How To Install Ubuntu Over Windows 7

How to install Windows 7 and Ubuntu next

Updated: November 1, 2012

This tutorial is fully relevant for the latest editions of Ubuntu and fifty-fifty Windows 8!

But I besides have a new step-by-stride guide with Windows 8.X and Ubuntu LTS!

Windows 7 is out. Ubuntu nine.10 is coming next calendar week. Do you know what this ways? It's time for a dual boot tutorial. We have learned how to install Windows 7. We have learned how to install Ubuntu.

Anyhow, today, nosotros volition learn how to install Windows 7 AND Ubuntu, side past side on the same hard deejay, in what is known as a dual boot configuration. In the Ubuntu installation guide, I have promised you we would do this, and then here we are. P.S. For more than detailed information on new versions of both Windows and Ubuntu, please consult the reading department below.

What are we going to do?

We are going to do what a typical Windows user would do:

We will install Ubuntu on a computer that already has Windows 7 installed. We will have to accommodate space for our Ubuntu installation. To this end, we will use the GParted segmentation tool to resize (shrink) the Windows installation and create new partitions for Ubuntu.

After Ubuntu is installed, we will have to deal with an error - a typical case of unbootable Windows, a common trouble that can occur when the Windows installation is changed. Nosotros will larn how to deal with this problem simply and efficiently using the built-in tools, fixing the Windows boot issue. In the end, we will take the two operating systems installed adjacent in a dual kick configuration, both working happily.

This tutorial is critical for any Windows user because running Linux aslope his/her installation. Not only will it teach the user how to interpret the hard disk layout and change it safely and smartly, it will also expose the user to a seemingly catastrophic boot failure, which nosotros will solve. This exercise in dual-booting is as real as it can get. Follow me.

Preliminary reading

To be able to fully enjoy this tutorial and follow all its minute details, you must invest some fourth dimension in reading older material, on which this guide is based. Lots of technical lingo in this tutorial references to detailed, step-by-step instructions presented in the defended Windows seven and Ubuntu installation guides, also as additional tutorials.

Please do not skip this section. While you tin use this guide without any external assistance, you will greatly benefit from studying the other manufactures. They will teach y'all the vital, fundamental nuts in operating system installations, deejay direction and boot loading procedure.

Windows 7 installation guide

Ubuntu installation guide

GParted partitioning software - Full tutorial

Chow bootloader - Total tutorial

Dual booting - Windows & Linux (based on Windows XP & Kubuntu)

Scenario: Windows vii is installed

This is the classic case. A Windows user, who has already installed Windows on his/her machine would like to try Linux. The user has heard of Ubuntu, which comes as no surprise, since it is the almost popular Linux distribution available. The user downloads the Ubuntu live CD paradigm, burns information technology to CD - and the fun begins.

Things to consider earlier trying Linux

Windows users need to consider advisedly the pros and cons of testing a new operating system on their hardware. Please get through the following list and see if whatever of the issues mentioned might be of concern for you.

In that location might be hardware issues

Linux distributions have good hardware support in full general, but there's no such thing as perfect. You may be the unlucky person whose hardware is incompatible with this or that edition of this or that Linux distribution. This tin cause problems in getting the operating system to boot or you might accept to bargain with missing drivers after the installation.

The aforementioned holds true for Windows, but Windows usually comes preinstalled and y'all get a load of drivers when y'all purchase a new reckoner. Keep this in mind earlier venturing into uncharted territories.

Windows and Linux are different

Windows users have a notion of how things work based on their onetime experience with computers, mostly revolving around one or more Windows releases. The Linux operating organisation is different. Mastering it takes fourth dimension and patience. Do not expect to become experts overnight or exist able to solve all your problems early on on. At all times, you must remember that the 2 operating systems are dissimilar, they conduct and act differently.

Information loss

Whenever y'all're most to change the existing installation, there's a risk of data loss, regardless of which operating system you're about to install. It is of import to make sure you accept your disquisitional data backed up to external media. You should likewise verify that your backups are intact and that they can be restored.

Therefore, to install Windows and Linux together, you lot demand to be confident your data is safely backed upwardly and you need to understand that at that place might be hardware problems with your installation. Too, the methodology to solving the problems volition differ from you're used to in Windows. As long every bit you continue these things in mind, your dual-boot experience will be a pleasant ane.

Boot into Ubuntu alive CD session

Very fortunately, Ubuntu (every bit many other Linux distros) comes as a bootable live CD. This means you can boot Ubuntu and test the hardware compatibility, without making any changes to your existing installations on the hard disk drive. This is an excellent characteristic that lets you play with the operating system, get the beginning impression, check different applications, and make certain all your hardware is properly detected.

This is what we will practise. Boot into live CD, make certain everything works, and so proceed with the installation. Following the instructions in the Ubuntu installation guide should accept you logged into the Ubuntu alive session in the matter of minutes:

Make sure your wired and Wireless network adapters are functioning, make sure your Bluetooth, Web photographic camera, sound card, and possibly the graphics carte all work as expected. This is the first step to ensuring smooth and painless installation and post-install experience. If y'all need guidance how to examination all these, please refer to whatever one of my Linux distro reviews, including Ubuntu 8.x and Ubuntu nine.04 in item. In one case y'all're sure everything is ready, you lot can begin the installation.

Truth to be told, yous should NOT first the installation immediately, but nosotros volition practise this anyway. I desire to evidence you lot how an average user might act and follow his/her train of idea.

Please annotation, information technology is okay to start the installation, simply at that place is an ever improve and smarter mode to arroyo the chore. We will before long learn why and how. For now, let's double-click on the Install button. This will begin the Ubuntu installation.

Ready Disk Space (Partitioning)

The most of import step of the installation is Step iv: Prepare Deejay Space. In technical terms, this is called partitioning.

Let us first examine the current state of affairs:

Windows 7 is installed

Ubuntu wisely informs you that This estimator has Windows Vista (loader) on it. Good. This means that Ubuntu recognizes the existing installation.

Do not exist confused well-nigh the Windows Vista terminology. Windows Vista and Windows 7 use the same bootloader, hence the "erroneous" notation. This will definitely change in the coming version of Ubuntu.

Take a await at the existing layout. There'south a small, 100MB Windows arrangement partitioning present and some other 13.6GB sectionalization in use, plus some free space. If you lot recall the Windows 7 installation, these are exactly the partitions we created, both chief!

We now know that we should not touch or warning the small Windows arrangement sectionalization, but we might be able to resize (shrink) the big NTFS partition in order to accommodate more space for Ubuntu. So far so good. Permit's see what else the installer offers us:

The default installation selection is to install Windows and Ubuntu side past side. Expert. This is what we want. Ubuntu even suggests its own recommended layout. While it looks quite OK, I exercise not think you should take it. I remember that partitioning is too important to leave in the hands of an automated installer. This is a task that you need to do manually, carefully examining each and every step.

And so we should choose the third option, Specify partitions manually (advanced).

At present, nosotros demand to manually edit the partitions.

Planning is everything

Before you brand any alter, allow'due south examine the image above some more than. Again, it's the same affair from before, just shown in the table form rather than equally a graph ribbon. Nosotros have two partitions on the disk, sda1 and sda2, both master, both formatted equally NTFS. There'south likewise some costless infinite. What more than, sda2 is also quite free, with less than one-half occupied by Windows 7 files. We accept several options:

Install Ubuntu into the gratis infinite

This is the simplest option. We will have to create the Extended partition and then create 3 logical partitions inside information technology, one for the root filesystem, one for habitation and one for swap. The vi.3GB complimentary space is enough for a Ubuntu installation.

Note: On a production system, the complimentary infinite might have been occupied by one or more than existing sectionalisation, maybe a FAT32 or NTFS division used for data in Windows or mayhap a previous Linux installation. Whichever the case, you need to KNOW what'southward there, correctly friction match data seen in Windows to what you see in the installer and make your choice.

Shrink Windows and create a new layout

This is also an option, somewhat more circuitous. Allow'due south say nosotros want more than the gratis space nosotros have. This means we will have to brand the Windows sda2 division smaller. Luckily, this can be done, because the partition is quite large and mostly unused.

Nosotros will go for option (b), both because it is harder and because it more closely resembles reality, where virtually people do not plan ahead and accept to work effectually the limitations of their installations. Which brings me to the most important thing of all: planning is everything.

Plan ahead, two, 3, five years. Information technology's non easy or always possible, just it's a must for flexible, carefree calculating. You lot need to think ahead and make sure your setup will be valid many years into the future.

What am I trying to tell you lot?

Before you install any operating system, retrieve, think, call up! Is this going to be a dual-kicking arrangement? Volition you be installing more than i operating system? If so, make sure you create a smart partition layout in advance and dedicate partitions to each case.

Non simply does this brand more sense, it is safer. You won't take to fiddle with existing partitions containing of import data. Yous will exist instantly ready for new installations, with partitions waiting for you.

Recommendation:

If you're going to create dual-kicking layouts on your machines, and so here are some golden rules that should serve you well.

• Create partitions using a dedicated partitioning tool similar GParted.
• Windows needs to be installed into primary partitions. Windows 7 requires that its organisation partition be principal. The second partitioning tin be logical, meaning it can be placed into the Extended partitioning.
• Create partitions large enough so you won't demand to overstate them.
• Create split information partition for Windows files and another for data.
• Create separate Linux root and dwelling house partitions.
• Possibly create a partition for sharing of information betwixt Windows and Linux.

Example:

Here'southward the layout I would make. Permit's assume a 100GB disk, and so we tin relate to partition sizes in relative terms (percentage). I will also use generic /dev/sdaX names for the partitions.

• Windows seven system partition - 1GB (sda1)
• Extended partition - 99GB (sda2)
• Windows partition (Windows files) - 20GB (sda5)
• Windows data partition (user files) - 60GB (sda6); you can share it in Linux
• Linux root - 10GB (sda7)
• Linux swap - RAM size, let'due south presume 2GB (sda8)
• Linux home - remaining space (sda9)

This setup does not yield best operation in Linux, because Linux root and swap are toward the end of the deejay, which is slower, but it makes sense for a typical dual-kicking user. Creating this setup AHEAD of whatever installation is a wise, healthy move.

Can we use this recommended setup in our case?

The answer is: no. Nosotros did non create the partitions using a tertiary-political party tool like GParted. Nosotros created the partitions using Windows seven installer. Unfortunately, Windows 7 creates all new partitions every bit primary. Here's a reminder:

So, we will have to handle the situation a little differently. We still need three partitions for Linux (root, bandy, home). There are already two partitions in use by Windows. There tin only be a total of four primary partitions on any hard disk. This ways we must create the Extended partitioning in the gratuitous space, including the extra space gained past Windows 7 sectionalisation shrinking, otherwise nosotros must forgo either the apply of separate swap or home in Ubuntu. If push comes to shove, Ubuntu can manage with just i partition, just this is not recommended. And so, the tasks at manus are:

• Resize Windows partition (sda2).
• Create Extended sectionalization - volition be called sda3.
• Create logical partitions (root, swap, habitation) within the Extended - will be called sda5, sda6 and sda7.

Edit partition

Our first task is to edit sda2:

Finish!

Retrieve the recommendation to use a dedicated sectionalization tool? This is what we're going to exercise. Nosotros're going to close the installer and use GParted. Nosotros know what we need, the but thing left is to use the right tool for the right task - GParted.

Use GParted to create partition layout

GParted comes with Ubuntu. It tin be found nether System > Administration > Partition Editor.

OK, permit'southward make certain we accept everything we want and need:

• Windows 7 data is backed upwardly, check.
• We will resize (compress) Windows 7 partition (sda2).
• We will create the Extended sectionalization.
• We will create logical partitions.
• We will then resume the Ubuntu installation.

Resize (Shrink) Windows NTFS sectionalisation

If you've read my extensive GParted tutorial, you know how to do this. It's rather simple. Highlight the partitioning and click on Resize/Move in the icon bill of fare.

Choose the new size. We'll lake information technology smaller by some 2GB.

Once you lot approve of the new size, click Resize/Movement. Nada will happen yet. GParted will write down the job, merely it will not run it until you click Apply in the primary icon menu. This is a good affair, as it lets yous make new changes and cancel tasks.

Create Extended sectionalization

The adjacent step is to create the Extended sectionalisation that will bridge the unabridged free space, including the new 2GB freed from Windows.

Create Linux partitions

Side by side, we will create the root, bandy and abode for Ubuntu. We'll format the root and domicile with Ext4 filesystem. Delight refer to the Ubuntu installation guide for more than details.

Terminal layout

This is the final layout:

Apply the changes

Triple check the layout, make sure yous've done everything as you planned. Once you're fully satisfied, click Employ and allow the tool run. GParted will start working. Information technology will offset run the shrinking task.

GParted is quite friendly. GParted will first run a simulation to make sure it can do the desired task. Then, it volition run a consistency cheque on the NTFS partition and effort to ready errors if it finds any, it will then resize the partition and copy all the data over. Depending on the chosen sizes and the deejay speed, this can accept many hours.

Next, it volition create the Linux partitions.

Success!

If everything went equally expected, GParted will complete all of the task successfully. However, please note there is no guarantee that you will succeed. Your disk may be damaged or there might be irreparable errors with the filesystem you lot're working on. What more, GParted might non be able to resize Windows partitions.

Call up, partitioning is a very delicate procedure. Information technology may (and should) work. And then again, in a few cases, it may and will neglect. Yous must be aware of this. Luckily, nosotros had no problems.

New layout

And here's the desired layout:

Now nosotros tin can become dorsum and resume the installation.

Resume installation

We will shut GParted and click on the Install icon once again. In Step four, we will now exist seeing a whole new layout:

Again, nosotros will utilise the third option (Specify partitions manually). Ubuntu recommends yet another shrinking of the Windows 7 partition, but it is not necessary. We accept all nosotros need. Nosotros will now manually assign mountpoints to our freshly created root, swap and dwelling partitions.

