up any OMG-if-it-doesn't-survive-I'll-die-data to an external place. It could be DVDs, external storage (USB, eSATA), another computer over network, even a second hard drive on the computer you aren't partitioning. Don't assume everything goes well in partitioning, while it usually does, the one you aren't ready is when it'll just jinx things.

Second step, read these documents. Use the English HTML section and start with the general information and go down, shouldn't take more than 10-20 minutes to breeze through.

Third step. Reply back and ask any questions you have. If you want a suggestion on how to partition, just tell me what partitions exist on the drive in question and I'll assist.

4th step. Happy ending!

[oldos2er]

It's my understanding that if there's insufficient free space on a hard disk, you will not see the the 'Guided - Resize...' option.

[Nervouswreck]

When I attempt to partition the drive using the 8.10 Desktop edition CD, the "Guided Resize" option is not available (as indicated in other Ubuntu discussions/docs that I found).

I found out through WHAT (wall-head admin technique) that guided resizing appears if and only if the Windows partition is the only volume on the computer. If you have a secondary HD or a backup partition or even a flashdrive in a USB port during startup, it will be dimmed. If that isn't it I have no clue.

[LewRockwell]

the techs and hobbyists will love this disk!

http://www.partedmagic.com/

gparted, clonezilla, and firefox all on a nice little live-run!

(quite a few other utilities as well)

[mcduck]

I found out through WHAT (wall-head admin technique) that guided resizing appears if and only if the Windows partition is the only volume on the computer. If you have a secondary HD or a backup partition or even a flashdrive in a USB port during startup, it will be dimmed. If that isn't it I have no clue.

Nope, works for me and I have many drives on my machine.

The two reasons I've found to cause the guided resize option to be disabled are these:

1. There's not enough continuous free disk space on the Windows partition.
2. The partition wasn't unmounted cleanly.

So, make sure that you have enough space, defrag the drive (I recommend doing that in safe mode for best results) and then start Windows, and shut it down cleanly.

Anyway, the resizing can be don with manual partitioning as well, but the above two requirements must still be met to be able to resize a Windows partition..

[Nervouswreck]

Funny, when I installed Jaunty I needed to disconnect my external drives as well as defrag. Then after all that I did it manually anyway out of paranoia

[LewRockwell]

Funny, when I installed Jaunty I needed to disconnect my external drives as well as defrag. Then after all that I did it manually anyway out of paranoia

at least you're an honest paranoid nervouswreck...lol.

[Nervouswreck]

What's that supposed to mean?

[LSUaubert]

Thank of you for your replies. I will get back to the install later this week and get back with you .

My laptop only has a single hard drive partition so it should see the Guided-Resize option. It sounds like most people recommend the manual method.

LSUaubert