dual booting Ubuntu 13.04 and Windows 7

[Bahn, Nathan]

On Sun, May 26, 2013 at 5:25 PM, Gerhard Magnus <magnus at agora.rdrop.com> wrote:
> This may be helpful to anyone trying to dual boot Ubuntu 13.04 and Windows
> 7, or even just to install Ubuntu 13.04 by itself on some post-2010
> machines. At least the details will end up on the Web for someone having
> similar problems.
>
> I bought a new box with the Intel DB75EN motherboard that uses the UEFI
> standard and DPT partitioning for the hard drives. I also bought Windows 7
> Home Premium and had it installed at the shop. My plan was to dual boot
> Windows and Linux as I have successfully for the past decade or so. (I still
> need Windows because some people I collaborate with use Microsoft Word, and
> LibreOffice has never quite caught up with it.)
>
> Back home, I was able to easily install Ubuntu 13.04. Upon restarting, I was
> booted into Ubuntu without seeing a grub menu page.  After shutting down, I
> did, however, find entries on the BIOS boot menu for both Microsoft and
> Ubuntu, and by changing the boot order I was able to boot successfully back
> into Windows.
>
> That was the last I saw of the Ubuntu installation for several days. There
> was still no grub menu but now no reference to Ubuntu in the BIOS boot list.
> And I could only boot into Windows 7.
>
> Although interesting and/or incredibly time wasting, none of the threads I
> traced on the Web offering solutions to this problem were useful in getting
> the Ubuntu OS back, let alone in allowing me to dual boot Ubuntu 13.04 with
> Windows 7. The dual boot may even be impossible with this post-2010
> motherboard, fulfilling Microsoft's long-term agenda to block Intel machines
> from running anything except Microsoft products. Those people are so evil!
>
> After a lot of hacking through the underbrush that got me nowhere, here's
> what ultimately worked:
> (1) Select "Try Ubuntu" with the 64-bit Desktop Installation CD and connect
> to the Internet.
> (2) sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
> (3) sudo apt-get update
> (4) sudo apt-get install boot-repair
> (5) Run boot-repair. Go to the "advanced" menu, and repair the MBR. This is
> the crucial step.
> (6) Install Ubuntu 13.04, being sure to use the option that erases the
> entire disk.
>
> I think Windows 7 keeps writing over information in the MBR to prevent the
> installation of any other OS. What I did completely nuked my Windows OS, but
> at least I was able to install Ubuntu 13.04.
>
> One wonderful thing about computers and computer software is that what
> little one knows is automatically leveraged into being able to do so much
> more. I don't fully understand why this procedure worked (it's not on the
> Web) and would appreciate any insights. I suspect the problem is that the
> new DPT partitioning scheme uses the old-school Master Book Record in very
> different ways. Can modern motherboards work with, let alone boot from
> MBR-partitioned hard drives? Has anyone actually been able to dual boot
> Windows 7 and Ubuntu 13.04 on a new machine? (The threads on the Web start
> out so bravely and then seem to peter out....)
>
> The long-time dealer (Computek in Portland, OR) who sold me the box has
> delivered superior, long-lasting products, and when components have
> invariably failed I've gotten great service, even on obsolete machines.
> Unfortunately, he adamantly does not "do Linux" and the best I can hope from
> him would be to get me back to where I started.  But I'd rather eat the cost
> and use my Windows 7 disc as a coaster than go through this again!



G.M.--

Dunno if this'll help or not, but googling provided the below link.
Even though it's from 2009, I think that the basic concept will work.

http://lifehacker.com/5403100/dual+boot-windows-7-and-ubuntu-in-perfect-harmony

And here is something from last year -- HTH.

http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2012/05/17/how-to-dual-boot-ubuntu-12-04-and-windows-7/

--
Please avoid sending me Word or PowerPoint attachments.
See http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html ,
http://www.libreoffice.org/ &
http://www.fsf.org/campaigns/opendocument (Nathan Bahn)