Highlight the partitions (sda5-vii) and assign them relevant mountain points. There's no need to format them again, because we just did that with GParted.

Hither'southward the final setup:

Warning

The installer will warn you that you're not formatting the root filesystem and that information technology'due south going to destroy any existing directories found there. Since we know we've just created the partitions and want to use them for our new Ubuntu installation, this is ok.

Our installation is set up.

Simply there's one more thing to configure.

Configure bootloader

Ubuntu informed us that sda1 contains Vista (loader) on it. This is expected. Every operating organization must employ some form of bootloader to first. When you're running a dual boot organisation, you will have 2 options, using either the Windows bootloader or GRUB, which is the default loader in nigh Linux distros, including Ubuntu.

If you've read my GRUB tutorial, you know that Grub can be used to boot both Linux and Windows operating systems. This is what we're going to do. We'll utilise GRUB and call on Windows 7 bootloader from it, which will and then manage the Windows boot sequence. This is a standard procedure in dual boot systems.

The default setting is to install the bootloader, and so y'all need not do anything. We're ready. Click Install and permit the procedure complete.

Installation complete, enjoy your dual-boot

After you reboot the system post-obit Ubuntu installation, yous will at present meet the Chow menu, showing entries for both Linux and Windows, simply as we've expected. This is very similar to what we've seen with Windows XP and Kubuntu. Observe the "erroneous" Windows Vista entry. No matter, we can change it. Meet GRUB tutorial for more details.

Kicking Ubuntu

Let's commencement boot Ubuntu. Indeed, everything works fine. Allow'due south make some more checks. For example, if you go to Identify, you can come across the Windows partitions in the list, called Organization Reserved and 11.5GB Media.

And here are the contents of the 11.5GB bulldoze:

Now, permit'due south boot Windows.

Boot Windows

Oops, we get this horrible error!

This is exactly what I wanted you to encounter! Don't panic!

Whenever you employ a partitioning tool against an installed system, there'south a adventure of a problem, filesystem corruption and who knows what else. In that location is no guarantee for success. Re-partitioning of installed operating systems is risky. This is why y'all should e'er create your setup BEFORE installations, and then you never have to confront this kind of problem.

What went wrong?

Well, my guess is the resizing (shrinking) messed upwardly the filesystem. No worries, we will fix it. Luckily, we tin can solve this i rather easily. The error message itself suggests the course of activeness - boot from Windows installation disc, choose Language settings, click on Repair your computer and allow the built-in Windows tools practice the job. Permit'southward do it, then.

Repair unbootable Windows installation

Following the instructions, we volition boot from the Windows installation disc.

Click on Repair your estimator:

And you will run across this bill of fare:

Let Windows repair itself. It should do a pretty adept chore. Indeed, nosotros're up and running. Windows vii volition start booting and recommend you run checkdisk against your disk, offer yet another hint that the resizing procedure messed things up a piddling. Yous should indeed let the tool run.

And soon, you'll see the login menu:

And here nosotros can see the changes in My Computer and the Disk Management.

One matter that Windows seven does not report correctly are the partitioning types for our Linux partitions. Information technology reports all of them as primary, for a total of five on the aforementioned disk! Impossible! Merely this is a minor glitch overall.

Other Windows repair & recovery tools

In example the automatic Windows 7 self-repair does non work, you can utilise boosted tools available via the Recovery console. In addition to Startup Repair, you can also try System Restore, Image Recovery, and even check the Retentivity.

Congratulations!

That'due south it, we're finally done! We have our dual-boot system running. Windows 7 and Ubuntu are installed side by side. Everything works every bit expected. We've fifty-fifty had to bargain with a serious boot issue in Windows, but we managed it quite well. This is a very important lesson.

More reading

You might also be interested in the following:

Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin review one and two and 3

Windows 8 reviews: Client Preview and Enterprise RTM review

Windows eight without Modernistic UI Commencement menu interface

Windows eight recovery options

Conclusion

Dual booting Windows 7 and Ubuntu is not a simple task. It requires attention to details and patience. And there is no guarantee that it will piece of work. However, if yous follow the instructions advisedly and invest fourth dimension planning your setup, you will savor a pleasant, problem-free feel of running two or more operating systems adjacent. What more, fifty-fifty if you do encounter errors, yous take the right knowledge and tools to solve them hands.

Hopefully, this tutorial has provided yous with the crucial knowledge and real-life examples to configuring a complex, useful dual boot arrangement. We volition visit the concept of dual booting once again when openSUSE 11.2 is launched. In addition to the standard installation guide for openSUSE, we will again setup a dual boot system.

P.S. If yous find this article useful, please support Dedoimedo.

Thank you.

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