Isnt Installing as a Superuser

[hoofhearted4]

so im a windows kiddie coming over to try Linux. im in college to be an IT, and ive taken only a couple classes on basic linux use. I still know nothing, and honestly most of that flew over my head. but I want to try out Linux to see what I can learn, and maybe even like and enjoy it more then Windows as i learn more. anyways, on to my problem

when I double click on the Install Linux Mint icon on the desktop and the window comes up, the top header only says Install. every tutorial ive seen, it says Install (as Superuser), but not mine and i cannot figure out why it doesnt. I think this is also stopping me from progressing in the installation process. Im trying to install Linux Mint 14 along side Windows 7 in a seperate partition on the same drive (128GB SSD, split down the middle more or less for W7 and Linux) but if i continue the installation, it says that no other OS is detected on my system, and as such im not able to install it alongside Windows 7.

so why is the installation not coming up "as Superuser"? and is this why its not detecting Windows 7 on my computer?

i appreciate the help everyone!

[hoofhearted4]

Also I'm not sure if its just me but I do not see this thread in the installation & boot section even though that's where it says it is. It's getting views so maybe it's just not showing up for me.

[dagon]

Also I'm not sure if its just me but I do not see this thread in the installation & boot section even though that's where it says it is. It's getting views so maybe it's just not showing up for me.

Scroll down a bit. First you have a row of 'Sticky' threads on top and then comes the new posts.

[hoofhearted4]

omg so obvious lol. must have scrolled right passed it every time lol. well good to know. now hopefully someone can help me with my issue

thanks for that

[karlchen]

Hello, hoofhearted4.

when I double click on the Install Linux Mint icon on the desktop and the window comes up, the top header only says Install.

Just to make sure we are talking about the same kind of Mint installation:

• You proceed like explained in this official Linux Mint 13 documentation, which basically applies to Mint 14 as well, p. 11 ff., chapter "Boot the LiveDVD". I.e. you boot the Live DVD or the Live USB pendrive.
• You start Linux Mint (Live System).
• You wait till the Linux Mint live desktop appears.
• On the Linux Mint live desktop you click the icon labelled "Install Linux Mint".

If this is what you have done, everything is all right.
We are not on Windows where you right-click and select "Run as administrator".
The Linux Mint live user named "mint" who has been logged in automatically without your intervention when the live system started has got the privilege of performing actions with root privileges. So he can launch the installation all right.
As a matter of fact, there is only one single administrator on any Linux system, root.
There may be one or more normal users who have been granted the privilege to perform actions with root privileges.
Just in order to please Windows converts such users are often referred to as "Administrators". In fact, they are just normal users having been granted sudo privileges. (cf. RootSudo for more details)

every tutorial ive seen, it says Install (as Superuser)

Frankly I wonder which Linux tutorial this might apply to. - You cannot use any Windows tutorials in order to install Linux Mint.

Im trying to install Linux Mint 14 along side Windows 7 in a seperate partition on the same drive

This e.g. is a good video tutorial explaining in detail how to proceed: Manually Setup A Ubuntu-Windows 7 Dual Boot.

if i continue the installation, it says that no other OS is detected on my system

Could it be you are using an UEFI boot machine? - If this is the case, then I will not be able to offer any help based on my own experience, because all my machines still use the good old MBR. Yet, there are users in this forum who are using UEFI boot machines. Maybe someone will chime in.

Kind regards,
Karl

[hoofhearted4]

maybe its because im choosing to install LM14 with Cinnimon desktop. i watched a video that specifically said w/ Cinnimon, and the window didnt say (as Superuser), it simply said Install, like mine does. however when he got to the part on how to chose how to instal LM, it detected his OS.

im going to try installing LM first then installing W7 after. i have everything imaged, so if something doesnt work, i have my original setup to fall back on.


also to clerify what i mean as "Install (as Superuser)"; Look at the Linux Mint User Guide .pdf. on page 13 of 51.

[karlchen]

Hello, hoofheartedd4.

im going to try installing LM first then installing W7 after.

This is not the recommended order. Install Windows 7 first and Mint 14 second. Reason: If you install Mint 14 first and Windows 7 second, then the Windows installer will overwrite the Linux Grub bootloader. The Windows bootloader will not offer to boot Windows or Mint, it will only offer Windows boot options. So you will have to repair the Grub boot loader in order to be able to select between booting into Windows or booting into Mint 14.

i have everything imaged, so if something doesnt work, i have my original setup to fall back on.

This is definitely the right approach: be prepared for the catastrophe hoping it will not happen.

also to clerify what i mean as "Install (as Superuser)"; Look at the Linux Mint User Guide .pdf. on page 13 of 51.

I know you are talking about the "Install Linux Mint" icon on the desktop of the Linux Mint live system.
The actual installation is always run with root privileges. As I said the live system user mint has got the privilege of spawning processes under the root account. In particular live user mint can launch the installer as root without asking for any further confirmation that he should do so.
Therefore there is no need for an explicit option to install as administrator or to install as superuser. The installation is always run as root. <Period>

Please, start accepting the idea that a few things on Linux are organized in a way which is different from Windows.

Kind regards,
Karl

[hoofhearted4]

yea, i tried that order and it didnt work. i went back and actually got it working, but then ran into another problem which i started another thread for:

viewtopic.php?f=46&t=127864


as far as the whole (as Superuser) thing, i think maybe its because im using Cinnimon Desktop. maybe the other tutorials ive seen were MATE desktops or something. im well aware of root when i was saying "Install as Superuser", i wasnt referring to something like "Install as Administrator". if you looked at the Page i was referring to in the User Guide you would see im talking about a title. the title of the window that pops up was "Install (as Superuser)" this was not what someone was telling me to do. they were not trying to put Linux in Windows terms. it was simply the title of the window that pops up. mine never said that, and at first i thought that there was an issue because of it. however, i no longer think that.

but as i said, i got it working, then ran into another problem which is explained in the topic in the link above.

i appreciate your time and help. take a look at the other thread and see if you have any opinions on that issue too! youve been a great help so far!!