Having trouble Dual Booting Ubuntu 12.4.2 with Windows 7

[Crimson Shadow]

I have a Sony Vaio S Series (the newer 2012 model) it has an i7 processor, 12 GB ram, 640 GB HDD, 2 GB Nvidia Graphics Card, and Windows 7.I would like to dual boot Ubuntu with Windows. I tried to install Ubuntu 12.4.2 using a usb drive but when I get to the installation screen that is supposed to ask what type of installation I want, I encounter something unusual. The Installer doesn't see that I have Windows 7 installed on my hard drive and only asks if I want to "Erase everything on the hard drive and install Ubuntu" or "Something Else". I have run Boot-Repair, I clicked on recommended repair to see if that will solve the problem, it didn't. Boot-Repair changed the boot files of Windows and now the system will not boot into Windows 7. Boot-Repair also gave this URL http://paste.ubuntu.com/5684061/. I mostly want to know if my computer can be salvaged from it's current configuration or if it is better to wipe the hard drive, reinstall Windows 7 and try again.

[meijin3]

I had the problem with the Ubuntu installation disk not recognizing Windows before.. I'm not sure, but it may be because you have too many partitions. I deleted HP_Tools on my HP laptop and everything was dandy after that.

Edit: As far as not booting goes, you may have damaged your MBR (master boot record). This is just a guess on my part but I speak, again, from unfortunate experience. Try this perhaps? http://robert.penz.name/221/mini-how...er-with-linux/

[oldfred]

You must have booted in BIOS/MBR mode, but your Windows 7 is installed in UEFI mode. So Boot-Repair installed a Windows boot loader into the MBR (not an issue), but also put a boot flag on the main Windows partition. IF BIOS that would be correct, but with UEFI and gpt partitioning the boot flag can only be on the efi partition. And you can only have one efi partition per drive.
Use gparted from liveCD, click on sda5, and right click to remove the boot flag.
From UEFI menu in UEFI mode you then should be able to boot Windows again.

Since you have a Windows 7 system, you do not have any of the secure boot issues.
Use Windows 7 Disk tools to shrink the Windows main install to make room for Ubuntu, but do not create any partitions as it may convert to dynamic which is not compatible with Linux.

Even though you do not have secure boot issues, it still is best to use newest installs that support that as they have the newest UEFI implementation.
You will need to use the 64 bit version of 12.10 or 12.04.2 and from the UEFI menu boot the flash drive in UEFI mode. That way it will install in UEFI mode.
Systems need quick boot or fast boot turned off in UEFI settings. Vital for some systems. Best to backup efi partition and Windows partition first.
Use Windows Disk Tools to shrink Windows main partition, but not to create any new partitions, if installing on same drive.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/UEFI
As of 12.04.2, it is possible to install on UEFI systems with Secure Boot enabled (using signed versions of Shim, GRUB, and the Linux kernel). This is only currently set up for Ubuntu (desktop, alternate, and server) and Edubuntu images due to pressures of time; we expect to enable it across the entire Ubuntu family for 12.04.3. Details:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PrecisePango.../UbuntuDesktop

[Crimson Shadow]

You must have booted in BIOS/MBR mode, but your Windows 7 is installed in UEFI mode. So Boot-Repair installed a Windows boot loader into the MBR (not an issue), but also put a boot flag on the main Windows partition. IF BIOS that would be correct, but with UEFI and gpt partitioning the boot flag can only be on the efi partition. And you can only have one efi partition per drive.
Use gparted from liveCD, click on sda5, and right click to remove the boot flag.
From UEFI menu in UEFI mode you then should be able to boot Windows again.

Since you have a Windows 7 system, you do not have any of the secure boot issues.
Use Windows 7 Disk tools to shrink the Windows main install to make room for Ubuntu, but do not create any partitions as it may convert to dynamic which is not compatible with Linux.

Even though you do not have secure boot issues, it still is best to use newest installs that support that as they have the newest UEFI implementation.
You will need to use the 64 bit version of 12.10 or 12.04.2 and from the UEFI menu boot the flash drive in UEFI mode. That way it will install in UEFI mode.
Systems need quick boot or fast boot turned off in UEFI settings. Vital for some systems. Best to backup efi partition and Windows partition first.
Use Windows Disk Tools to shrink Windows main partition, but not to create any new partitions, if installing on same drive.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/UEFI
As of 12.04.2, it is possible to install on UEFI systems with Secure Boot enabled (using signed versions of Shim, GRUB, and the Linux kernel). This is only currently set up for Ubuntu (desktop, alternate, and server) and Edubuntu images due to pressures of time; we expect to enable it across the entire Ubuntu family for 12.04.3. Details:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PrecisePango.../UbuntuDesktop

How exactly do I do this? Sorry, I am new to partitoning hard drives, still learning.

[oldfred]

Only use Windows disk tools to shrink Windows but use gparted for everything else, from your live installer or download separate gparted liveCD.

GParted partitioning software - Full tutorial
http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/gparted.html
Screenshots of using gparted
http://www.howtoforge.com/partitioning_with_gparted


http://partedmagic.com/
http://gparted.sourceforge.net/faq.php

[Crimson Shadow]

You must have booted in BIOS/MBR mode, but your Windows 7 is installed in UEFI mode. So Boot-Repair installed a Windows boot loader into the MBR (not an issue), but also put a boot flag on the main Windows partition. IF BIOS that would be correct, but with UEFI and gpt partitioning the boot flag can only be on the efi partition. And you can only have one efi partition per drive.
Use gparted from liveCD, click on sda5, and right click to remove the boot flag.
From UEFI menu in UEFI mode you then should be able to boot Windows again.

Search more forums and found out about more info on gparted. I did what you suggested and Windows still would not boot.

[oldfred]

Did you choose Windows from UEFI?

[Crimson Shadow]

Did you choose Windows from UEFI?

Where would this menu be located?

In my Bios I can only select whether or not to change from Legacy to UEFI.

So am I correct to assume this is somewhere within Ubuntu?

[oldfred]

Newer BIOS that supported SATA had two entries. One was device order like hard drive, CD, floppy etc. And then under hard drive was boot order setting for each hard drive when you had more than one. Some had it as a sub-menu under device setting and others had it even on a different page.

UEFI is similar. You have a menu for devices and boot order of all the folders in efi partition. Some seem to now combine them all into one, others still have separate entries.
You may have to go into UEFI shell if you have that entry.

[Crimson Shadow]

Newer BIOS that supported SATA had two entries. One was device order like hard drive, CD, floppy etc. And then under hard drive was boot order setting for each hard drive when you had more than one. Some had it as a sub-menu under device setting and others had it even on a different page.

UEFI is similar. You have a menu for devices and boot order of all the folders in efi partition. Some seem to now combine them all into one, others still have separate entries.
You may have to go into UEFI shell if you have that entry.

Sorry, I wish my system was that detailed but its not.