Hi! I have a background in Engineering and Computer Science. Yet I can not install either Ubuntu 12.04 or 15.04. My Vista 32 bit machine shows a boot error in both cases. In the former, I just can not get beyond a boot error message. In the latter, the error is "Failed to partition the selected disk". I have tried all suggestions in various fora: none work!

Does anyone have a suggestion which will be effective? Thank you!

You forgot to post the error. Did you check the minimum hardware requirements for Ubuntu at their site? How old is the computer and what hardware do you have? Which installation option did you select during the install when you get the failed to partition error? Do you still have vista? You might check the site below which has step by step instructions on installing Ubuntu as a dual-boot if you scroll down the page.

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/u...all-guide.html

Additionally, what software did you use to create the bootable flash drive from which to install Ubuntu?

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If we assume you created a usb correctly then my guess would be you are selecting it on boot incorrectly. It would be a hard drive order choice and not a removable choice.

I'll agree that exact error will help. Exact steps you used to create the usb, what version, your hardware too.

I'd assume you have more than 1G ram but at 1G you could have Vista but not the ability to load up Ubuntu.

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Dear Yancek and Jefro,

Many, many thanks for your promptness in replying!

Yancek: the dedoimedo link that you provided is truly exceptional. It is very well-written and very lucid. Thank you again!

Regarding your questions:

1. I have an Intel core 2 duo machine, about 6 years old, with 1 160 GB Hard Disk Drive and 2 GB of RAM;
2. Windows Vista 32 bit is on the first partition ("C:"). C: has about 78.1 GB;
3. I want to install Ubuntu (either 12.04 or 14.04) in Drive D:. D: has about 60 GB free;
4. I used the latest version LinuxLiveUSB ("LiLI") Creator to install Ubuntu on a Toshiba 16 GB Flash Drive, which was without any other file on it;
5. I first tried installing version 14.04 with 2 GB of Persistence on the Flash Drive, and then version 12.04, with 1.1 GB of persistence on this flash drive;
6. I used the option to enable the USB drive in the BIOS option at the time of booting up;
7. The first error for Ubuntu 14.04 was: "Failed to partition the selected disk.
This probably happened because there are too many (primary) partitions in the partition table." Upon entering "OK", the next error received was:
"No root file system is defined.
Please correct this from the partitioning menu."
8. After trying various options from various posts, elsewhere, I decided to try version 12.04 instead which I had used earlier in a fairly stable manner. i then deleted the Ubuntu directory from drive D: and erased all data from my Flash drive. I then used LiLi to install 12.04 on the flash drive.Upon booting, as before, I just get a "Boot error" message and nothing else.
9. I still have Vista;
10. I am studying the dedoimedo link that you were so gracious in sending me at the present time.

Thank you both for your time and efforts!

With Metta,

Malcolm

I got lost at #8.

Did you install linux before with WUBI?

Read the section labelled "Disk Management and Partitioning" from the link I posted. Linux naming conventions are different and you won't see any "C" or "D" labels for partitions.

The Ubuntu installer should give you several Installation Type options. The best one to select is the manual method which is called Something Else on the Live CD. How many partitions do you have currently? If you are using MBR to boot you can only have 4 primary and if you already have that, you need to delete something. If you boot the install medium, open a terminal and enter this command and post the output here:

sudo fdisk -l(Lower Case Letter L in the command)

I'm not sure what that is about? Are you trying to do a WUBI install on a windows partition? You need to install to a partition with a Linux filesystem for a normal install. WUBI will install as a program inside windows and according to the Ubuntu site was only meant to test Ubuntu. You can do that with the flash drive. FYI, WUBI isn't supported by Ubuntu any longer although it should still be possible to install if you are using vista. Can you clarify if this is what you are doing?

-::-You will have to shrink the Vista partition in order to have room for your Linux install-::-
(if you haven't already)

Most likely you will have to correct that from the partitioning menu.
Your installation will not succeed unless you define the root (/) (EXT4)partition.

Ensure that the .iso of Ubuntu is for your 32-bit architecture and check the integrity of the .iso file.

Do you mean that was the Live Linux usb creator that you used?

Wonder if it would be better to try a normal live usb install instead of going on to mess up the windows install?

Have no fear. I think we can get you going on this issue.

Dear Jefro,

1. Yes, I had installed Linux about two years earlier. It was done by a friend and it worked well until recently. It used to co-exist along with Vista;

Dear Yancek,

2. I have two partitions on my disk;

3. I deleted Ubuntu from drive D: using Windows. I did try to install using Linux Live Installer, using instructions in various fora, and by following the instructions in Linux Live Installer.

4. I will read the section that you referred to once again.

Dear Ztcoracat,

Thank you for your reply!

5. LiLi refers to Linux Live Installer;

6. Regarding your suggestion, "Most likely you will have to correct that from the partitioning menu": How do I get to this menu?

7. Also, regarding "Your installation will not succeed unless you define the root (/) (EXT4)partition": How do I do this?

Please advise!

Thank you all for your time, efforts and encouragement,

With Metta,

Malcolm

During the installation the installer will bring you to a partitioning manager.
The partition manager will show you all of the partitions that are on your HDD.

Use the arrow keys to select any free space that you have and hit Enter.
At that point the partition manager should show you a list choose ext 4.
Make that ext 4 / partition bootable.
Than create a 1GB swap partition.
Save the changes and write to disk.

If you don't have any free space to select and you already shrunk your Vista partition
than it could be that there are other partitions that were made that would have to be deleted in order to create a ext 4 journaling file system and a swap partition.

It would be helpful if you could post what the partition manager is showing you.
Could you take a pic of it and post it?

If not use the Ubuntu distribution to open a terminal and post the output of:

https://www.google.com/search?q=pict...kcP1leaKN06M3A

The above link is an example of partitions so you can see what I meant by a 'Partition Manager'. That example is the gparted gui.

The Live USB install should work well unless the Vista partition wasn't resized.

I meant that you can install to a usb as a normal hard drive. Linux live installers do a sort of neat trick where they take a live cd and put it on a usb. It isn't a true install but works well for most people.

The live usb should have no effect on the install.

Right; I have Puppy Linux on a 8GB USB memory stick. It runs well.

OP could go with that option too.

Opps, mixed up you and the OP Ztcoracat. I could learn to read maybe?