Trouble installing ubuntu 13.04 from usb

[christian3]

I am trying to install Ubuntu from a usb, and I want to do the dual boot option with windows 7. I have used the demo version from the usb but I want to put it on my computer permanently. I get the step that asks me if I want to do the dual boot option (I click yes). Then the installation guide says that I need to restart the computer to continue. Once I restart the computer, the installation guide just takes me back to the first step and asks if I want to try Ubuntu out or install it. It is just spinning me around in circles.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry I am complete newbie and dummy when it comes to this.

[r_avital]

Hi Christian3,

The behavior is strange, it might be an issue with insufficient free space on the hard-drive. Meaning, your Windows-7 might have lots of free space, but the hard-drive partition (the part that is dedicated to windows-7) might be so big that it does not allow for other partitions, and Ubuntu needs at least two partitions (one should be very small, only the size of your ram for "Swap" space, and the other at least 6GB for Ubuntu, more is better).

See if this guide helps. When you get to the part about dual-booting, it should let you choose between "automatic partition resizing" and "manual partitioning." If you don't get that choice, there might be a problem with the installer on your USB drive.

How did you get the installer on that USB drive, by the way?

Here's the guide (It talks about using a CD but your USB drive should be just as good. It also talks about Windows Vista, but the instructions should be the same for Win-7). https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WindowsDualBoot

You're in good shape, because Windows-7 is already installed, which is the preferred method (installing Ubuntu last).

[christian3]

I got the installer on the usb by following one of the support pages provided by Ubuntu. I downloaded the iso for the 13.04 version, then I downloaded another little piece of software called the universal usb installer. That's how I got my bootable usb drive to work. When I choose the option to install Ubuntu rather than just try it out, it provides me with the option to use Ubuntu alongside Windows 7. I'm assuming that this is the option that deals with the partitions automatically because the other available options are to replace Windows 7 or create my own partitions. I am not familiar enough to do that manually, but when I choose the option to use Ubuntu alongside Windows 7 is when I get the issue of the computer just rebooting and going through the identical steps for installation over and over.

[oldfred]

How many partitions do you have? Many Windows 7 systems use all 4 primary partitions.

From live mode, terminal, post this:
sudo parted /dev/sda unit s print

[christian3]

I am not sure how to determine the number of partitions that I have. Is it possible that partitions are causing the problem? The installer tells me that I can proceed with the installation, as I have enough free disk space to support Ubuntu.

[oldfred]

This shows partitions.
From live mode, terminal, post this:
sudo parted /dev/sda unit s print

Issues can be Intel SRT which uses RAID, creating partitions with Windows which may then be dynamic not basic, old gpt drive converted to MBR, Windows NTFS needing chkdsk or hibernated (Windows 8 is always hibernated).

[christian3]

I appreciate both of you taking the time to help me out with this, but frankly the solutions that you are proposing are still beyond me. I know it must be difficult to help out a novice, but hey, I am where I am. If you have any simpler ways to explain a solution that would be awesome, and if not, hHopefully I can figure my way around this problem soon.

Again thanks for taking the time to answer.

[oldfred]

If you boot installer in live mode. You should do this any way just to see that your system works ok with Ubuntu.

To get to terminal:
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/terminal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ce_bPdG1PSg

You can also directly get to terminal from screen with alt-f2 or press alt key and f2 at same time.

You can also use the same procedure to start gparted which shows a graphical view of partitions.

[r_avital]

Christian3,

Don't give up now, oldfred and I (and others) can walk you carefully through some diagnostics, and if you follow instructions carefully, you should be able to get us more info so we can help you better.

That said, if you could do the following, it would give us all some better info -- I'm just going to give you what oldfred gave you but with more detail to help you out.

1. Boot with the USB. Do you at some point get an option to "try ubuntu" vs. "install ubuntu" on your screen?
2. If so, select "try ubuntu" which will make absolutely no changes to your system, but will boot ubuntu. When it boots, you'll have a screen with a vertical bar on the left with icons on it. That's the launcher. Ignore it for now.
3. Press Ctrl+Alt+T and this should open up a terminal window, similar to what you would see as a "dos box" in Windows.
4. Type "sudo parted /dev/sda unit s print" without the quotes. Copy the output, and paste it into a reply to this thread.

Option: when you're in that terminal (launched on step #3 above), type "sudo gparted" (again, without quotes). This should launch a graphical program showing you the partitions. Move your mouse out of that screen, press Alt+PrintScreen, and you'll be prompted where to save the image (this will be a screenshot of only that program you just launched, gparted). Save it in Pictures. Then you can come back here, upload the picture as an attachment, and attach it to a reply to this thread.

Don't give up, it's worth it

[christian3]

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo parted /dev/sda unit s print
Model: ATA TOSHIBA MK6461GS (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 1250263728s
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 2048s 411647s 409600s primary ntfs boot
2 411648s 1219563519s 1219151872s primary ntfs
3 1219563520s 1250047999s 30484480s primary ntfs
4 1250048000s 1250261679s 213680s primary fat16 lba

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$