Side-by-side install with Win7 fails

[muffled tone]

I have an Acer Aspire 4741 with 2Gb RAM laptop with Windows 7 installed by manufacturer. I've never had any experience with Linux, but been interested for a while.

I decided to try Lubuntu but don't want to dump Win7 just yet, so:
1. I downloaded Lubuntu 12.04 x86 32-bit ISO and burned a Live CD
2. I tried a Live session, all's fine except for WiFi issue
3. Tried "Install Lubuntu within Windows 7, choose OS on boot" from within Live session, clicked "Next" and the screen turned black saying "Process terminated code [15]" or something, then telling me to eject CD and press [Enter] to restart and install. I think it should be asking me for which partition to use, not sure.
4. I press Enter, it restarted and... I boot into Win7

So I figured, maybe I need to install from outside Live session, so I tried again, but same thing happenned.
I tried browsing my hard drive in case it's already installed but not available during boot menu, but no trace of Lubuntu whatsoever.

Checked the MD5SUM but it's OK, CHKDSK was also OK.
Tried searching the forum for something like this but couldn't find it, or maybe I was searching the wrong place?
Anyway, can anyone help? Don't know what else to do.

[wilee-nilee]

I have an Acer Aspire 4741 with 2Gb RAM laptop with Windows 7 installed by manufacturer. I've never had any experience with Linux, but been interested for a while.

I decided to try Lubuntu but don't want to dump Win7 just yet, so:
1. I downloaded Lubuntu 12.04 x86 32-bit ISO and burned a Live CD
2. I tried a Live session, all's fine except for WiFi issue
3. Tried "Install Lubuntu within Windows 7, choose OS on boot" from within Live session, clicked "Next" and the screen turned black saying "Process terminated code [15]" or something, then telling me to eject CD and press [Enter] to restart and install. I think it should be asking me for which partition to use, not sure.
4. I press Enter, it restarted and... I boot into Win7

So I figured, maybe I need to install from outside Live session, so I tried again, but same thing happenned.
I tried browsing my hard drive in case it's already installed but not available during boot menu, but no trace of Lubuntu whatsoever.

Checked the MD5SUM but it's OK, CHKDSK was also OK.
Tried searching the forum for something like this but couldn't find it, or maybe I was searching the wrong place?
Anyway, can anyone help? Don't know what else to do.

A Install inside windows is done from windows and is called a wubi install, is this what you want? It is then a file in windows, not generally considered for long term use. If you want a wubi install you use its download tool from windows to install, getting it to download lubuntu is probably possible. The wubi installer is not on the live cd's any more.

If you want a actual dual boot alongside windows, give us a screen shot of gparted from the live lubuntu boot.

[muffled tone]

I tried installing from Live session, not from inside Windows. There was an icon on the desktop & I just double-clicked it.
The install options were:
1. Install within Windows 7 (and choose at boot time)
2. Replace Windows 7
3. Other installation

I picked the #1 option, but nothing happenned except for my laptop rebooting.

About your question:
1. No, I don't want it to run from inside Win7
2. Yes, dual-boot is exactly what I want
And I thought dual-boot is what I'll get with that #1 option, forgive me for my total lack of knowledge on this.
I'll try to get that "gparted" output you said & attach it, as soon as I figure out how to do that (I'll search for it first).

Thanks a bunch for the info, gonna do that right away.

[wilee-nilee]

I tried installing from Live session, not from inside Windows. There was an icon on the desktop & I just double-clicked it.
The install options were:
1. Install within Windows 7 (and choose at boot time)
2. Replace Windows 7
3. Other installation

I picked the #1 option, but nothing happenned except for my laptop rebooting.

About your question:
1. No, I don't want it to run from inside Win7
2. Yes, dual-boot is exactly what I want
And I thought dual-boot is what I'll get with that #1 option, forgive me for my total lack of knowledge on this.
I'll try to get that "gparted" output you said & attach it, as soon as I figure out how to do that (I'll search for it first).

Thanks a bunch for the info, gonna do that right away.

My mistake it helps to offer this info.

In the reply window panel is a paper clip that is how you attach an image to a reply.

[Mark Phelps]

Go into Win7, open the Disk Management app and look at the set of partitions there. IF you already have four, you can't install Ubuntu to a partition without removing a partition, first. The installer does not know to do that and will not install.

[msammels]

Mark, couldn't he still do it, if one of his four partitions was an extended partition?

[wilee-nilee]

Mark, couldn't he still do it, if one of his four partitions was an extended partition?

One has to be removed to make a extended, but yes you are correct.

[msammels]

Well, I was thinking, 3 normal, 1 extended, that way... or maybe I'm being silly

[wilee-nilee]

Well, I was thinking, 3 normal, 1 extended, that way... or maybe I'm being silly

The key here for best help is really what I suggested, basically show us what is actually there, before actually advising, is really best practice in protecting the users OS's.

It does not have to be gparted it can be a fdisk -l as well.

[muffled tone]

Hey all, thanks for the replies.

So I found GParted, ran it in Live session, and it says I have 4 partitions.
While Windows' File Manager says I have 3?

According to GParted I have:
1 NTFS 100 Mb (apparently locked by Windows)
2 NTFS 100 Gb (1 for Win7 & 1 for my data)
1 NTFS 270 Gb (I install my apps here, separate from Win7)
I can also access all 4 in Lubuntu's File Manager.

So, since I have 4, I must delete 1?
Does delete here mean erase the partition OR just make it empty/available?