Installing Linux in notebook Acer with Windows 8
 

Hi.

Short intro: have an Acer notebook with Windows 8, which I dont want but need (rely heavily in MS Office for work), so I dont want to loose that OS.

Issue: Can´t install any distro without removing windows. Tried Wubi but gets stucked before choosing OS (and now wont download needed ISO). Other distros won´t recognize preexisting Windows. So far I´ve tried Xubuntu, Pinguy and Ubuntu. I´ve got very little experience with Linux - currently running Pinguy in a different PC, Acer aspire one.

Plus Q: what would you think would be the best distro for this PC -dual core, 4 GB.

Thanks

I think you should check your BIOS to see if you have enabled something like "fast boot". I had similar problem on new Samsung notebook and disabling fast boot (or something like that in boot section) helps to install linux beside. By the way, I think you have to use some of the new distros that have EFI Boot compatibility.

Thanks jaszczomp. I`ll be testing that soon. I was thinking that perhaps EFI Boot INcompatibility may be the reason that Linux doesnt recognize pre-existing Windows 8.

Acer model no?
I had acer aspire v5-571p-6815. I could install debian without any problem.
However one advice. Install virtualbox in your pc. In virtualbox install any linux as guest OS.

It's most likely secure boot settings in bios see if you can disable it.

Thank you all for your responses.

I can easily bypass secure boot settings from the BIOS screen... problem is, at this instance Linux installation won`t recognize Windows and only offers to "erase disk data and install" instead of installing along pre-existing OS.

For lvgandhi... can´t remember model, but is a brand new computer, manufactured in 2012, dual core, Intel B960.

What ever be computer or laptop, You can install virtual box in windows 7(because you said it it is 2012). In that virtual machine you can install any Linux. But ram should be at least 3GBpreferably 4GB or more for virtual machine to work as I think windows 7 will not work good below 2GB ram. Virtual machine of linux needs min 512MB ram. Total 2.5 ie 3GB ram.

Read post #2
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...on-4175446879/

Thanks EDDY1.

I´ve checked that post before writting mine, but disregarded it since the guy was having problem booting from DVD, and my issue is in a later stage. I can boot from USB, but can´t install Linux along with Windows 8.

I`ll be sure to try that Slackware version, anyways, as soon as i get home.

Hi,

Regarding your need for MS Office, it is possible to install MS Office on a Linux Distro with Wine (to not have to mess with all the irritating .dll files use PlayOnLinux for this).

I would advise you to try it on a different system first, and see if you can install MS Office like that with no issue and use it like you want to. If so consider switching completely to Linux. My Work Laptop is currently running like that with a Legal Office 2010 install with no issues.

Have you tried resizing wins partition to include unallocated space?

Succesfully installed Xubuntu at least. Resized wins partition as suggested by EDDY1. But it seems I've lost Win8... I'm not gonna miss it anyway. I'll try wine, thanks Air-Global.

As most of you hinted, you have to diable UEFI before being able to boot from a different input than the HD. It was rather easy in my laptop (F2 to access BIOS).

Should I mark this thread as solved? because the issue is done to me, but hasn't been solved exactly as I wanted.

Thanks to you all for your help.

Fedora 17/18 over Intel i5 Laptop
 

are there any issues with fedora 17 or 18 with Intel processor i5 Laptops.
as I am about to format my lap to Fedora.