over_my_head
September 23rd, 2012, 04:50 PM
You can thank HP for using up all four of the primary partitions on the disk, leaving you with none for expansion.
IMHO, the best solution is this:
Boot Windows
Locate the utility to burn a recovery DVD set and run this utility. This will create a set of DVDs that hold the contents of one of your partitions (probably your D: volume; it's normally about 10-20 GiB in size, IIRC). Run the utility a second time, since burned DVDs are less reliable than factory-pressed DVDs. While you're playing human disc changer, write a letter to HP (with a cc: to Microsoft) telling them what you think of their being so cheap as to not include proper recovery DVDs with the computer. They'll keep doing this sort of thing if people don't complain.
Use the Windows partitioning tool to delete the partition that's just been rendered unnecessary by your creating the backup DVDs.
Use the Windows partitioning tool to shrink your Windows C: partition by however much you want to shrink it. You may also want or need to move another partition, depending on their arrangement. The key is that you want all the free space to be in one big block.
Reboot into the Ubuntu installer.
Use the advanced (or "manual", or whatever it's called) partitioning option.
Create an extended partition in the free space.
Create a 5-20 GiB logical partition for Linux's root (/), a logical partition of 1-2 times your RAM size for swap space, and give the remaining space to a logical partition for /home.
Proceed with a normal Ubuntu installation.
There are many possible minor variants of this procedure, and some major ones, too -- for instance, some people consider the HP_TOOLS volume to be useless and so just delete it outright; or they back it up, delete it, and then restore it to a logical partition.
I'm also trying to dual boot Win7 and Ubuntu 12.04. I followed this guide but when i try to run the ubuntu installer (off a CD) and i go with the advanced option, i get to this point (see screen shot - sorry for the crappy quality, i had to photograph the screen with my camera) and i don't know what options to pick.
i know what i'm trying to do in theory according to the guide quoted above but i'm baffled by what's actually listed on the screen.
help is much appreciated!
IMHO, the best solution is this:
Boot Windows
Locate the utility to burn a recovery DVD set and run this utility. This will create a set of DVDs that hold the contents of one of your partitions (probably your D: volume; it's normally about 10-20 GiB in size, IIRC). Run the utility a second time, since burned DVDs are less reliable than factory-pressed DVDs. While you're playing human disc changer, write a letter to HP (with a cc: to Microsoft) telling them what you think of their being so cheap as to not include proper recovery DVDs with the computer. They'll keep doing this sort of thing if people don't complain.
Use the Windows partitioning tool to delete the partition that's just been rendered unnecessary by your creating the backup DVDs.
Use the Windows partitioning tool to shrink your Windows C: partition by however much you want to shrink it. You may also want or need to move another partition, depending on their arrangement. The key is that you want all the free space to be in one big block.
Reboot into the Ubuntu installer.
Use the advanced (or "manual", or whatever it's called) partitioning option.
Create an extended partition in the free space.
Create a 5-20 GiB logical partition for Linux's root (/), a logical partition of 1-2 times your RAM size for swap space, and give the remaining space to a logical partition for /home.
Proceed with a normal Ubuntu installation.
There are many possible minor variants of this procedure, and some major ones, too -- for instance, some people consider the HP_TOOLS volume to be useless and so just delete it outright; or they back it up, delete it, and then restore it to a logical partition.
I'm also trying to dual boot Win7 and Ubuntu 12.04. I followed this guide but when i try to run the ubuntu installer (off a CD) and i go with the advanced option, i get to this point (see screen shot - sorry for the crappy quality, i had to photograph the screen with my camera) and i don't know what options to pick.
i know what i'm trying to do in theory according to the guide quoted above but i'm baffled by what's actually listed on the screen.
help is much appreciated!