Ubuntu won't install on internal HD, forces to external USB drive

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  1. Posts : 60
    Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #11

    OK, I didn't notice before but it says Basic MBR on all the drives.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Ubuntu won't install on internal HD, forces to external USB drive-minitool-partitions-oct-2017.png  
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  2. Posts : 7,351
    Windows 7 HP 64
       #12

    I don't see any reason why you can't install Ubuntu to disk 2.

    - Under windows, defrag disk D:
    - With Minitool Partition Wizard:
    Shrink D: partition in 40 G
    On the unallocated partition create a new (30G) and format it as ext4. On the remaining 10 G make it a swap file.

    - Shutdown, detach all other drives (take out the power or SATA connector) leaving on only disk 2.
    - Boot from the Ubuntu disk and install on the ext4 partition (30G).
    - When finished, boot from the installed Ubuntu.
    - Shutdown, attach all other drives.
    - On BIOS choose your primary boot disk (Disk 1 - Windows; Disk 2 Ubuntu)
    - To choose a different disk to boot from (Disk 1 - Windows; Disk 2 Ubuntu) during POST launch the boot menu.
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  3. Posts : 60
    Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #13

    Megahertz07 said:
    I don't see any reason why you can't install Ubuntu to disk 2.

    - Under windows, defrag disk D:
    - With Minitool Partition Wizard:
    Shrink D: partition in 40 G
    On the unallocated partition create a new (30G) and format it as ext4. On the remaining 10 G make it a swap file.

    - Shutdown, detach all other drives (take out the power or SATA connector) leaving on only disk 2.
    - Boot from the Ubuntu disk and install on the ext4 partition (30G).
    - When finished, boot from the installed Ubuntu.
    - Shutdown, attach all other drives.
    - On BIOS choose your primary boot disk (Disk 1 - Windows; Disk 2 Ubuntu)
    - To choose a different disk to boot from (Disk 1 - Windows; Disk 2 Ubuntu) during POST launch the boot menu.
    Thanks. I know how to format, I know how to re-size partitions, BUT I don't know how you arrived at 40G and 30G with a 10G swap, since that D is currently 296G. Also, can Win7 do a Linux ext4 format? As for the rest, the position and weight of my tower along with my fractured spine precludes me doing these physical things just for Ubuntu. I also don't like tweaking the BIOS unless I have someone here more technical than me. So it will have to wait until I have more reasons to open the box.

    I'd have guessed that the Ubuntu developers would make this all easier for people with multiple partitions. And none of this explains, to me, why the installer is happy to go with the external USB drive but not the others.

    I've copied your process and of course have a bookmark here. Thanks again.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 7,351
    Windows 7 HP 64
       #14

    Please read carefully:
    - Under windows, defrag disk D:
    - With Minitool Partition Wizard:
    Shrink D: partition in 40 G (when you shrink D: you will have an unallocated partition at the end of the disk)
    On the unallocated partition create a new partition (30G) and format it as ext4. On the remaining 10 G make it a swap file.

    Minitool Partition Wizard can format a partition as ext4 and / or swap.
      My Computers


  5. Posts : 60
    Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #15

    SUCCESS! To the few who have followed, tried to help, or who may be new to the thread, I got Ubuntu 17.10 installed onto my E drive. It was strange, after giving up on my own and your other untried methods, I decided to let the "Live CD" boot all the way, instead of the frustrating attempts to Install. Once fully Live, after playing a little, I decided to try the Install button on the Desktop. Oddly, it came up with my E drive as the only place to install. OK then, plenty of space there and not USB2 slow. I only then had to authorize to proceed, and it installed all the files. Then it suggested a restart and then, after throwing a relatively long DOS-like error screen, it went into a stall, not booting. Hmm, so I did a physical power cycle and it had created a new logon screen with choices, Windows or Ubuntu, as expected. I tried Ubuntu and all was as expected again. Yay! Now I've rebooted into Windows 7 and all is well on this end. Even though no one needs a new screenshot, I'll include one here for the curious.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Ubuntu won't install on internal HD, forces to external USB drive-minitool-drives-partitions-ubuntu-oct-2017.png  
    Last edited by Gene Poole; 21 Oct 2017 at 15:54. Reason: grammar
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 20,583
    Win-7-Pro64bit 7-H-Prem-64bit
       #16

    Hi,
    Good luck :)
    Looks like it installed on one of the only disks it could create 2 more partitions on since your disks are all mbr so 3 partitions is a max I believe.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 60
    Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #17

    start a new thread? uninstall Ubuntu. MBR


    Now that I've got this Ubuntu dual-booting I've decided I don't like it. For one thing, the browser and email vertical scrollbars are too tiny, so are the OFF/MIN/MAX buttons. Maybe they designed the UX on 1080 instead of 1920. Then today's boot of it brought up Kodi I thought had failed to install last time. Kodi shouldn't auto-boot with the OS, plus it won't see my media folders on the Win partition, plus there's no exit from it besides rebooting. Also, Ubuntu seems childish like a Mac, not made for tinkerers like us.

    I've found through the Live CD process that I much prefer PCLINUX OS. It's got some of the granular control I like without being all about the command terminal. So I searched on how to uninstall Ubuntu. First I found How To Safely Uninstall Ubuntu From A Windows Dual-Boot PC
    which says to just delete the partition via Computer Management/Disk Management. But then it warns that the MBR will then need repair and one should boot Hiren's, but doesn't specify what's next. I do have Hiren's.

    Then I found something at Tom's about fixing a non-booting MBR via the MS Windows install disc, which I do have also. How to Fix Windows 7 When It Fails to Boot

    Finally, since I do have Minitool, this: How to Rebuild MBR | MiniTool Partition Wizard Tutorial

    But before I go down any of these roads, I figured to ask the Gurus here for any advice.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 7,351
    Windows 7 HP 64
       #18

    That is why I said to detach all other disks leaving on only the target disk (post #12).
    What happened is that Ubuntu has changed the MBR from disk 1 to point to Grub on disk 3 where Ubuntu is installed.

    Boot Windows and with Minitool Partition Wizard delete the the Ubuntu partition. As you will also delete the Grub boot loader, Windows won't boot.
    Shutdown, detach all other disks leaving on only disk 1.
    Boot with Win 7 installation disk and do a boot repair to restore the MBR on disk 1.

    Remember: To install a second OS on another HDD, detach ALL other drives.

    Many of us in this forum like Zorin. Looks like Windows
    Zorin OS - Your Computer. Better.

    I like Lubuntu that is light and also looks like Windows.
    lubuntu | lightweight, fast, easier
    uninstall - How to change Ubuntu into Lubuntu? - Ask Ubuntu
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 60
    Windows 7 Professional SP1 64-bit
    Thread Starter
       #19

    Thanks again Mega.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 7,351
    Windows 7 HP 64
       #20

    You're welcome.
    Give us a feedback on what you did.
      My Computers


 
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