Windows 7 now will not boot and Ubuntu failed

[Quackers]

Excellent!
I would choose the "something else" option and create the partitions you want from the 75GB unallocated space you created earlier.
I would suggest a swap partition, a root (/) partition and if you want a separate /home partition do that. If you want a NTFS data partition you can create that too but as you've only got 75GB that might be a squeeze.
With the live usb booting in bios mode it should now install grub normally (without grub_efi) and the installation should complete.

If you pre-partition with gparted you will still need to use the "something else" option in order to choose their mount points anyway.

[ddubbz1979]

If the NTFS data partition isn't necessary, then I won't worry about it. However, if you recommend I can allocate additional space as I've got more to work with. Just wasn't sure what I needed but assumed 75 gb would be plenty for files. I read the /home was a good practice so will do that. I will allocate 20gb to the / root. 4 gb to the swap. and remaining to home. I will make / as a primary. and the rest logical. and choose the / root to install to. any issues there? thanks again.

[Quackers]

Just one.
As you already have 3 primary partitions any new new partitions will need to be logical partitions - all of them. This is not a problem as Ubuntu can boot from a logical partition.
You can always create a NTFS shared data partition if you want at a later date (though that too would need to be logical - i.e. inside the extended partition that Ubuntu will automatically create once logical partitions are created.

[ddubbz1979]

Thank you so much and wish me luck. Here we go.

[Quackers]

Good Luck

[ddubbz1979]

one more thing. what device do i choose for bootloader

[Quackers]

If your main hard drive is /dev/sda in Linux then the default position for grub will do (/dev/sda). I suspect it is /dev/sda (NOTE no partition number!) but you should check to make sure as sometimes the bios will make a usb drive /dev/sda

[ddubbz1979]

stuck on retrieving file 40 of 102. and looks like it killed my internet connection again. i've had to reset my router after every attempt.

[Quackers]

Did you select to download updates and install 3rd party drivers during the installation? Try without, if you did.

[oldfred]

Also are you using hard wired Ethernet connection? Best to use for install as sometimes it needs to download the wireless drivers and that causes issues.