Problem installing Ubuntu 11.10 as dual boot

9sp7ky3 · 03-20-2012, 09:09 PM

I'm attempting to install Ubuntu 11.10 on my cousins laptop. When installing I know there should be the three options of running them side by side, wiping the drive, and "something else." I want to run them side by side but the option is literally not there. Windows didn't go anywhere, it still loads up like there's no problem whatsoever. Why wouldn't it give me the option to run Ubuntu and Windows side by side?

TobiSGD · 03-20-2012, 09:46 PM

This happens when Ubuntu is not able to install itself alongside Windows. There may be two possible causes:
1. There is no way that Ubuntu can create a partition for itself. This is mostly the case when the disk contains already for primary partitions, but no extended partition.
2. The disk is converted to a dynamic volume using the Windows partition manager.
In any case it would help to see the partition-layout. Start from your Ubuntu-CD and post the output of

Code:

sudo fdisk -l

(that is an lowercase L, not the number 1).

Alternatively, if you don't want to mess with the partitions, do a Wubi install (install Ubuntu from a running Windows) or use a VM, like Virtualbox, to install Ubuntu.