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rawlins02
April 12th, 2015, 07:38 PM
I'm preparing to install 14.04 alongside (dual boot) Windows on a Lenovo T440p. I have 14.04 ready to go on a pendrive. I'm preparing to shrink the Windows partition using tools in the Windows OS. I have read about UEFI boot vs BIOS and how I should disable fast boot and safe boot.

Before installing I'd like to better understand how to set up partitions. In the past during "custom" installation I would create one primary ext4 partition next to the Windows NTFS partition. Within the primary ext4 I would set up swap, /home, /usr, and / as logical partitions. I'm a bit confused after reading section Creating an UEFI partition here
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI

On this page:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2031836&page=2

it looks like that logical partition setup is still possible. But what am I looking to do in custom install so that boot partition (/boot/uefi) and everything is in the right order? I understand that is important andd haven't seen a howto that steps through the installer options to set up multiple logical partitions.

oldfred
April 12th, 2015, 07:55 PM
Ubuntu's standard install is just / (root) & swap.
And with gpt you do not have primary & logical partitions nor a 4 primary partition limit.
But with gpt there is a soft limit of 128 partitions. Usually that is enough. :)

The efi partition is not a Linux /boot partition. The efi partition is closer to the MBR, but supports multiple systems all booting from one efi partition. Each system has a folder in the efi partition.
Separate /boot usually not required unless a server type install or RAID, LVM full drive or encrypted LVM full drive installs. Those full drive installs all erase all other systems & partitions on drive.

You do have to use Something Else if you want more than / & swap and with UEFI best to only use Something Else, see also caution in Link in my signature on reinstalls.

For the Total space you want for Ubuntu:
Ubuntu's standard install is just / (root) & swap, but it is better to add another partition for /home if allocating over 30GB.:
Only if gpt - all partitions in gpt are primary:
gpt: 300 MB efi FAT32 w/boot flag (for UEFI boot or future use for UEFI, you only can have one per drive, so if already existing do not attempt another)
gpt: 1 or 2 MB No Format w/bios_grub flag (for BIOS boot not required for UEFI)
for gpt(GUID) or MBR(msdos) partitioning
Ubuntu partitions - smaller root only where hard drive space is limited.
If total space less than about 30GB just use / not separate /home or standard install.



10-25 GB Mountpoint / primary or logical beginning ext4
all but 2 GB Mountpoint /home logical beginning ext4
2 GB Mountpoint swap logical

Depending on how much memory you have you may not absolutely need swap but having some is still recommended. I do not hibernate (boots fast enough for me) but if hibernating then you need swap equal to RAM in GiB not GB. And if dual booting with windows a shared NTFS partition is also recommended. But you usually cannot create that as part of the install, just leave some space. Or partition in advance (recommended).
One advantage of partitioning in advance is that the installer will use the swap space to speed up the install. Thanks Herman for the tip.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DiskSpace
suggested partitions for just Ubuntu on 3TB drive.
http://askubuntu.com/questions/336439/any-problems-with-this-partition-scheme
Another advanced suggestion from TheFu with Multiple / (root) - Post #5 similar to what I actually do
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2170308
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2021534
http://askubuntu.com/questions/336439/any-problems-with-this-partition-scheme

rawlins02
April 12th, 2015, 08:19 PM
I have a 250 GB drive so will create a /home.

I suppose I could try using gpt but have always used the installer in the past:
http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2014/05/30/dual-boot-ubuntu-14-04-and-windows-7-on-a-pc-with-uefi-firmware/

That description seems straightforward. Looking for a page/link for use of gpt to do setup for 1, 2, 3 as you suggest.

oldfred
April 12th, 2015, 10:22 PM
If your Windows is booting with UEFI then drive is gpt.
But if Windows is booting with BIOS, drive must be MBR(msdos).
Do not convert partitioning as then Windows will not boot.
But do make sure to install Ubuntu in the same boot mode as Windows either both UEFI or both BIOS.
And how you boot installer is how it installs.
Shows install with screen shots. Both BIOS purple accessibility screen & UEFI black grub menu screen
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI

rawlins02
April 12th, 2015, 11:21 PM
Looks like BIOS mode. A setup file in Windows says that and all partitions are NTFS. I've gone into the BIOS setup and I see it is set to boot legacy first. Surprised to even see UEFI shown in there.

I'm running Live CD Try Ubuntu. Unfortunately Windows Disk Manager would not allow me to shrink the volume down below 56 GB. I understand there are setup files in the middle of the partition. Even GParted won't allow me to go below 56 GB. My SSD is only 250 GB. With the recovery partition taking up 16 GB this is way too much space allocated to Windows. Can't proceed with install until I figure this out. Perhaps a third party Windows tool will shrink the partition as some suggest.

oldfred
April 13th, 2015, 12:17 AM
Windows Disk Cleanup tool to houseclean
defrag at least twice
#Partitioning generally better
Windows Vista - partition your hard drive using Disk Management, if XP use Gparted
30GB at an absolute minimum and you want at least 30% free inside the NTFS partition for Windows to work well
http://www.thpc.info/how/shrink_partition_in_windows_7_vista.html
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/working-around-windows-vistas-shrink-volume-inadequacy-problems/
Hiberfile in Windows 7 & 8 often prevents shrink
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/819-hibernate-enable-disable.html

And be sure to make a Windows repair CD or flash drive.

Make your own Windows 7 repairCD (not vendor recovery):
http://forums.techarena.in/guides-tutorials/1114725.htm

Windows 7 repair USB, Also Vista if service pack installed
http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-repair-windows-7-from-usb-flash-drive-repair-without-installation-dvd-disc/
http://www.webupd8.org/2010/10/create-bootable-windows-7-usb-drive.html

And if you make the recovery set of DVDs, you probably do not need the recovery partition on hard drive. You may only need that to restore system to as purchased if selling it with Windows.

But then you do need a full backup of Windows for your own recovery.

The vendor recovery DVDs are just an image of your drive as purchased. If you have housecleaned a lot of cruft normally included, run many updates with many reboots, and added software you may want a full back up.
Backup windows before install - post by Mark Phelps
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2137439&p=12611710#post12611710
http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp
Another suggestion by srs5694
http://www.runtime.org/driveimage-xml.htm
Microsoft Windows 8.1 reinstall/refresh
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

rawlins02
April 13th, 2015, 01:12 AM
I've now been able to shrink the Windows 7 NTFS partition down to 36GB in GParted. That is what I will stick with. The machine shipped with Windows 8 cds. Since I have not used Windows on my current machine in many months, and I'm unlikely to use it on the new machine, I'm tempted to remove the 15 GB recovery partition. If needed I can do a fresh install of Windows 8.

I will mark this as solved. Will start another thread if I have issues with the Ubuntu installation. Thanks for your help.