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[SOLVED] No dual boot option in installation type

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 7:41 am
by tallyrand
Hi,
I'm making my first ever attempt to install a linux distro alongside windows. After live booting mint 19-xcfe from usb and initiating the installation process, the 'installation type' screen states 'This computer currently has Windows 10 installed', but then shows me only options to 'Erase disk and install linux mint' or 'Something else' with no option to install mint alongside windows. Any suggestions on how to proceed?
tally

Re: No dual boot option in installation type

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:15 am
by Pierre
do have a read of this Tutorial:
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=163126
it's written for win-8x, but does apply to win-10 as well.

take note of the section: Preparing Windows for the Linux Installation:

Re: No dual boot option in installation type

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:50 am
by tallyrand
Pierre wrote: Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:15 am do have a read of this Tutorial:
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=163126
it's written for win-8x, but does apply to win-10 as well.

take note of the section: Preparing Windows for the Linux Installation:
Thanks for pointing me to the tutorial. It allowed me to establish that my pc is booting in BIOS/legacy mode, but unfortunately the rest of the tutorial is apparently only relevant to UEFI boots.

Re: No dual boot option in installation type

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:58 am
by Pierre
did you also read the section:
- - Disabling Secure Boot: & Disabling Fast Startup ?.
as they will also cause the Linux Installer to *not* see the already installed win-10 system,
& thus offer to 'Erase disk and install LinuxMint' OR 'Something else' with no option to install LinuxMint alongside windows.

Re: No dual boot option in installation type

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 11:58 am
by tallyrand
Pierre wrote: Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:58 am did you also read the section:
- - Disabling Secure Boot: & Disabling Fast Startup ?.
as they will also cause the Linux Installer to *not* see the already installed win-10 system,
& thus offer to 'Erase disk and install LinuxMint' OR 'Something else' with no option to install LinuxMint alongside windows.
Thanks again for the reply. Disabling fast start up made no difference, and googling appears to suggest that Secure Boot applies only in UEFI mode, not legacy. The installer is seeing the W10 system as it correctly reports its presence. It just doesn't give an option to install mint alongside it.

Re: No dual boot option in installation type

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 12:41 pm
by michael louwe
tallyrand wrote:.
.
Legacy BIOS install mode normally uses MBR/ms-dos disks or Partition Table which is limited to 4 Primary partitions. So, Win 10 has likely taken up all 4 Primary partitions = you need to delete one of the non-essential Primary partitions, eg by using GParted.

The OEM Recovery partition(= about 10GB in size) can be deleted if you have already created the OEM Windows Factory Image Recovery USB flash-drive.

Re: No dual boot option in installation type

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 1:48 pm
by tallyrand
michael louwe wrote: Thu Aug 16, 2018 12:41 pm
tallyrand wrote:.
.
Legacy BIOS install mode normally uses MBR/ms-dos disks or Partition Table which is limited to 4 Primary partitions. So, Win 10 has likely taken up all 4 Primary partitions = you need to delete one of the non-essential Primary partitions, eg by using GParted.

The OEM Recovery partition(= about 10GB in size) can be deleted if you have already created the OEM Windows Factory Image Recovery USB flash-drive.
Thank you. This is very informative and does sound quite a likely explanation. I'll study a little more about partitions and report back once I've plucked up the courage to try deleting one.
tally

Re: No dual boot option in installation type

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:32 pm
by Pierre
when you have booted into the Live Environment,
then use that Gparted program, which is found in Administration,
- to view the drive partition layout, & then take a screen_shot of that,
& paste it back here, on you next reply.

Re: No dual boot option in installation type

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2018 6:57 am
by tallyrand
michael louwe wrote: Thu Aug 16, 2018 12:41 pm
tallyrand wrote:.
.
Legacy BIOS install mode normally uses MBR/ms-dos disks or Partition Table which is limited to 4 Primary partitions. So, Win 10 has likely taken up all 4 Primary partitions = you need to delete one of the non-essential Primary partitions, eg by using GParted.

The OEM Recovery partition(= about 10GB in size) can be deleted if you have already created the OEM Windows Factory Image Recovery USB flash-drive.
Thank you. All four partitions were indeed in use by W10. Deleting the recovery partition allowed the dual boot installation to complete successfully.