bangbang023 Veteran Posted February 23, 2013 Veteran Share Posted February 23, 2013 I'm trying to install Ubuntu from a bootable USB drive. If I run Ubuntu from the drive, I can successfully mount both of my physical drives: Drive 1 is in 3 partitions: 8GB for recovery, 400GB for Windows 8 install, 550GB empty partition formatted to NTFS Drive 2 is in one single 500GB partition formatted to NTFS and used for media storage All files are accessible and things run as expected. When I try to install Ubuntu, however, and choose the option to "Install side by side with Windows 8", the installer only lists Drive 2. I really want to install the OS to the empty partition on Drive 1. Beyond going into the "Something Else" option and manually selecting to install the OS to the partition (it sees it there) and then hopefully putting the bootloader on the right partition, is there a way to get the automatic method to detect my drive appropriately? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karl L. Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 I'm not exactly sure why Ubuntu would not properly detect your disk with Windows 8 for the "side by side" install target, but it may have something to do with your partitioning scheme. The Ubuntu Installer would normally resize the Windows partition to make free space, then create two new partitions (one formatted as EXT4 and the other formatted as swap) to install Ubuntu on. Since your partitioning scheme is more complicated than that of the typical Windows installation, its possible that the Ubuntu Installer is not suggesting your primary disk as an install target because it doesn't know how to deal with the existing partitions. Assuming my analysis of the situation is correct, you can probably solve the problem without too much trouble. Use GParted (which is installed on all Ubuntu live discs) to delete the 550 GB NTFS partition on your primary drive. Next start the Ubuntu Installer and navigate to the main partitioning screen. Select the "use largest available free space" option and your disk should be partitioned as intended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreuger Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 I thought that you had to install Ubuntu first, and then Windows to get a dual boot. Edit: Nevermind, I did it myself. I'd say the above guy is right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Norris Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 I thought that you had to install Ubuntu first, and then Windows to get a dual boot. Usually you'll want to do Windows first, as it's perfectly happy mangling whatever bootloader it finds in the process unless you take precautions... it's a lot less headache inducing usually. Karl L. 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangbang023 Veteran Posted February 23, 2013 Author Veteran Share Posted February 23, 2013 Thanks. I'm going to give that a try next time I'm at the desktop. Hopefully that will help it detect the drive itself. I really don't want to screw around with my media drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangbang023 Veteran Posted February 24, 2013 Author Veteran Share Posted February 24, 2013 It worked. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karl L. Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Good Luck, Mr. Gorsky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreuger Posted February 25, 2013 Share Posted February 25, 2013 Let me know if you still need any more help buddy. I think I've still got you on Yahoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts