Wondering if someone can help me with Linux install woes?

The story: I've tried to install Ubuntu / Kubuntu several times now (at least 10), and everytime I've had a problem. Here's the situation, I have Windows 7 installed on my machine right now, and I don't want to remove it for a couple of reasons: I play games sometimes, there are still some things in Windows that I do need (yes, NEED). That said, I want to use a linux distro on my machine (I'm a software engineering student, so I kind of need it...). Ubuntu seems like a good distro, and I might also try Fedora or something in the future.

The problem: When I try to install Ubuntu/Kubuntu, I arrive at the partition screen (after shrinking my Windows partition by a generous amount), and the installer does not see that I have Windows 7 installed. It gives me the choice to either: install on the entire disk, or specify my partitions manually. So, I said alright, not a problem, I'll just use Wubi. Well, I got it to install alright, and was really excited to start using it. I rebooted my machine into Ubuntu. The screen showed black with the lights blinking (to indicate it was powered on). I waited a while, still black. I tried restarting it, I tried waiting 2 hours, it wouldn't move past this black screen. Looks like Wubi doesn't work either. What could possibly be the problem???

The machine: Dell XPS M1730, Intel T9300 (I've been trying to get 64 bit thus far, as it works fine for Windows), NVidia GFX card, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB drive.

The potential problem: I bought a RAID drive with the computer, it was 160 GB. When I upgraded from Windows Vista to 7 a few months ago, I decided to decouple it, and make it one 320 GB drive (I think this is called RAID 0, correct?). I'm wondering if, when I run the installer, the windows 7 partition is on the other physical disc, and the installer cannot see it. Could this be a problem? Right now, I'm thinking the only solution is to re-install 7 on a RAID 1, with 160 GB, and then try to squeeze another OS onto that (it would be much more comfortable with 320 GB, as I have about 100 GB of personal stuff...).

Please, please, please help me! I will do anything (within reason), if you will help me! Thank you.
Iain

 

Hi,
i'm a bit confused from your post.
if i understand it well:
-originally you had 2 (two) 160gb hdd in your laptop and now you have only 1 320gb?
- your laptop has HW (hardware type) raid controller, or you used SW raid type you originally ran windows?

anyway
- if you have HW raid controller, then disable it in your bios and reinstall windows and make them to use smaller part of the available space on hdd (e.g. 100gb) and then install linux
- if you dont have HW raid controller, reinstall windows anyway and then linux

Personally i don't trust applications that resize your partitions for 100% (be it partition magic on windows or gparted in linux) since i had a few troubles with it in the past ...

gl&hf

 

I have a two disk, 160 GB RAID (That is 2x 160 GB drives). Right now, it is configured as two disks, for 320 GB. I'm thinking I need to redo it as a RAID 0, and then install 7, then install linux, is that right? Is there anyway to keep the 320 GB, and have both 7 and linux on the same machine (I would prefer to have about 200 GB for personal data...)???

 

The RAID0 probably needs drivers, and that is almost certainly an issue. Many integrated "RAID" controllers aren't well supported by Linux. You should be able to have one drive as a Windows/Linux/program drive, and use the other drive for your data drive (format it as NTFS). I would highly suggest against trying the RAID0 with Linux... I can't see it ending well.

 

Okay, what if I disable the RAID controller when installing Windows, that should make it act like one 400 GB drive (it's actually 2x200GB, I just found out), right? Then I should be able to make three primary partitions (one windows, one data, one ubuntu), and install the OS's like that, right? Or am I missing something?

 

If you disable the RAID, it should act like 2 200GB drives. Then you make two partitions on the first drive, install Windows to the first one, install Ubuntu to the second one, and make the second drive one partition for data.

 

During installation you have to select the option for custom partitioning--"specify partitions manually."

From there you have to select the drive that you want to partition/install to:



^^^ Look up in the top right here and you will see a menu tab that will allow you to select the drive you want to work with. Obviously don't select the drive that contains win7. Do select the remaining empty drive. Set up your partitions...large ext 4 (set mount point to "/" and check the "format" box) and a small swap partition. At that point you can move forward with the installation.

 

and don't worry about primary partitions for the linux install as you can use extended/logical partitions