Install alongside windows

[turnbub]

I just upgraded my system to Windows 10, and wanted to install Mint also.
I have done this before alongside Windows 7, and before that with Windows XP.
In fact, my wife's computer still has W-XP and Mint 17 on it.
Today, I tried to install Mint, unplugged my other drives so that it could only see my MAIN drive,
but it said that "Mint finds no operating systems on the drive, so ...." it wanted to scrub my entire drive and install Mint.
Obviously I would not do that, so I installed Ubuntu instead, and it worked fine (installed alongside Windows 10).
I have no problems with Ubuntu, but I much prefer MINT >>>>>
I should mention that my drive is split into 4 partitions:- Main for Windows, one for Applications, one for Data, and one Unassigned.
What is wrong ???
Thank you, in advance

[Derek_S]

Hello turnbub - The last partition you mentioned as being "unassigned": Is it an unformatted partition -or- is it unallocated space? There is a difference! If it's an unformatted partition, try deleting it so that it appears as unallocated space, and so that there are only three primary partitions on the disk. Then try running the Mint installation again and it should offer you the option to "Install Alongside Windows". If not, then you'll have to use the "Something Else" option to install. Have you ever done that before?

[ghost123uk]

Watching this as I too have noticed that some versions of Linux disks offer to install alongside any existing operating systems, and some do not offer that option.

I cannot help by offering any explanation though (sorry).

[turnbub]

Derek, Thank you.
I THINK I had a great big UNASSIGNED space after my 3 working partitions, but as I am unsure, I will try making sure it is UNASSIGNED.
I DO prefer MINT.

Also, after installing UBUNTU, I activated a BOOT MANAGER (OSL2000), and while it recognized the existance of my LINUX OS, it would not boot to it.
One theory I found in the forums was that there was no GRUB present, and while it would boot to LINUX before, perhaps the BOOT MGR wiped out the GRUB record.
I will re-try MINT, THOROUGHLY, and failing that re-load UBUNTU; then I will try to create a LINUX Boot Mgr - I did it once before - they can be made to look great.
I would prefer to have Windows as the default OS.
Bob T (turnbub)

[turnbub]

Derek, and "Ghost123 ........
I tried again to install MINT in the "UNASSIGNED" partition, but it again said it wanted to wipe the entire disk,
SO, I am now going to try "CREATING" a partition with EXT4 assigned and see ......
and will re-post later,
Bob

[turnbub]

So, here's what I did (I hope I can remember the details):-

My main partition on my hard disk are :-
c: - main part. for windows,
d: - big unnecessary applications, and
e: - data

I have them within half of a 500 GB drive, on the rest I created a partition, UNFORMATTED (unassigned didn't work)
I then tried to install MINT, and when it said it wanted to wipe the entire drive, I opted for "other".
I pointed to the last partition, reduced it to half (120 GB), then because it strongly suggested it, created another partition as a swap.
I then carried on the installation with my fingers and toes crossed.

When I rebooted, only MINT came up, SO,
I installed SUPER-BOOT-MANAGER ...... which is another story .....
go to http://askubuntu.com/questions/449807/h ... ot-manager and hopefully it will explain how.
After installing the boot manager, you have to run it, and install it into your MBR (master boot record).

Well, anyway, it worked - SORT OF - when I booted windows, it ran my partitioning program so I could see what was what, but wouldn't go online.
I'll work on that later - I wanted to get this written up while I still remembered what I did ..... this is all mainly for "Ghost123, as Derek probably knows all this.
MINT seems to be working perfectly. One more small point - it calls my WINDOWS W7, even tho it's W10, which MAY be because it was an upgrade from W7,
who cares ..... ??

ONE MORE BIG POINT - for heavens sake, back up you system before proceeding !!! - mine is on a second harddrive ..... so I CAN recover if necessary

If any questions, I'll try to answer them, good luck, Bob

[ghost123uk]

Glad it worked for you Bob, I will note down how you did it in my "Linux stuff" folder on my (metal !!) pen-drive.

When I rebooted, only MINT came up, SO, I installed SUPER-BOOT-MANAGER ...... which is another story .....
go to http://askubuntu.com/questions/449807/h ... ot-manager and hopefully it will explain how.
After installing the boot manager, you have to run it, and install it into your MBR (master boot record).

At that point ^^^ had you tried sudo update-grub (or Boot Repair ) ?

[turnbub]

Wish I knew more - sudo update-grub might have worked for me, and would have been easier.
However, I like Super Boot Manager, as it is prettier! and I can assign Windows as the default.

Two more points - the boot mgr seems to think there are 2 versions of Windows out there - one boots, but the other will not (duh ....)
and my W10 would not go online for 2 or 3 sessions, but finally, today, it is working properly again (I am on it now).
Apparently, W10 has ways of fixing itself ..... quietly, without telling you.

[Fred Barclay]

Wish I knew more - sudo update-grub might have worked for me, and would have been easier.
However, I like Super Boot Manager, as it is prettier! and I can assign Windows as the default.

https://askubuntu.com/questions/100232/ ... boot-order
This shows how to reorder the boot options in grub if you ever decide to use it instead of Super Boot Manager.

[Pierre]

the other thing - in both win_8 & win-10:
- ensure that any shutdown is for real - not "fast startup" - which is also hibernation.
as this can place the windows system into a unstable state,
in which the Mint installer sees as 'no operating system found'.

[ghost123uk]

the other thing - in both win_8 & win-10:
- ensure that any shutdown is for real - not "fast startup" - which is also hibernation.
as this can place the windows system into a unstable state,
in which the Mint installer sees as 'no operating system found'.

True.

I have not yet "played" with the following, but will at the next opportunity. i.e. I wonder what the result would be if one booted from a 32 bit version of Linux (USB or CD) and the Windows version already on the hard drive was 64 bit. Will try that later today and report back.

[ghost123uk]

I wonder what the result would be if one booted from a 32 bit version of Linux (USB or CD) and the Windows version already on the hard drive was 64 bit.

Well I tried it on a fairly modern Tosh Laptop set to UEFI boot.

The 32 bit version of LM17 saw the 64 bit version of Windows just fine, and offered to "install alongside" just fine. This was both off a disk and also off a USB stick.