I am trying to Install Linux Mint 13 on my laptop but I don't see the menu option "Install Linux Mint alongside Windows 7." I was wondering why this is? I've seen tutorial videos on Youtube for Linux Mint 13 installs with this option.

I was going to partition the drive myself but it seems easier for a linux newb to use that installer option.

For starters you might want to use a more up to date version of Linux Mint. Mint 15 has been around since May. Try that one and perhaps you will find the partition options you're looking for.
jdk

Have you resized your 7 partition? If so, choose the Manual option for partitioning when running Mint. I've never trusted any automated partitioning schemes.

There is nothing wrong with using Mint 13, it is the LTS version and supported until 2017.
Usually the "Install alongside Windows" option is missing when the installer recognizes that it can't partition the disk automatically, for example when already 4 primary partitions exist (sadly not unusual on modern laptops that come with Windows pre-installed).
It would help us to help you if you give us more information about the machine you want to install on, for example the output of for the partitioning info.

You arent the 1st person to have this issue-

http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=112177

Seems to be a problem with detecting windows properly. Or a partition issue.

I wouldnt. Mint 15 is based on ubuntu 13.04, and as such it has a very short support length (support runs out in january 2014). I'd guess that mint 15 would have the same issue as mint 13 anyway.....

My issue with Linux Mint 15 is after I install it and get used to it I will have to upgrade. I figured it was better to go with a LTS.

Toshiba Portege R835, i5 Processor, 6GB Ram.

Could it be that your Windows 7 installation is using GPT rather than MBR partitioning? Does the Mint installer recognize GPT? (I don't know - I'm asking)

What we really need to know is the output of the command, since most likely this is an issue with your partitions.

I just got LM installed and used "Install Linux Mint alongside Windows 7" option.

I parititioned the HD in Windows and then when I inserted the Linux Mint 13 DVD. When I hit "Install Linux Mint" I got the option to "Install Linux Mint alongside Windows 7." Of course it wouldn't let me choose which drive parition to install into. I realized I could have selected the parititioned drive myself by choosing "Something Else" and manually selecting the drive. I just wasn't sure of how to format the paritioned drive. I believe you format in ext4 correct? I will probably just do that next time.

I can't belive how much faster Linux Mint is than Window$ and I am sooo glad I won't have to use Windows 8 down the road. I apprecaite all the help.

Here is what I got when I entered that command in case you are wondering. Maybe this will help others.

NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT
sda 8:0 0 596.2G 0 disk
├─sda1 8:1 0 1.5G 0 part
├─sda2 8:2 0 464.3G 0 part
├─sda3 8:3 0 1K 0 part
├─sda4 8:4 0 15.2G 0 part
├─sda5 8:5 0 50G 0 part
├─sda6 8:6 0 59.4G 0 part /
└─sda7 8:7 0 5.9G 0 part
└─cryptswap1 (dm-0) 252:0 0 5.9G 0 crypt [SWAP]
sr0 11:0 1 1024M 0 rom

Ummm I am really not sure either.

Just for others with similar issues who may stumble across this thread in the future: my friend had a similar problem (same symptoms).

The cause: the hard disk has an MBR partition table which already has 4 primary partitions (the maximum supported by MBR). Ubuntu (Mint and Ubuntu have the same installer) therefore was unable to add a partition for itself, so it did not offer the option of installing alongside Windows.

The solution was to back up one of the partitions (which only has data on it, not an OS), and re-assign it as an extended partition. You can then add arbitrary extended partitions (which Linux is happy to boot off of).

In this case it seems that the disk is partitioned using GPT (Mint should have no problem with that) and that you already have Linux installed in /dev/sda6 (59.4GB partition).

Can anyone confirm or deny that one can use GPT partition plan instead of the MBR partition plan for Mint-13/14/15 with Windows-7?

If I make a new drive and partition with GPT, can I use CloneZilla or similar to copy the various partitions from the MBR primary or extended partition to the corresponding GPT partition?
~~~ 0;-Dan