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Partitioning a dual boot UNR/XP for Asus 1005HA

Asked by Cuso524

I'm recently bought an Asus 1005HA. I'm trying to install UNR 9.04 from a flash drive, XP came pre-installed. I boot UNR and select the "Install UNR from flash drive" option. The first few pages are self-explanatory, but then I run into the partition editing stage.

I am given two options by the installer; overwrite everything, including XP (which I don't want to do) or specify partitions manually. I select the latter.

*Important note: the 160gb hd came pre-partitioned into two 72gb drives, C: and D:, where the C: drive is home to XP. Ideally, I would like to install UNR into the D: drive, but I am presented with some confusing options with the partition editor.

I am presented with four devices in the "Prepare Partitions" window: sda1, sda2, sda3, sda4. sda1 is the first partition of the hd, and contains XP, so I figure I should steer clear of that one. sda2 is currently ntfs and has approx 74gb free. sda3 is fat32 and only 5gb, while sda4 is the restore image and other important system files.

After highlighting sda2, I can either delete or edit the partition. So I choose to edit. Now I'm stuck. I'm not sure how large it should be, what I should use the space as (I'm guessing ext4 but I'm not sure), if I should format the partition, or what the mount point should be.

If anybody can help me get past this step, or maybe re-direct me if this is the wrong method, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks again.

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thantus (geicutraian) said : 		#1

Hi,

I will show how I do it with my computer, but note it can be done in different ways ...
You can do something like this(but you have to delete sda2):
/boot(mount point) on ext3(4)(primary partition) - 200 MB- put boot-loader here not to override MBR
/ on ext3(4) - 20 GB(more or less)(primary partition) - mandatory
swap - partition ( better 2*RAM)( can put on extended partition)(For extended partition - first you have to create an extended partition - if not exists - on the rest of available space and then place logical partition in the extended partition ... swap will be logical partition made over an extended partition - let's say 40 gb on extended you can split into logical swap - 4gb ; /home on ext3(4) - 10 gb and also can have another NTFS logical -10 gb ..)
and also can do /home on ext3(4) - 5 Gb(more or less on extended partition). Note - you can have max 4 primary partition.With this you can have both Windows and Linux.
But note, you have to check how your partition table came ...
If you win_d is on extended partition and if you try to deleted to recreate other's it's possible to delete also "sda4" and maybe "sda3"(so take care - this is if you choose to delete "extended partition") ... in this case maybe it's better to install linux on "NTFS" (it should work - let ubutu to be install automatically on windows free space - if it allow - "D" better to be free )....Even if sda2 is on extended partition you can "deleted" the sda2(logical sda2), and recreate partitions.I say once more,please take care what you deleted( you need to deleted "logical sda2" - NOT EXTENDED) and do the same partition with-out /boot( I'm not sure if you put boot-loader on extended partition it will actually boot), and override boot-loader from MBR(sda1).But with boot-loader on MBR - when you try to reinstall windows also you have to rewrite boot-loader(windows rewrite it, and you have to put it back to have linux/ubuntu option ...).

Also,it's better to read Ubuntu docs about install ...

Good luck !!!

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Best Tom (tom6) said : 		#2

Ok, that's all looking quite confusing and perhaps even unhelpful although what i did read was spot-on, in both the question and the first answer :)

Cuso please could you try to boot up from the UNR's flash-drive - do you get a menu with an option "Try Ubuntu without making changes to this machine"? If so choose this and you should get to a working desktop. Firefox on the top taskbar should be able to use your internet connection and surf back into here. Please let us know if that works first :)

Thanks and regards from
Tom :)

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Cuso524 (fmancuso) said : 		#3

Thanks Tom, that solved my question.

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Tom (tom6) said : 		#4

Solved? If this is solved then it was probably by thantus' answer although mine miht have given you access to a handy tool for implementing it?

Anyway, if it is really solved thanks huge congrats!! Nicely done :)))