Score:0

Cannot install ubuntu alongside windows 10 on an MBR Disk

cn flag

I've been trying to install Ubuntu alongside windows for 2 days now I'm new to Linux and all the videos I've watched are long and tedious and they all assume you have a GPT disk.

Here's the problem, once I get to the installation, the install alongside Windows option does not even show up for me. I only get "erase" or "something else", when I click on the latter and create boot and swap partitions, the rest of my Freespace becomes "unusable" and I cannot change it, thus not being able to continue the installation. Also, despite restarting the windows in advanced mode "windows boot manager" doesn't show up on ubuntu installation like it shows up on all the tutorials I've watched can someone please tell me what am I doing wrong?

Terrance avatar
id flag
Windows 10 normally uses 3 of the 4 primary partitions of MBR leaving 1 for any other partition. However, installing Ubuntu would work fine in the last remaining partition as long as you don't create a separate Swap partition.
Travis Fubu avatar
cn flag
But all the tutorials create a swap partition for some reason, some even create a boot partition. I tried installing it without swap and It doesn't load into ubuntu it directly loads win10
Terrance avatar
id flag
During the installation you need to make sure that you choose the main drive and not the partition for GRuB installation. i.e. `/dev/sda` is where grub should go and not `/dev/sda4` where Ubuntu is installed. If you have chosen `/dev/sda4` you would have to modify the Windows bootloader to see the Ubuntu installation.
Travis Fubu avatar
cn flag
I don't know what I did correctly somehow for the first time the *install alongside windows 10* option appears should I just go with it or go with something else
Terrance avatar
id flag
That should work. Hopefully it will see that you only have 1 partition remaining for the installation and use a Swapfile instead of a partition. However, before you really dive into this installation you should have a good backup of your files that you can't afford to lose as you never know when a problem could arise.
Travis Fubu avatar
cn flag
yeah I have everything backed up on my desktop computer gonna go with it and see what happens if the laptop dies, it dies
oldfred avatar
cn flag
Is this an older system with Windows 7 upgrade to Windows 10? Microsoft has required vendors to install Windows in UEFI boot mode to gpt partitioned drives since release of Windows 8 in 2012. Newer Ubuntu uses swap file, and most newer instructions do not have /boot unless using LVM, which is not recommended if dual booting or if you are a new user. Make sure you have a BIOS mode installer booted in BIOSCSM/Legacy mode. Or if hardware is UEFI, consider reinstall of Windows in UEFI mode. Note that conversion from MBR to gpt will totally erase drive so have good backups.
Score:0
sr flag

If your PC supports UEFI BOOT, Why don't you convert Windows MBR to GPT? Execute in windows command Prompt:

mbr2gpt /validate /allowFullOS
mbr2gpt /convert /allowFullOS

make sure to run command prompt as administrator. Then go to BIOS Setup and enable UEFI BOOT and disable legacy boot. Now restart the installation, (REMEMBER TO DISABLE SECURE BOOT).

Terrance avatar
id flag
@TravisFubu Microsoft is claiming that the `mbr2gpt` will not erase your data. However, there is always the chance that it could. Depending on if your BIOS actually supports UEFI or not, the only real benefit you get from converting to GPT is that you are no longer limited to 4 primary partitions. Myself, I stay away from UEFI as I have never had a boot issue with Legacy.
Travis Fubu avatar
cn flag
I finally installed it yesterday with a swap and used EASYBCD software to make Ubuntu show up as an option on startup thanks. just a question won't convert MBR to GPT erase data on disk? I mean I formatted the partition before installing ubuntu but I was afraid if I convert MBR to GPT it would erase the date on other partitions as well
Florian Castellane avatar
ie flag
Warning: in GPT mode (not sure if it is also the case with MBR) Windows will set itself as the default bootloader everytime it starts, so if you use something else to start Linux, it will get disabled :(
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