I tried the Xubuntu alternate installer because I wanted to install the boot loader on the Xubuntu partition, not on the boot sector. I also downloaded the Kubuntu alternate installer but, in view of my experience, am disinclined to try it.

When I get to the partitioning part of the installation, the installer does not see the existing partition. It only sees the hard disk and the only option I have to proceed is to re-partition the disk, which, of course I do not want to do.

This seems to me to be another Ubuntu error but, just in case it isn't, I've set out the fdisk print below. Can anyone see a way to install Xubuntu on one of the empty partitions?

So far, I have Mandriva 2006 and 2007 on sda1 and sda3 respectively and Sabayon on sda4. Data files and backups sit on sda6. Sda5 is a Linux swap partition. The others are empty.

In the Debian installer (which I believe is the same as the Ubuntu alternate installer), you want to go in and repartition the disk.

The trick is to do the "Manually Edit Partitions" and then select an empty partition, and give it a format and mount point. As long as you don't change any partition sizes, your other partitions should be unaffected.

Thanks for replying.

"Manually edit" is what I tried to do. I couldn't, because none of the partitions was listed.

Looks like another Ubuntu stuff-up.

Something similar happened here. I think the Xubuntu installer has a problem with extended partitions. Mine is /dev/hda3 but I was still able to achieve a partial installation. You can read all about it at the link below if you are interested.

Forum won't let me post links until I have 3 posts notched up, so here's the 2nd.

Here's the 3rd.

And here's the link.
Off to try and fix the fonts now...

Quite right. I should have posted my bug filing.

I should have posted it on the Ubuntu forum as well. Will do so ASAP.

I have had a further development. I initially tried to fix the problem by partitioning the whole hard drive.

That did not work, so I tried deleting all empty partitions. Following that, the installer was able to identify the existing partitions and the unused space.

Victory, you would think. Not so. The installer allowed me to ascertain the number of sectors in the unused space but would not let me partition it.