david12
January 15th, 2015, 09:11 PM
I have installed Windows 8.1 64-bit on a new System 76 box. (I've followed System 76's instructions regarding a Windows dual boot set up. They advise installing Windows first, which means overwriting the Ubuntu install that the System 76 computer comes with, then re-installing Ubuntu.)
Windows works. I am typing this query in it now.
There is one hard drive on the machine. It is 2TB in size. There are two Windows partitions on the hard drive: a "main" partition and a "reserved" partition. The "reserved" partition is small (350MB); I reduced the "main" Windows partition to 500GB+- using GParted from a live GParted disk. Approximately 1.4TB+- remain for the Ubuntu installation. This 1.4TB is "unallocated."
Running Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS from a DVD works fine. The main Windows partition is visible and accessible from Ubuntu Live. (Sidebar: In order to make the partition accessible it was necessary to disable a not-particularly-obvious hibernation function in Windows. The Windows command to do that is: powercfg /h off. It needs to be run from the command line as an administrator.)
The problem arose when I tried to install Ubuntu. The partition manager within the Ubuntu installer does not see either of the Windows partitions. The entire disk, all 2TB, is shown as "unallocated." To underscore: Windows is installed and functioning. I can access the "main" Windows partition from live Ubuntu when it is running on the computer, but when I go to install Ubuntu the installer doesn't see the Windows partitions.
Windows describes (in 'Disk Management') hard drive partitioning as: "Partition Style: Master Boot Record". It shows two partitions, then unallocated space as described above.
The Ubuntu installer's partitioning software (but not GParted Live) presents a 'yes' or 'no' query asking whether the disk is MBR or GPT. I've answered the question both ways, but neither seem to have effect. (One response, returns a red "!" next to the unallocated line. The other doesn't. I don't remember which is which, but neither was any help.
I contacted System76 and asked for assistance, but they are not familiar with the problem.
Windows works. I am typing this query in it now.
There is one hard drive on the machine. It is 2TB in size. There are two Windows partitions on the hard drive: a "main" partition and a "reserved" partition. The "reserved" partition is small (350MB); I reduced the "main" Windows partition to 500GB+- using GParted from a live GParted disk. Approximately 1.4TB+- remain for the Ubuntu installation. This 1.4TB is "unallocated."
Running Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS from a DVD works fine. The main Windows partition is visible and accessible from Ubuntu Live. (Sidebar: In order to make the partition accessible it was necessary to disable a not-particularly-obvious hibernation function in Windows. The Windows command to do that is: powercfg /h off. It needs to be run from the command line as an administrator.)
The problem arose when I tried to install Ubuntu. The partition manager within the Ubuntu installer does not see either of the Windows partitions. The entire disk, all 2TB, is shown as "unallocated." To underscore: Windows is installed and functioning. I can access the "main" Windows partition from live Ubuntu when it is running on the computer, but when I go to install Ubuntu the installer doesn't see the Windows partitions.
Windows describes (in 'Disk Management') hard drive partitioning as: "Partition Style: Master Boot Record". It shows two partitions, then unallocated space as described above.
The Ubuntu installer's partitioning software (but not GParted Live) presents a 'yes' or 'no' query asking whether the disk is MBR or GPT. I've answered the question both ways, but neither seem to have effect. (One response, returns a red "!" next to the unallocated line. The other doesn't. I don't remember which is which, but neither was any help.
I contacted System76 and asked for assistance, but they are not familiar with the problem.