Installing Ubuntu on a laptop that has Windows 7 and Linux Mint

[Liam Proven]

On 2 March 2012 19:14,  <taodoe9.amabel at recursor.net> wrote:
> Thanks for the reply.
>
> On Fri, Mar 2, 2012 at 9:55 AM, Pongo  wrote:
>
>> PartedMagic is a free utility which bundles lots of useful tools, but
>> most importantly the gnome partitioner.  You use it as a live CD or USB
>> to pre-partition your hard disk before installing new operating systems.
>> Highly recommended.
>
> Can't the Ubuntu installer create new partitions and resize existing ones?

Yes it can, but it is not intelligent - it's just a dumb computer
program. It is not smart enough for the automatic "wizard" to figure
out a computer that is already configured with multiple partitions and
at least 2 OSs.


>>> I booted up the "Ubuntu 11 Iso" on my computer. The installer was
>>> aware that I had "other operating systems". It asked me whether I
>>> wanted to install Ubuntu 11.10 alongside them. I did, and then I was
>>> led to "Guided Installation". I saw this screen:
>>> http://i.imgur.com/pOanH.jpg
>> You don't want to do this unless you are willing to trash Mint 11.  You
>> need to use manual partitioning, preferably after you have used Parted
>> Magic or something similar to make empty partitions on your disk for
>> everything you want to install.
> Oh, so you mean that even if the Ubuntu installed said that I had
> "operating systems" (plural), it was only going to keep one of them
> (Win7)? Hmmm.... if that's the case, I think the Ubuntu staff should
> make this clear.

As I said, it's not smart enough to figure out a multiboot system on
its own. However, you're right inasmuch as it would be better if in
such situations the automatic partitioner disabled itself. The snag is
that this would prevent some people from installing the OS at all.

-- 
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