When re-partioning a used drive and looking at it with fdisk, I noticed at least partition that was identified as GPT. Since my laptop is BIOS and MBR, when I try to install Ubuntu 18.04 on this drive, will I need to partition the drive and then format or will the Ubuntu help with that? Will the GPT partition cause problems during install?

I don't think it will matter, but you can give it a new MBR before partitioning it.

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You can do a Legacy install of Ubuntu on a GPT drive but you will need to create a 1-2MB unformatted bios_grub partition. Make sure Legacy/CSM is enabled in the BIOS firmware. Based on the information you have posted, you have a computer with one drive and no operating system currently installed so if that is not correct, you need to post more details.

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https://superuser.com/questions/8333...the-same-drive so what you see many not be exactly what we think you are asking???

https://www.rodsbooks.com/gdisk/hybrid.html

I don't see Legacy/CSM in bios listed let alone enabled. The only thing I see is USB legacy emulation listed and it is enabled.

This is the problem I am seeing. When I try to do the Ubuntu 18.04 install, it never asks for trial or install, nor no language selection, keyboard layout, no installation type, no partitioning. It basically chooses its own parameters and immediately installs. When done, the mouse works but the keyboard doesn't, because it wasn't set up. I do have an Ubuntu window and firefox will come up, but many features in settings are missing.

I tried to burn the ISO file on this computer, Win 7, but it wouldn't burn a copy. I was only able to make a bootable cd and burn the iso on a windows 10 computer. The drive I am trying to use has an efi partition, a gpt c: partition, a recovery partition and a smaller partition.

Did I do something wrong? Any help would be appreciated, even if I am doing something stupid. I'll always take a whuppin if I learn something. Especially if I am posting this in the wrong place.

If you don't see the Try Ubuntu and/or the install options you probably have a bad download. How to verify that is explained on the Ubuntu download page.

Does that mean that you have attached the new drive you are trying to install Ubuntu to a computer with windows 7?

If this is the drive you are trying to install Ubuntu to that would indicate an EFI install of some version of windows. Are you planning to keep whatever that is or to install only Ubuntu on that drive?

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Legacy emulation might be the old fix for some keyboards at boot.

The installer should not automatically install even if it is server version. Get new iso. Test it.

Do you really have a cd or do you mean dvd?

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Ok, I saw the verify just after starting the burn, so I probably do have a bad download.

Quote:
I downloaded the iso file on my windows 7 computer as it is the one that I am trying to upgrade. I tried to burn the ISO file on the windows 7 computer, but it wouldn't burn a copy. The new drive was not attached. I wanted to make the boot dvd first, then swap to the new drive, and then do the Ubuntu install. So at that point, the "C: drive essentially was blank". So no, I had not attached the new drive I was trying to install Ubuntu to a computer with windows 7? It was a computer without an OS.

The new drive I am trying to use has an efi partition, a gpt c: partition, a recovery partition and a smaller partition, so this is what was in the computer st the time of install. I finally burned the install dvd on a windows 10 system, but I did not verify it like I should have.

Yes, I agree the drive had an EFI install of some version of windows. I am not planning to keep whatever that was. I want only Ubuntu on this drive. I am soooo done with windows! Sorry if I was unclear and that this is so long.

Hi jrysatx,

Knowing some will disagree with my solution, it will be what I have learned as the simplest way to get rid of all remnants of ntfs, windows and gpt; granted, it is time-consuming, but I suggest inputting the following command just before going to bed or being gone for at least 3-4 hours, depending on size of hdd (of one may download System Rescue CD and doing same after it boots up and is sitting a the prompt)

You said you didnt want Win7. This will either give you a blank hard drive or will brick it. In the latter case, I would suggest it was a not going to work with Linux, in the first place and one would be better off with a SSD, anyway. LOL

You wont see a thing til it is done, so dont think its not working until four lines pop up at its finish!

Best wishes!

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I believe GPT is required when the drive is larger then 2 TB (or so).

You may be right, I only have small disks myself, nothing larger than 500GB.

Thanks for the great input. I finally made a Ubuntu cd and was able to get it installed. I even got to use it a while, and I could really get to like it. This is a 500 GB drive and a BIOS machine built in 2011 so I think some of my problems stem from that. Also, after Ubuntu did load, the keyboard and keypad would stop working. Got around that but it just happens too often. I was wondering if an older version of Ubuntu would work, or if maybe Fedora would be more compatible with an older system.

Again thanks for all the input.

Does this laptop have dual graphics, as so many of the past decade's laptops do? Us knowing your laptop's specs might suggest something that might cause loss of input functions.run from within an X session and pasted here using code tags ( [ # ] above the input window ) would provide this information.

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9 years old isn't all that old in the scheme of hardware support. There shouldn't be any material difference between Ubuntu and Fedora hardware support, but there could be a minor difference. The underlying foundations of those two distros is quite a bit different. Normally I prefer Fedora to Ubuntu, but in the case of 9 years old, I'd expect Ubuntu to be the better, if there was any significant difference. If it was me, I'd go next to AntiX or MX if my normal distro of choice proved inadequate.

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I second those choices.