Partition problems when installing Ubuntu

[Lauryca]

I want to install Ubuntu on a 30 Gb partition. I attached the structure of hard drive under Win 7 and under Ubuntu instalation program. Why the 30 Gb partition in invisible under Ubuntu instalation program, and how could I install Ubuntu on it?

[coffeecat]

It looks as though you have tried to create a fifth primary partition from within Windows and since this is impossible in an mbr partition table, Windows will convert all the partitions into so-called dynamic ones. This is a Windows-only standard and can be a real problem.

To see if this is so, boot up the Ubuntu live CD and open a terminal (Applications > Administration). Post the output of this command:


sudo fdisk -luPlease enclose the output between
and tags for legibility.

[Lauryca]

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -lu



Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors

Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes

Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk identifier: 0xf96c7e30



Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

/dev/sda1 63 2047 992+ 42 SFS

Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.

/dev/sda2 * 2048 206847 102400 42 SFS

Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.

/dev/sda3 206848 209715199 104754176 42 SFS

/dev/sda4 209715200 1953523119 871903960 42 SFS



Disk /dev/sdb: 8086 MB, 8086617600 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 983 cylinders, total 15794175 sectors

Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes

Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk identifier: 0x91f72d24



Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

/dev/sdb1 * 63 15794174 7897056 b W95 FAT32

Partition 1 has different physical/logical endings:

phys=(982, 254, 63) logical=(983, 36, 12)

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$


I know that to convert a dynamic to a basic disk I have to loode all the information on the hard drive.

If I install Ubuntu on an existing partition the instalation program won't erase my existing data?

[coffeecat]

Yes SFS = dynamic partition, which is a problem.

I have no experience of dynamic partitions, so the best advice I can give you is in oldfred's post #5 in this thread:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1727673

As a general principle, you need to be using the Gparted partitioner on the Ubuntu live CD to set up Linux partitions. Three main reasons. This would avoid this dynamic disc problem; you need Gparted to create partitions with Linux fileystems (Windows cannot do that); and Gparted is so much more flexible for setting up extended and logical partitions, which are a far better solution than dynamic partitions to the four primary partition limit in a MBR partition table.

It looks as though you had four primary partitions on your HD originally. This is not uncommon, especially with HP machines, and the only real workaround when you want to install Linux is to delete one primary partition and replace it with an extended partition.

Hopefully, someone with experience of dealing with dynamic partitions will post, but in the meantime you might find this link informative:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HowtoPartition

[oldfred]

I do not have any experience in converting. And any conversion like this from some window unique proprietary system has risks. Be sure to have good backups.

I would delete the empty partition using windows, so then you only have 4, which still is an issue. Testdisk may work since the remaining partition look in sequence so they may be recoverable back to basic.

How full are your partitions and can you at least temporarily move data off. You will need to delete one more partition to make it an extended partition. In the extended partition you can make many logical partitions and copy your other data back if you desire.

Good advice on how to handle all four primary partitions used. - srs5694
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1686440
Besure to create recovery DVD(s) first.
Shrinking a Windows 7 partition is best done in Windows.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/resize-a-partition-for-free-in-windows-vista/


Used testdisk but see caveats in Post#7:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1669418
Used EASEUS Partition Master
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1692248
Also used testdisk
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1675420
Not sure if in "free" version, but older version had it & was free see 4.2:
http://www.partitionwizard.com/help/convert-dynamic-disk-to-basic-disk.html
http://www.hdd-tool.com/partition-manager/change-partition-type-logical-to-primary-without-data-losing.htm

[Lauryca]

I solved the problem - this message is written under Ubuntu. This is how I did it.

First I merged partiton E and H - from Windows 7 capture.
Then I used MiniTool Partition Wizard Professional Edition 5.2 to convert without loss of data the disk from dynamic disk to a basic disk. It worked - I also did back-up of al my data.
I also used Partition Wizard to set an existing partition logical instead of primary and then I created a new primary partition for Ubuntu. The last step was installing Ubuntu.

Thanks for help. So you can recommend MiniTool Partition Wizard Professional Edition 5.2 for converting dynamic disks to basic disks without loss of data.

[coffeecat]

First I merged partiton E and H - from Windows 7 capture.
Then I used MiniTool Partition Wizard Professional Edition 5.2 to convert without loss of data the disk from dynamic disk to a basic disk. It worked - I also did back-up of al my data.
I also used Partition Wizard to set an existing partition logical instead of primary and then I created a new primary partition for Ubuntu. The last step was installing Ubuntu.

Thanks for posting this. Most people on this forum would use Gparted as their partitioner of choice (I guess) and therefore wouldn't have experience of dynamic disks and how to convert them back. This is very useful.

I'm glad you've solved the problem, and have successfully installed Ubuntu. Good luck!