[SOLVED] No "Install alongside Windows" option

[lapaul]

I used to have Windows 7 and Ubuntu both installed on my laptop, but then I reinstalled windows using the "Lenevo Onekey Recovery system" that came with my laptop. Now I don't have ubuntu installed on my laptop anymore and my laptop only boots into windows. I want to install Linux Mint alongside my Windows 7 now, but when I run the installer I don't get any option that says "Install alongside windows". I only get "Erase Disk" or "Something Else". I posted my question on the ubuntu forums and they told me to use the "something else" option. But I'm not sure which device to install to or what to choose for "Device for boot loader installation".

Here is a screenshot of the "Something Else" window:

Screenshot from 2015-01-01.png

So my question is which device do I install to? I'm assuming the one that says "Free Space" but I just want to make sure.
Also, what do I choose for "Device for boot loader installation" my options are:
/dev/sda ATA WDC WD7500BPVT-2 (750.2GB)
/dev/sda1
/dev/sda2
/dev/sda4
/dev/sda5

I'm worried that if I install it using the wrong boot loader that it will load to my Lenovo Onkey Rescue system, because that is what happened when I tried using boot-repair like someone suggested in the Ubuntu forums.

If anyone can help me out that would be greatly appreciated.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

[austin.texas]

First, determine if you have a GPT partitioned hard drive, or msdos partitioning. Enter this command in a terminal: sudo parted -l
Post the result here. (Line 4 of the result might say: "Partition Table: msdos")
That will determine the correct way to proceed.

Next, the conventional "Device for boot loader installation" is /dev/sda
That is your best option.

[nomko]

Paul,

You have +/- 322 GiB free space. and yes, there you should install Mint onto!
All other partitions are already occupied and formatted as a Windows NTFS drive.

[Mark Phelps]

Do NOT try to force an installation when you already have 4 partitions -- because, if your PC is using MBR formatting, that is the MAXIMUM you can already have -- which is why the installer is not offering you the option you want.

The thread by austin.texas mentioned running a command -- you need to do that, and post the results back here, BEFORE you do anything else.

[lapaul]

Ok I ran sudo parted -l and this is what it gave me:

Code: Select all

mint@mint ~ $ sudo parted -l
Model: ATA WDC WD7500BPVT-2 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 750GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/4096B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End    Size    Type      File system  Flags
 1      1049kB  211MB  210MB   primary   ntfs         boot
 2      211MB   381GB  380GB   primary   ntfs
 3      381GB   734GB  354GB   extended               lba
 5      703GB   734GB  31.1GB  logical   ntfs
 4      734GB   750GB  15.8GB  primary   ntfs         diag


Model: Sony Storage Media (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 4010MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start   End     Size    Type     File system  Flags
 1      31.7kB  4007MB  4007MB  primary  fat32        boot, lba

[Pierre]

okay - there is an extended partition - sda 3, & both sda 4 & sda 5 - are logical partitions.

so, using Gparted ( the one that the installer also uses ) to create 2 - 3 partitions
In That Free Space. ..

- sda 6 for / root ~ 10Gb
- sda 7 for /home - only if you want, a separate /home
- -sda 8 for /swap ~ 1 -2 Gb

post back, your resulting partitions. ..

[austin.texas]

You can use the Gparted program on the live Mint DVD or USB.
Here is a tutorial - http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/gpar ... ocId801746
10GB is a minimum size for your / partition. Mine is 30GB, because I want to have some large .iso files on that partition.

After creating your partitions for Mint, you will chose the "Something Else" option during installation.

SomethingElseScreenshot.png

Double-click on your new LM17.1 / partition, (it should be sda6).
You will get this pop-up window where you choose Format to ext4, Mount point /

installScreenshot.png

Same procedure for the swap partition. Double-click on your swap partition > Use as: linux-swap, Mount point: swap
Same procedure for the Mint /home partition. Double-click on your new /home partition > Use as: ext4, Mount point: /home

Leave the default to install the bootloader to sda (at the bottom of the installer window).
Then Install...

[lapaul]

okay - there is an extended partition - sda 3, & both sda 4 & sda 5 - are logical partitions.

so, using Gparted ( the one that the installer also uses ) to create 2 - 3 partitions
In That Free Space. ..

- sda 6 for / root ~ 10Gb
- sda 7 for /home - only if you want, a separate /home
- -sda 8 for /swap ~ 1 -2 Gb

post back, your resulting partitions. ..

What file system do I choose for sda6, sda7, and sda8?
Also, I have no clue if I want a seperate /home, what does that do?

Here is a screenshot of GParted just in case:

Screenshot from 2015-01-04.png

[austin.texas]

What file system do I choose for sda6, sda7, and sda8?

see previous post:
"You will get this pop-up window where you choose Format to ext4, Mount point /
Same procedure for the swap partition. Double-click on your swap partition > Use as: linux-swap, Mount point: swap
Same procedure for the Mint /home partition. Double-click on your new /home partition > Use as: ext4, Mount point: /home"

Also, I have no clue if I want a seperate /home, what does that do?

That is an interesting question. Everyone has their own opinion. Generally, I think the best idea is to have a / partition of about 20GB for the operating system, and a separate partition for your personal files. That allows you to install a new operating system to the / partition without messing with the big partition where all your personal stuff is.
Having said that, the partition for your personal files can be designated as /home during installation OR you can ignore it during installation and mount it as a DATA partition after installation (that is what I always do). The instructions for that are here - http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/1609

[lapaul]

Ok I got Linux Mint installed, but now when I turn my laptop on it only boots to Linux Mint, it doesn't give the option to boot into windows. I'm know Windows is still there because I can access the Windows files from Linux Mint. Any suggestions?

[gold_finger]

Open a terminal and enter this command:

Code: Select all

sudo update-grub

Then reboot to see if it found and added Windows to the boot menu.

[lapaul]

Open a terminal and enter this command:

Code: Select all

sudo update-grub

Then reboot to see if it found and added Windows to the boot menu.

Thank You! That worked perfectly!

[lapaul]

What file system do I choose for sda6, sda7, and sda8?

see previous post:
"You will get this pop-up window where you choose Format to ext4, Mount point /
Same procedure for the swap partition. Double-click on your swap partition > Use as: linux-swap, Mount point: swap
Same procedure for the Mint /home partition. Double-click on your new /home partition > Use as: ext4, Mount point: /home"

Also, I have no clue if I want a seperate /home, what does that do?

That is an interesting question. Everyone has their own opinion. Generally, I think the best idea is to have a / partition of about 20GB for the operating system, and a separate partition for your personal files. That allows you to install a new operating system to the / partition without messing with the big partition where all your personal stuff is.
Having said that, the partition for your personal files can be designated as /home during installation OR you can ignore it during installation and mount it as a DATA partition after installation (that is what I always do). The instructions for that are here - http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/1609

Thank you very much for your help! I got linux mint installed now and working fine. I used the /home partition for my personal files because it seemed less complicated and I'm still very new to linux.