Ubuntu Dual Install

[tahoezr]

Help! I am trying to install Ubuntu on a Windows 7 64bit laptop and to dual boot. However, I don't get the option to 'install them side by side'. I've tried Ubuntu versions 9.04, 9.10, 10.04 & 10.10, but none of them give me that option and I don't know what to do.

 

[PreferLinux]

It,s in with partitioning options, probably. What you want will be to resize the Windows partition, and use the free space created by doing that.

 

[tahoezr]

I'm sorry, I forgot to add everything that I've done in my process.

First, I changed the size of the largest partition down to free up some space which showed up as free space but unavailable and wouldn't let me use it.

Then I did the re-size through the steps you suggested but to no avail. Same results. Unavailable.

And the installations came off of .iso burned CDs and live CDs. In every case, the option of installing them side by side never came up.

Thanks for your reply.

 

[PreferLinux]

How many partitions do you have? You are limited to 4 primary partitions, which may be the problem.

There probably won't be an option to install side-by-side as such. What you do is use the free space for the Linux partition, then the boot manager page (assuming there is one) will let you have the option to boot to either Linux or Windows.

 

[kitkat12012]

Maybe you need to manually create the new partitions?

Here's the basic steps

- make NTFS (windows) partition smaller
- partition manager would show "free space" or "unused"
- click on add partition or something and create an EXT3 or EXT4 partition on the unused space leaving about 1 or 2gb depending on ram
- create a swap partition on remaining 1 or 2gb space


it should look something like this:
http://www.askdavetaylor.com/2-blog-pics/ubuntu-install-pic6.png

 

[tahoezr]

Maybe you need to manually create the new partitions?

Here's the basic steps

- make NTFS (windows) partition smaller
- partition manager would show "free space" or "unused"
- click on add partition or something and create an EXT3 or EXT4 partition on the unused space leaving about 1 or 2gb depending on ram
- create a swap partition on remaining 1 or 2gb space


it should look something like this:
http://www.askdavetaylor.com/2-blog-pics/ubuntu-install-pic6.png

I tried to change the size of the NTFS partition smaller, but in every case, the space that I freed up listed as "unavailable" and would not let me use it.

I do have 4 partitions as "Preferlinux" stated, would that be the issue?

Thanks

 

[PreferLinux]

Yes, as you can only have a maximum of 4 partitions. You will have to remove one partition, create an extended partition, and create some logical partitions within that.