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Thread: Horrific state to be in. Can't install Ubuntu due to HDD issues? HELP!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
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    4

    Exclamation Horrific state to be in. Can't install Ubuntu due to HDD issues? HELP!

    Hello to everyone!
    I am trying to install Ubuntu onto a machine with an installed Win10. In the "Something Else" section I can't find my windows C: drive so that I can delete it and say goodbye and install Linux

    Relevant specifications:
    A. BIOS Legacy, not UEFI
    B. 1 HDD which is Dynamic
    C. 4 partitions (1. system, 2. custom with my data, 3. and another custom one with my data which is for some reason split into 2 with the same letter in the disk manager, but not in the My PC window = 4 in total)
    D. The pen drive was formatted with a BIOS target.

    What I already know using google:
    I. I can't use a dynamic Drive. I need a basic HDD. But how is it possible if I only have one HDD with Windows on it? How do I convert it if it needs to be empty, yet I need windows to do the conversion?
    II. My system can only handle 4 partitions at a time, so I guess I can't create one, which I understand, but at the same time why would I not be able to delete one and create one? (4 - 1 + 1 = 4)

    What I want to know:
    1. How do I make my pc just simply install Linux without windows? I am currently scooping my data 250GB to another PC with a "teaspoon" 8GB flash drive, so keeping the data is not a concern. In a day or so...

    1.1 Is it going to be enough if I just simply choose the option "Erase disk and Install" instead of "Something Else"? How will Linux handle the partitions? Will the hidden windows partition be visible for the Linux in this case, so it can wipe it away? How it will handle the partitioning? Create one big partition? Ideally, I would want to have 100gigs for the system and the rest for myself. I guess I can do this afterwards?
    2. Or should I do something before doing Erase disk and Install? Some disk management on the windows I have still currently running? Wipe all except windows and do something with that?
    Thanks for reading and trying to help!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    3,947
    Distro
    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: Horrific state to be in. Can't install Ubuntu due to HDD issues? HELP!

    Before you do something that you may later regret, can you double check a few details?

    It appears that you have made a Live DVD/USB to install Ubuntu - which Ubuntu flavour are you using?

    Does your sound work?
    Internet connection OK
    Have you tested wireless (if it is present)?
    Graphics OK?
    Bluetooth?

    You mention that your device is not UEFI, therefore it must be 10 years old or more?

    Can you post full machine specs?

    It is easy to replace Windows but it is better to check performance earlier rather than later.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
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    4

    Re: Horrific state to be in. Can't install Ubuntu due to HDD issues? HELP!

    Thanks for you answer!
    I am using a relatively newwiish device. It is an Acer laptop with intel i3 5005, 8gigs of ram.
    I am trying to install the standart Ubuntu 20.4 LTS.

    In the msinfo32 i have also stated the following: BIOS Mode: Legacy. It lead me into thinking that i am using BIOS instead of UEFI.

    I didn't test everything, but the graphics were great, internet and wifi great, sound great.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    Kubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa

    Re: Horrific state to be in. Can't install Ubuntu due to HDD issues? HELP!

    Quote Originally Posted by misteranderson View Post
    I am trying to install Ubuntu onto a machine with an installed Win10. In the "Something Else" section I can't find my windows C: drive so that I can delete it and say goodbye and install Linux
    Windows doesn't shut down properly, it hibernates, so that booting it up doesn't take as long. That leaves any drives that Windows has touched in a dirty state, and Ubuntu won't go near them to prevent data loss. Windows calls it Fast Startup, and it's enabled by default and gets silently re-enabled by updates. Turn that off and shut Windows down properly, and the partitions should appear in the installer.

    If you're nuking Windows so that you don't have to worry about it any more, you'll be better off switching to UEFI and GPT partitioning, and booting the installer in UEFI mode. BIOS is very old and very limited in many ways.

    The default partition scheme for a UEFI Ubuntu install is to have a small FAT-formatted ESP and the rest as one big partition; swap files get used instead of swap partitions these days. If you want to divide that up, a smallish partition for / and the rest for /home is a relatively common way of doing it. You can do that from the Something Else dialogue. Or whatever scheme fits your needs.
    None but ourselves can free our minds

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    U.K.
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    Hidden!
    Distro
    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: Horrific state to be in. Can't install Ubuntu due to HDD issues? HELP!

    Before jumping into the "Install Ubuntu" option FIRST use "Try Ubuntu" option.This allows you to see Ubuntu at work before any changes.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    3,947
    Distro
    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: Horrific state to be in. Can't install Ubuntu due to HDD issues? HELP!

    I would recommend that you install in UEFI mode with GPT.

    Here is a link https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UEFI

    How you boot the live session = How it is eventually installed
    Boot in UEFI = Install in UEFI
    Boot in Legacy = Install in Legacy

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
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    4

    Re: Horrific state to be in. Can't install Ubuntu due to HDD issues? HELP!

    Quote Originally Posted by CatKiller View Post
    Windows doesn't shut down properly, it hibernates, so that booting it up doesn't take as long. That leaves any drives that Windows has touched in a dirty state, and Ubuntu won't go near them to prevent data loss. Windows calls it Fast Startup, and it's enabled by default and gets silently re-enabled by updates. Turn that off and shut Windows down properly, and the partitions should appear in the installer.
    I dont have the option to disable it in the settings. It is not listed there. But i tried holding shift while shutting down, as suggested somewhere, i also tried powercfg/hibernate off command in the prompt. Didn't help.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
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    4

    Re: Horrific state to be in. Can't install Ubuntu due to HDD issues? HELP!

    Quote Originally Posted by CatKiller View Post
    If you're nuking Windows so that you don't have to worry about it any more, you'll be better off switching to UEFI and GPT partitioning, and booting the installer in UEFI mode. BIOS is very old and very limited in many ways.
    How could i do this?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
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    Kubuntu 20.04 Focal Fossa

    Re: Horrific state to be in. Can't install Ubuntu due to HDD issues? HELP!

    Quote Originally Posted by misteranderson View Post
    I dont have the option to disable it in the settings. It is not listed there. But i tried holding shift while shutting down, as suggested somewhere, i also tried powercfg/hibernate off command in the prompt. Didn't help.
    I haven't used Windows in 15 years, so I can't help you find Windows settings.

    It's also possible that your issue isn't (entirely) Fast Startup, but you might have your drive set to something other than AHCI in your UEFI.
    Quote Originally Posted by misteranderson View Post
    How could i do this?
    When used with most burning tools, the Ubuntu installer is able to boot in either BIOS mode or UEFI mode - you pick which one from the motherboard's boot menu when you choose to boot it. I understand that some burning software forces you to choose when you're burning the image. Personally, I use Etcher, which is pretty straightforward, and doesn't make you choose.

    You'll also need to turn off "Legacy" or "CSM" in your UEFI, which is the setting for making your UEFI pretend to be BIOS.
    Last edited by CatKiller; November 18th, 2020 at 04:33 PM.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
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    614

    Re: Horrific state to be in. Can't install Ubuntu due to HDD issues? HELP!

    Windows fast boot setting is windows power settings, it is usually also hidden behind something, check with google to find.

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