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Unable to partition or format Laptop drive to NTFS for Windows installation

in flag

Less than two weeks ago I installed Ubuntu 20.10 as my new main OS, and now I wish to install Windows again for dual-booting. I would like to first install Windows 10, then reinstall Ubuntu again as I am unable to do it another way.

Laptop specs listed below, my problem is that I cannot format, resize or unmount my main drive as; "target is busy", always (Using Gparted or Drive app).

I have a USB ready for Windows 10 installation, and it works when I boot from it, but of course, because of the issue I have listed, Windows is unable to install onto a non NTFS partition.

Wondering if anybody has any ideas on how to approach this problem another way? Do ask any questions that may come your way.

Many thanks, Steven

--Laptop Specs-- Model: VivoBook_ASUSLaptop X421DA_M413DA System Memory: 8GB SSD: INTEL SSDPEKNW010T8

guiverc avatar
cn flag
Ubuntu 20.10 (along with all flavors) is *End-of-Life* and thus unsupported on this site (https://askubuntu.com/help/on-topic), and many other Ubuntu sites, unless your question is specific to moving to a supported release of Ubuntu. https://fridge.ubuntu.com/2021/06/18/ubuntu-20-10-groovy-gorilla-reaches-end-of-life-on-july-22-2021/ https://help.ubuntu.com/community/EOLUpgrades
guiverc avatar
cn flag
To resize a partition, it cannot be *in use*, ie. needs to be unmounted before you can adjust it. It's easiest to achieve this by using *live* media (ie. booting a thumb-drive with *live* OS on it, so your drive/ssd isn't in-use & can be easily re-sized). However 20.10 means the 2020-October release which reached EOL some time ago now, so don't use it; you should have *release-upgraded* months ago to 21.04 or the 2021-April release.
oldfred avatar
cn flag
You can only use gparted or modify partitions when unmounted. So cannot use your installed system, but need to use live installer. Download 20.04LTS or 21.04 which has short term support. Be sure to install both Windows and Ubuntu to gpt partitioned drive in UEFI boot mode.
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