Can't create Swap or root partition

[d3sf]

Hi,
I am trying to install Linux Mint 13 Cinnamon 64-bits edition on my laptop. The problem is that my computer, which has a 750gb hdd, also have three partitions, recovery boot and C:. While trying to install Mint using "Other" in the options and partitionning myself i can't because i can only make 1 more partition, swap or root. Is there a way to make 5 partitions while keeping the recovery partition (which boots while holding ALT+F10 during during computer boot and allows me to restore the computer to it's factory settings) functional? I have 8Gb ram computer but rarely use more than 20% RAM so do i really need a swap partition? I plan on using Mint to browse internet, use virtualboxes and overall some applications. I also often close my laptop's lid of leave it there for 1 hour with the lid still up.

Recovery partition is 21GB, boot is 350MB and C: is 676GB (i shrinked it to get 50GB for linux so for now it is 626GB)

So can I skip swap or is there an alternative which will keep my recovery partition and windows 7 data?

[wayne128]

Make that partition as 'extended', it is just a container to house many logical partitions.
inside the extended, you can create root partition, swap, many more partitions etc ...

do not skip swap, it is just a small space with compare with 750G you have,
while some distros like Mint may be running OK withwout swap, some linux distros have installer that insists on finding a swap else it just simple does not want to install.

[d3sf]

I created an extended partition and then a 8gb swap one inside the extended one using gParted but now how do i create the / partition? If I use gParted i can't select the mount point nor primary partition. So do i need to make both partitions logical ones and then install mint on the logical ext4 partition inside my extended partition? Doing this will allow me to dualboot?

Also a last question if it's not too much to ask, how much swap should i get (in Mib) and where do i need to put the boot loader installation? I can select

/dev/sda ATA WDC WD7500BPVT-5 (750.2 GB)
/dev/sda1 Windows Recovery Environment (loader)
/dev/sda2 Windows 7 (loader)
/dev/sda3 (that one is ntfs which i asume is the "C: drive" in windows)
/dev/sda6 (that one is ext4 33353 MB)

[wayne128]

how do i create the / partition? If I use gParted i can't select the mount point nor primary partition. So do i need to make both partitions logical ones and then install mint on the logical ext4 partition inside my extended partition? Doing this will allow me to dualboot?

Create any other partition is the same as create swap partition, just click to select in gparted.
Yes, you put ext4 partition inside extended partition.
When you create ext4 partition inside extended container, of course all will become logical, and it is correct that gparted WILL NOT let you choose primary.. it is impossible.

Mount point will be selected by the installer.
Yes, most Linux OS installer will be able to install onto ext4 partition as you instruct it to, some old distros do not support ext4, if that is the case, you can let the installer format to its default format.
No problem for dual boot, no problem for multiboot. Linux OS can be in logical partition.

Code: Select all

Also a last question if it's not too much to ask, how much swap should i get (in Mib)

You have 8G Ram, it is a lot, and it is unlikely your programs will take all 8G.
If you do not hibernate, swap would be used.
If you hibernate, all RAM will be copied to Swap partition.
To be on the safe side, just put 9G on Swap. There are people who will oppose to it.
But then, think over it, what is 9G size to your 750G hard disk?.

and where do i need to put the boot loader installation? I can select

/dev/sda ATA WDC WD7500BPVT-5 (750.2 GB)
/dev/sda1 Windows Recovery Environment (loader)
/dev/sda2 Windows 7 (loader)
/dev/sda3 (that one is ntfs which i asume is the "C: drive" in windows)
/dev/sda6 (that one is ext4 33353 MB)

Two methods
1. /dev/sda, this is the MBR of the first boot drive.
Selecting this mean you let Linux boot loader ( usually grub2) to take over control of MBR.

2. If you use other boot loader, such as Win7's BCD, win7's EasyBCD, etc that already control MBR and you want to maintain that way,
then, you select root partition, /dev/sda6.
most likely you would not choose this method, unless you already understand how to use another boot loader or you can use EasyBCD / BCD.

[d3sf]

A big thank you everything worked well then i installed updates and radeon drivers and everything is perfect thanks to you!